The Heart Dog Journall
For the dog who was
never just a dog.
A guided pet-loss grief journal for the mornings you still reach for the leash — and the 2 a.m. questions about whether you waited too long, or let go too soon.
No stages to climb. No timeline to follow.
Just a place to put it all down, at your own pace.
See what’s inside
ABOUT THIS JOURNAL
Grief doesn't follow a schedule.
Neither does this journal.
This isn't a tidy, fill-in-the-blank workbook that marches you from denial to acceptance. Losing your dog was never that neat. It's the empty spot by the door. The bowl you can't put away. The bite you still save from your plate before you remember they are gone.
The Heart Dog Journal honors the messy, non-linear, deeply human weight of that loss — and walks beside you while you find your own way through it. Not on anyone else's timeline. On yours.
“You spiral. Hope in the morning, devastation by noon, guilt in the afternoon, gratitude by evening. You accept it on Tuesday and wake up in denial on Wednesday. That isn't failing at grief. That is grief.”
PAIGE CUMMINGS, BS, MA · FOUNDER OF K9 HEARTS
A SAMPLE OF WHAT'S INSIDE
Where the hardest chapter lives
The Day I Chose
The what-ifs. The second-guessing. Too soon, or too long. This section doesn't try to make it lighter — it sits with you in it. Choosing to end their pain is not a failure of love. It is love in its most selfless form.
YOUR HEALING COMPANION
Begin Where You Feel Ready
There is no timeline — grief doesn't follow one. Start where your heart needs to start. If that's the middle, go to the middle. If that's the beginning, begin there. This journal is for you, and it will meet you wherever you open it.
Write one line or write ten. Stop mid-sentence if you want to. Some pages won't be yours — skip them. Some you'll return to a year from now and answer differently. And some days you won't want to open it at all. That's okay, too.
“Grief does not move in straight lines — neither does this journal.”
GET THE JOURNAL
Begin the moment you need it
Even at 2 a.m. your grief doesn't follow a schedule.
The Heart Dog Journal — PDF
- ✦ Complete journal — every section
- ✦ Print at home or write on any device
- ✦ Delivered to your inbox instantly
The Heart Dog Journal — Hardcover
- ✦ A lasting keepsake to hold and write in
- ✦ Same complete journal, in print
- ✦ Ships via Amazon
ARTICLES
The research behind the grief
Grief doesn't come with an instruction manual.
These pieces explore the science of pet-loss grief, the frameworks that make sense of what you're feeling, and the healing that becomes possible once you stop grieving on someone else's timeline.
Is Pet Loss Grief Real? What Science Says
Yes — and research proves it. Pet loss activates the same brain regions as human loss, with measurable grief in most bereaved owners.
Read → The guiltWhy Do I Feel So Guilty After Losing My Dog?
Guilt is one of the most painful — and least talked about — parts of pet loss. Why it happens, and gentle ways to begin healing.
Read → The timelineHow Long Does Pet Grief Last?
There is no set timeline. Research shows dog-loss grief can mirror the intensity and duration of losing a person. Here's what healing really looks like.
Read → Why it's this hardWhy Does Pet Loss Feel Harder Than Human Loss?
Losing a dog can feel as devastating as losing a person — and research confirms that isn't an overreaction. Here's why it matters.
Read → Surviving petsDo Pets Grieve? What Science Says About Animal Loss
If your other dog is searching the house or eating less, you're not imagining it. What the science says — and how to help you both heal.
Read → Choosing a journalWhat Are the Best Journals for Pet Loss Grief?
What makes a journal truly therapeutic — and how to find the companion that actually fits your healing journey.
Read →You don't have to carry this alone.
Wherever you are in your grief today — start where you feel ready.
About the Author
Paige is the heart behind K9 Hearts. With nearly 30 years walking alongside people through their hardest moments — and a personal loss that changed everything — she built the resource she wishes had existed when she needed it most.
When her heart dog, Charlie Brown, came into her life, she never imagined losing him at just three years old. That grief — and her B.S. in Psychology and M.A. in Forensic Psychology — became the foundation for everything at K9 Hearts.
Frequently Asked Questions
You're allowed to ask
What is The Heart Dog Journal?+
It's an evidence-based guided grief journal for the loss of a dog, created by Paige Cummings of K9 Hearts. It pairs excerpts from the memoir Charlie's Last Walk with structured prompts that move with you — through anticipatory grief, the impossible choice, the waves, guilt, remembrance, and opening to love again. It covers grief the way it actually happens: non-linear, at your own pace.
When will I feel better? Is there a right timeline?+
There is no correct timeline for grieving your dog, and anyone who hands you one is guessing. Research shows pet loss can mirror the intensity and length of losing a person. If it's been a month, or six, or two years and you still cry — that isn't failing. This journal never asks you to be further along than you are today.
Is it normal to feel this much guilt?+
For so many people, the guilt hurts worse than the grief itself — the did-I-wait-too-long, the did-I-let-go-too-soon, the replaying of the last day. It is one of the most common and least spoken parts of losing a dog. The journal has a section built specifically for it, because choosing to end their pain was never a failure of love. It was love.
Is this journal for anticipatory grief too — while my dog is still here?+
Yes. There's a dedicated section for anticipatory grief: the grief that starts before goodbye, when the diagnosis is in and you're doing daily quality-of-life checks and asking the impossible question. It's one of the few journals that holds space for you whether you're preparing for the loss or already living inside it.
What formats does it come in, and how much is it?+
The instant-download PDF is available now for $19.99 — read it on any device or print it at home. A paperback edition on Amazon is coming soon at $34.99, for anyone who wants a keepsake to hold and write in by hand.
How will I receive the journal after I buy it?+
The PDF is a digital download. Once checkout is complete, it's delivered instantly to the email you used — no shipping, no waiting. You can begin the moment you need it, even at 2 a.m. when grief doesn't keep office hours.
Do I need to read Charlie's story "Why Losing a Heart Dog is So Hard" first?+
No — the journal stands completely on its own, and you can begin wherever you are. That said, reading Charlie's Last Walk first adds a deeper layer of context, since the prompts are woven through the emotional arc of the memoir.
How is this different from other pet loss journals?+
Most pet loss journals offer generic prompts that treat grief as a tidy line with a finish. This one is rooted in evidence-based frameworks — including Worden's Tasks of Mourning — pairs a real memoir of loss with structured prompts, names anticipatory grief directly, and was created by someone with nearly 30 years supporting people through the hardest parts of their lives. It meets you exactly where you are.
Where is K9 Hearts, and do you help people everywhere?+
K9 Hearts is based in Port Orchard, Washington, and serves grieving dog owners everywhere. Everything — the journal, the memoir, and the grief resources — is fully virtual and self-directed. You don't have to be local to have it. Questions? Email Paige at paige@k9hearts.com; she reads every message herself.