The Dr. Laura Podcast
Episode: Am I Having a Grieving Issue?
Date: March 19, 2026

Episode Overview

In this episode, Dr. Laura takes a call from Anita, who is struggling with deep grief after the sudden disappearance of her dog. Together, they discuss the unique nature of grieving for a pet, how the lack of closure can intensify grief, and the detrimental habit of measuring or comparing one’s sorrow. Dr. Laura offers compassion, validation, and practical advice to Anita as she navigates this painful experience.

Key Discussion Points

1. Exploring the Caller’s Grief (01:25 – 03:07)

• Anita’s Situation:

  • Anita is calling because she is “having an issue grieving over a pet” and notes her grief is “worse than what I felt when I’ve lost some close people in my life over the last couple years.” (Anita, 01:59)
  • The pain is exacerbated by the uncertainty—her dog disappeared suddenly while on their farm, and she has no idea what happened.

• Dr. Laura’s Response:

  • Challenges the notion of there being an “issue” with grieving, positioning grief as a natural process and discouraging self-judgment:
    • “Grieving is a process. What issue can one have about grieving? … We don’t measure it and we don’t compare it. It’s what you feel for losing this dog. That’s huge.” (Dr. Laura, 01:46 & 02:26)
  • Empathizes with the deeper grief sometimes felt for pets due to their unconditional love and loyalty:
    • “There’s something unique about a human dog relationship… There is no human relationship which is as pure and clean as that.” (Dr. Laura, 02:11)
  • Counsels Anita to avoid comparing her sorrow to other losses or judging its depth:
    • “If you’re criticizing yourself because of the depth of your sorrow and missing, let me tell you, stop.” (Dr. Laura, 02:15)
    • “Just grieve without measuring it, please.” (Dr. Laura, 02:37)

2. The Impact of Uncertainty and Unresolved Loss (03:07 – 04:01; 06:39 – 07:14)

• Anita describes the circumstances:

  • The grief is compounded by a lack of closure—there’s uncertainty about whether the dog was taken or harmed by a predator.
  • “We live on a large farm, so we were by the grain bins and we have three dogs… we went to grab them to take them back up to the pond… if someone took her, oh God, maybe she’s safe. But… if we have predators here…” (Anita, 03:28)

• Dr. Laura’s Recommendations:

  • Suggests a practical step:
    • “You might want to have a tracking dog… if you have smells, clothes, games, stuff that that dog did all the time, you might want to get a tracking dog and see if that gives you any more.” (Dr. Laura, 06:42)
  • Reaffirms that not knowing what happened increases the pain:
    • “Grief is a sucker punch to the tummy and not knowing what the hell happened is very upsetting.” (Dr. Laura, 07:05)
  • Continues to remind Anita not to judge or quantify her grief.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Dr. Laura on the uniqueness of pet loss:

  • “There’s something unique about a human dog relationship. They love us unconditionally. They’re adorable. They stand by us. There is no human relationship which is as pure and clean as that.” (02:11)

• On the futility of measuring grief:

  • “We don’t measure it and we don’t compare it. It’s what you feel for losing this dog. That’s huge.” (02:23)
  • “Just grieve without measuring it, please.” (02:37)

• Practical advice for unresolved disappearance:

  • “You might want to get a tracking dog and see if that gives you any more [answers].” (06:42)

• Validation of difficult, uncertain loss:

  • “Grief is a sucker punch to the tummy and not knowing what the hell happened is very upsetting.” (07:05)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• [01:25] Anita’s call begins
• [01:46] Dr. Laura questions the idea of having a ‘grieving issue’
• [02:11] Dr. Laura discusses unique human-animal bonds and validates deep grief
• [02:37] Dr. Laura urges Anita not to compare or measure grief
• [03:07] Anita describes the circumstances of her dog’s disappearance
• [06:42] Dr. Laura suggests using a tracking dog for closure
• [07:05] Summary validation: Grief’s impact, especially with uncertainty

Summary

This concise but heartfelt call captures Dr. Laura’s characteristic mix of candidness and empathy. She challenges Anita to accept her grief in its entirety, without comparison or guilt, especially when it comes to the uniquely pure bond shared with animals. Dr. Laura validates the anguish that comes from unresolved disappearance and offers both emotional support and a possible actionable step toward finding closure. The episode serves as a gentle reminder that grief is personal, unquantifiable, and deserving of patience and understanding.