Derek Hough's dog Romie dies after 14 years by the Dancing with the Stars judge's side, and Hough announced the heartbreaking news on Sunday, October 25, 2026, with an emotional Instagram tribute. In the video, Romie walks slowly behind his favorite bush in the family yard while Hough writes, "I will love you forever."
Derek Hough’s dog Romie dies after 14 years by the Dancing with the Stars judge’s side, and Hough announced the heartbreaking news on Sunday, October 25, 2026, with an emotional Instagram tribute. In the video, Romie walks slowly behind his favorite bush in the family yard while Hough writes, “I will love you forever.”
Hough did not share a cause of death. He thanked Romie for choosing his family and carrying him through hard seasons.
Derek Hough’s Emotional Tribute to His Dog Romie
Hough’s caption reads like a letter to an old friend. He explained that Romie came into his life when he was still figuring things out, and for a long time it was just the two of them. Romie became his constant through every stage of adulthood.
“He saw me at my worst and at my best,” Hough shared. “He loved me through it all and somehow gave me purpose when I couldn’t find it myself.” He added that Romie watched him grow up, fall in love, and become a husband. And when Romie started to slow down, Hough asked him to hold on long enough to meet his baby sister. He did.
The tribute ends with the image fans keep returning to. Hough wrote that he keeps looking at the spot where Romie would usually come around the bushes, waiting and hoping. “It’s strange to know he won’t come around that bend again,” he said.
Derek Hough with his sister Julianne Hough. Photo: Mingle Media TV, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
Who Was Romie? 14 Years by Derek Hough’s Side
Romie was far more than a pet. He was the steady presence in Hough’s life for 14 years, through his six Dancing with the Stars mirrorball wins as a pro, his move into judging, his marriage, and now fatherhood. Hough often called Romie his shadow, and the dog appeared in his social media posts for years.
In a 2021 interview with PEOPLE, Hough joked that his pets had taken over his camera roll. He described Romie as a cool, watchful dog who liked to check up on everything around the house. As Romie’s muzzle turned gray, Hough nicknamed him “George Clooney.”
Timeline:
| When | What happened |
|---|---|
| About 2012 | Romie joins a young Derek Hough, starting 14 years together. |
| 2021 | Hough tells PEOPLE about life with his pets, calling them “the loves of our lives.” |
| October 19, 2026 | Hough posts about learning to let go, saying he slept on the floor beside Romie. |
| October 25, 2026 | Hough announces Romie’s passing on Instagram with a video tribute. |
Romie’s Final Days: Slowing Down, Still Holding On
Romie’s decline was not sudden. In recent years, Hough had spoken openly about his old friend slowing down and resting more often. A week before the announcement, he posted a tearful video about learning to let go and finding beauty in the small things, even while his own heart was breaking.
That context makes the tribute’s most tender detail even more moving. Hough had asked Romie to hold on until he could meet his little sister, and Romie kept that promise. Derek and his wife, Hayley Erbert Hough, welcomed their daughter, Everley, in December 2025, so Romie lived long enough to meet the newest member of the family.
Confirmed Facts vs. What Has Not Been Shared
Here is what we know for sure, and what remains private. First, Hough himself announced Romie’s death on October 25, 2026, and described 14 years together. Second, Romie had been slowing down in recent months, according to Hough’s own earlier posts. On the other hand, Hough has not shared a cause of death, and he has not said exactly when Romie passed. Those details belong to the family.
Derek Hough at a red carpet event. Photo: Mingle Media TV, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
Derek Hough, Hayley Erbert, and Baby Everley Say Goodbye
The loss lands at a tender moment for the Hough household. Derek married Hayley, a former Dancing with the Stars troupe member, in 2023. Their daughter, Everley, will turn one in December 2026. The family also shares its home with another dog, Luna, and their cats. As a result, the house will feel Romie’s absence in quiet, everyday ways: the empty spot by the bushes, the slower mornings, the missing shadow at Derek’s side.
What’s Next for Derek Hough on Dancing With the Stars
Hough remains a judge on Dancing with the Stars, where he has sat at the judges’ table since 2020 after six mirrorball wins as a pro. The show’s current season premiered in September 2026, and its recent Dedication Night episode aired just days before the announcement.
In the meantime, the outpouring says a lot about why this story traveled so far. Pet loss is a universal grief, and Hough’s tribute gave it words. He did not dress it up or rush past it. He named the ache, thanked his dog, and promised that the love would last.
Our thoughts are with Derek, Hayley, and their family as they adjust to life without Romie.
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Sources: Parade’s report on Hough’s tribute, TV Insider’s coverage of Romie’s passing, and EntertainmentNow on Romie’s final days.
