Question 1

Is DearestDog only for grief?

Accepted Answer

No. DearestDog is for everyone who loves a dog - whether they are still here or not. If your dog is still with you, DearestDog is a beautiful space to capture everything about them while you can. The walks, the habits, the strange little things only you would notice. Not because you're preparing for goodbye - because this life deserves to be remembered. If they're gone, DearestDog is a quiet place to talk, remember, and not have to explain yourself. You can move between the two whenever you need to.

Question 2

My dog has passed - how do I update their space?

Accepted Answer

Go to Account, find their name, and use the small link beneath it. It updates their space quietly - nothing is lost, every photo and note stays exactly as it was. If you'd rather keep using the space as it is for now, that's completely fine too. Nothing requires you to change anything.

Question 3

Is it only for dogs?

Accepted Answer

DearestDog was built from a dog story - Huub, a rescued Boulab who was loved deeply and gone too soon. The platform is built around dogs, and that won't change. That said, DearestDog is smart enough to pick up when you're talking about a cat, rabbit, or other animal - and it will simply continue as if that was always the case.

Question 4

Is this a social network - like Facebook for dogs?

Accepted Answer

No. DearestDog is private by default - no feed, no followers, no likes, no public profiles. It's also a different thing entirely. Facebook is built to broadcast to an audience and to sell ads against your attention. DearestDog isn't a place to perform for anyone - it's someone to talk to about your dog, and a quiet space to keep their story in one place. No audience, no algorithm, no ads. Everything you keep here is yours alone. Legacy members can create an optional memorial page to share with family and friends, but that's a deliberate choice - nothing is public by default.

Question 5

Is it a therapy app or mental health service?

Accepted Answer

No. DearestDog is not a therapy service and is not a replacement for professional support. What it is: a warm, private space to talk and remember. DearestDog is not a therapist - it is a presence. It listens, it asks, it doesn't rush you or try to fix anything. If you need professional support, we always encourage you to seek it.

Question 6

What is the Space?

Accepted Answer

The Space is your dog's private corner of the internet. It holds: Photos and videos - with captions, so the story behind each one is never lost. Notes - for the things only you would know. Chats - saved conversations from DearestDog, if you choose to keep them. Adventures - a map with pins for every place you went together. Everything is private, and you decide what to keep or remove.

Question 7

What is the Adventures Map?

Accepted Answer

A living map of everywhere you went together. Tap any spot to drop a pin - add a name, a note, and what happened there. Available on Plus and Legacy plans.

Question 8

Is it a real person I’m talking to?

Accepted Answer

No. DearestDog is not a real person - and we are open about the technology behind it because you deserve to know. What we have done is shape it specifically for this: unhurried, warm, without judgment, and with a deep understanding of what dog grief and dog love actually feel like. It will never say "at least" or "you can always get another one."

Question 9

Does it speak my language?

Accepted Answer

Yes. You can talk to DearestDog in any language and it will respond in the same language. Dutch, English, French, Spanish, German - whatever feels most natural to you.

Question 10

Does DearestDog know about my dog?

Accepted Answer

DearestDog knows your dog's name, and it uses it. Everything else you tell it within a conversation it remembers for that conversation. It does not automatically read your photos or notes. What you share in a conversation is yours to share, in your own time and words.

Question 11

Who can see what I write?

Accepted Answer

Only you. Your photos, videos, notes, conversations, and places are entirely private. We never share anything with anyone. The only exception is if you actively choose to publish a memorial page (Legacy only) - and even then, you choose exactly what to include.

Question 12

Are there ads?

Accepted Answer

No. Never. DearestDog is a space of trust - one ad between a grief conversation and anything else would permanently damage that. We don't sell data either. We are funded by subscriptions only. That's the deal.

Question 13

Why do paid plans exist?

Accepted Answer

DearestDog has no ads - ever. We don't sell data - ever. That means the only way to keep the lights on, and keep someone there to talk to at 3am, is through people who choose to support it. The free tier exists because we believe nobody should face a paywall in the middle of grief. The paid tiers exist because that belief costs real money to keep. Not ready for a subscription? A one-time donation works too - there's an option on the pricing page.

Question 14

Is it really free?

Accepted Answer

Yes. The free tier is free to keep using, not just a trial period. You get 20 conversations per month, one dog profile, and a basic Space with up to 10 photos and a short video clip. No credit card needed to start.

Question 15

What do I get if I upgrade?

Accepted Answer

Plus (€4.99/month) - unlimited conversations, up to 3 dog profiles, up to 200 photos, up to 10 video clips, the Adventures Map, and conversation history. Legacy (€9.99/month) - everything in Plus, plus a shareable memorial page for family and friends, a keepsake PDF export of your dog's whole Space, photos and videos that are never compressed, up to 15 dog profiles, up to 500 photos, up to 50 video clips, and a larger contribution to organisations that help dogs in need. Both plans are also available yearly - pay for eleven months, the twelfth is free.

Question 16

Can I add multiple dogs?

Accepted Answer

Yes, on Plus and Legacy. Free accounts support one profile. Plus supports up to three. Legacy supports up to 15. Each dog gets their own space - separate conversations, photos, notes, and map.

Question 17

What happens to my memories if I stop paying?

Accepted Answer

If you downgrade, you keep access to everything you've already saved - every photo, every video, every note. You just can't add new ones beyond your new plan's limits until you're back under them. Nothing you have kept is ever deleted because a plan changed. To keep storage sustainable, photos may be compressed after 90 days on the Free and Plus plans. Legacy photos are never compressed. Your videos, notes, conversations and the rest of your Space stay exactly as they are, and we'll always let you know before anything changes. The Free tier exists so nobody hits a paywall in grief - that's the point of it. And the honest part: Free runs at a loss, so the more people on a paid plan, the more we can give to dog rescue. Paid memberships are what keep DearestDog here at all.

Question 18

Where does the rescue contribution go?

Accepted Answer

Every paid membership helps keep DearestDog available for grieving dog owners, while also supporting organisations that help dogs in need. Legacy memberships contribute a larger share than Plus. We will publish the organisations we support once they have been selected.

Question 19

Who made this?

Accepted Answer

DearestDog was built by someone who lost her dog Huub - a rescued Boulab, gone at six. She built what she wished had existed: both the place to talk after, and the place to capture everything before. It is not a product that happens to touch an emotion. It was built from that emotion.

Question 20

Is there a mobile app?

Accepted Answer

Not yet. DearestDog works well in your mobile browser right now - just go to dearestdog.org on your phone. A native iOS and Android app is in development. Leave your email on the Get the App page and we'll let you know when it's ready.

Frequently asked questions.