Derek Hough Mourns Death of His Dog Romie After 14 Years Together: ‘There’s an Ache That Feels Unbearable’

Derek Hough Mourns Death of His Dog Romie After 14 Years Together: ‘There’s an Ache That Feels Unbearable’


Derek Hough and wife Hayley Erbert Hough with their dog, RomieCredit: Derek Hough/Instagram

Derek Hough is mourning the death of his beloved dog, Romie, after 14 years together

The Dancing with the Stars judge shared an emotional Instagram tribute reflecting on their time together and the special bond they shared

Derek revealed that Romie held on long enough to meet his baby daughter, Everley Capri

Derek Hough is mourning the loss of his beloved dog, Romie, after 14 years together.

On Sunday, Oct. 25, the Dancing with the Stars judge, 41, shared the sad news in an emotional Instagram post featuring a video of Romie walking on green grass on a sunny day. He also posted a number of photos of Romie on his Instagram Stories.

“Romie came into my life when I was just trying to figure life out, it was just me and him,” Derek began his tribute. “And for a long time, he was my constant. He saw me at my worst and at my best. He loved me through it all and somehow gave me purpose when I couldn’t find it myself.”

Derek, who welcomed his first child with wife Hayley Erbert Hough, 32, in December 2025, revealed that Romie held on long enough to meet the couple’s daughter, Everley Capri.

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“He watched me grow up, fall in love, become a husband,” Derek continued. “And when he started to get tired, I asked him to hold on so he could meet his little sister, and he kept his promise. He held on.”


Derek Hough with his baby daughter, Everley Capri, and dog RomieCredit: Derek Hough/Instagram

The professional dancer also described the heartbreak of adjusting to life without his longtime companion.

“Waking up without him feels unreal. I keep looking at that spot where he’d usually come around the bushes, waiting, hoping,” he wrote. “It’s strange to know he won’t come around that bend again.”

Derek concluded his tribute with a final message to Romie: “But thank you, my boy, for choosing us, for carrying me, for giving me so much. There’s an ache that feels unbearable. But it’s also proof that love lived here fully. And you always will.”

“Goodbye for now my sweet sweet Romie Boy 💔🐕,” he added.


Derek Hough’s dog RomieCredit: Derek Hough/Instagram

Derek adopted Romie from a Los Angeles rescue in 2012 after volunteering to walk dogs at the shelter. What began as an overnight stay quickly turned into a permanent home.

“He jumped on the couch and laid on my lap, and I was like, ‘Okay. You’re mine now,’ ” Hough recalled in a 2023 interview with The Spruce Pets.

During that same interview, he opened up about his bond with Romie and the difficulty of watching his beloved pet grow older.


Derek Hough and his dog RomieCredit: Derek Hough/Instagram

“I just thank him so much for all the love he’s given me and everything, so I just want to thank him while he’s still here,” he said at the time.

“I just am so thankful, and I look back at our journey, and it’s pretty wild how far we’ve come,” he added.

Derek previously spoke about the pain of losing a pet while discussing how he supported his sister, Dancing with the Stars co-host Julianne Hough, 38, following the unexpected deaths of her two dogs in 2019.

“I think anybody who really has had a pet that they’ve loved fully [understands] that,” he told PEOPLE in December 2024. “So that’s why you always want the best for them … you always want the best for them and look out for them and take care of them.”

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Source: Nature