Graeme Hall, best known as the Dogfather from Dogs Behaving (Very) Badly, has shared an emotional and deeply personal account of losing three of his beloved dogs within just one year — a heartbreak he says was softened only by a surprising “sense of relief.”
The TV trainer, who recently appeared in reruns of his Channel 5 show, revealed that he and his new partner — whom he met following his split from his wife Elinor — said goodbye to Scooby, Jonny and Tish in the same devastating 12-month period.
Opening up about the painful chapter, Graeme explained that while the losses were undeniably difficult, there was also a quiet comfort knowing his dogs had lived long lives, despite serious health struggles. He shared that all three had reached old age, battling issues including doggy dementia, and joked that towards the end, life had become chaotic with “one blind, one deaf and one daft as a brush.”
Even in grief, Graeme found a way to hold onto a sense of humour, adding that he can still say he has a Rottweiler and a Springer — though they are now guinea pigs named after their dogs’ distinctive colouring.
However, nothing compared to the heartbreak he experienced with his Rottweiler Gordon, whose death left a lasting mark.
Graeme recalled the devastating moment he had to make the decision no pet owner ever wants to face, after Gordon was diagnosed with incurable cancer. He described how, unlike the others, Gordon never seemed ready to give up.
He explained that while people often say dogs signal when they are ready to go, Gordon’s case was different. Despite losing balance, struggling to see, and repeatedly injuring himself, the loyal dog kept trying to push on. Graeme remembered it feeling as though Gordon was telling him, “I’m alright, Dad; just give me a minute to shake this off.”
In the end, Graeme and his partner had to make the heartbreaking call to let him go.
He admitted it was an incredibly difficult decision, saying Gordon was still fighting and wanted to keep going, but they knew he was suffering. Graeme described it as the hardest dog loss he has ever been through.
