Dancing with the Stars judge Derek Hough is grieving the loss of his dog Romie, his constant companion of 14 years. On Sunday, October 25, 2026, Derek shared the heartbreaking news on Instagram with a video of Romie walking slowly behind his favorite bush in the yard.
The tribute hit fans hard because Romie was not just a pet. He was there for every chapter of Derek’s adult life, from his early struggling years to marriage and fatherhood.
Below is the full story: what Derek announced, who Romie was, the emotional words he shared, the health decline in the weeks before, and how fans and the DWTS family reacted.
Quick Answer
Derek Hough pet passes away news broke on October 25, 2026, when the Dancing with the Stars judge announced on Instagram that his beloved dog Romie had died after 14 years by his side. Derek shared a video tribute and said waking up without Romie feels unreal.
Bio at a Glance
| Detail | Derek Hough |
|---|---|
| Born | May 17, 1985, Salt Lake City, Utah |
| Age | 41 |
| Profession | Dancing with the Stars judge, dancer, choreographer |
| Wife | Hayley Erbert (married August 2023) |
| Daughter | Everley Capri Hough (born December 29, 2025) |
| Sister | Julianne Hough |
| Known For | Record six Mirrorball Trophy wins on DWTS |
| Pet | Romie, rescue dog, 14 years by his side |
What Happened to Derek Hough’s Dog?
On Sunday, October 25, 2026, Derek Hough posted a video on Instagram announcing that his dog Romie had passed away. Over the footage of Romie walking behind his favorite bush, Derek wrote, “I will love you forever.”
The video also noted that Romie had been by his side for 14 years, and Derek bid an emotional goodbye to his boy. Fans and co-stars quickly filled the comments with condolences.
Derek did not announce a specific medical cause of death. What he described instead was a long, slow decline: Romie had started to get tired, and in the final weeks Derek stayed close to him around the clock.
Who Was Romie?
Romie was a rescue dog Derek adopted about 14 years ago, back when he was still trying to figure life out. In a 2024 reflection, Derek wrote that he had rescued Romie twelve years earlier and that the dog had been his faithful companion ever since.
Over the years Romie became known to fans as Derek’s shadow. Derek often called him his constant, the one who was there at his worst and at his best. As Romie grew older and grey around the face, Derek and his wife gave him a fond nickname, “George Clooney,” because he was getting a little grey but stayed cool and calm.
Romie watched Derek grow up, fall in love, and become a husband. He was also there when Derek and Hayley welcomed their daughter, a moment Derek had asked him to hold on for.
Derek Hough’s Emotional Tribute
Derek’s caption was written like a letter to his best friend. He wrote that Romie came into his life when he was just trying to figure life out, back when it was only the two of them, and that for a long time Romie was his constant.
He went on to say that Romie saw him at his worst and at his best, loved him through everything, and somehow gave him purpose when he could not find it himself. Then came the line that moved fans most: when Romie started to get tired, Derek asked him to hold on so he could meet his little sister, and Romie kept that promise.
Derek admitted the mornings are now the hardest part. He wrote that waking up without Romie feels unreal, and that he keeps looking at the spot where Romie would usually come around the bushes, waiting and hoping, even though he knows Romie will not come around that bend again.
He closed with gratitude, thanking his boy for choosing them, for carrying him, and for giving him so much. He wrote that the ache feels unbearable, but that it is also proof that love lived there fully, and that Romie always will.
The Weeks Before: Romie’s Health Decline
The loss did not come without warning. On October 14, Derek shared that Romie was not doing well and that he had been sleeping on the floor beside him for days. “My boy of 15 years is not doing too good,” he wrote at the time, adding, “My mind is racing thinking of all the different stages of life we have gone through together.” (Derek counted 15 years in that post; his farewell tribute counted 14 years by his side.)
A few days later, on October 19, Derek posted an emotional video about learning to let go. Fighting back tears, he said he was going through something where he was having to let go, and that he was trying to find the beauty in everything he looked at.
Even in 2024, Derek had noted that Romie was moving a bit slower with age, though his playful spark was still there when they played. The family knew heartbreak was coming, even if they could not seperate the good days from the bad ones in those final weeks.
Derek Hough and Hayley Erbert’s Family
Derek married wife Hayley Erbert in August 2023, after dating since 2015. The couple met in 2014, when Hayley joined the Dancing with the Stars troupe. They married in a forest ceremony in Monterey County, California.
Their daughter, Everley Capri Hough, was born on December 29, 2025. She will turn one this December. Derek has said Romie held on long enough to meet his little sister, a promise the old dog kept.
Derek and Hayley are huge animal lovers. Besides Romie, the family has another dog, Luna, and three cats named Palo, Lily, and Otis. Derek has said his animals mean everything to him and his wife, and that caring for them reminds him to stay present.
Watch: Derek Hough’s DWTS Solo Performance
For fans who want to remember Derek at his best on the dance floor, here is his solo performance from the Dancing with the Stars season 29 finale. It was his first solo on the show in over a decade, and host Tyra Banks compared him to Fred Astaire after it aired.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t6IsyZWrMsc
The routine, set to “Let’s Fall in Love for the Night,” showed why Derek holds the record for the most Mirrorball Trophy wins in the show’s history, with six victories as a professional dancer before he moved to the judges table.
Derek spent a decade as a DWTS professional, from 2007 to 2016, then returned as a judge in season 29 and later took over as head judge. He has also judged NBC’s World of Dance and now hosts Extra, but the ballroom remains the stage fans link him with most.
Reactions From Fans and the DWTS Family
Thousands of DWTS fans and co-stars rallied around Derek within hours of the announcement. The comments on his tribute post filled with condolences from people who had followed Romie for years on his social media.
One fan wrote about the unique heartbreak of losing a pet that is always there for you no matter what is happening in your life. Another said no amount of time ever feels enough, comparing grief to an ocean whose waves must be ridden. Some fans said they recieved comfort from Derek’s own words about love living fully.
The outpouring showed how much Romie meant to people who never met him. For many viewers, he was a familiar face in Derek’s home videos, a quiet presence through every season of the show.
Social Media Presence
Derek shared the announcement on his official Instagram account, @derekhough, where he regularly posts family moments, dance clips, and updates from the DWTS set. The Romie tribute video was posted there on October 25, 2026.
The post above is Derek’s verified tribute to Romie, shared with his 3.8 million followers.
Fans looking for his latest updates should follow the verified account directly, since tribute posts and fake accounts spread quickly after celebrity news like this.
Frequently Asked Questions
What happened to Derek Hough’s dog?
Derek Hough’s dog Romie passed away, and Derek announced the news on Instagram on October 25, 2026. Romie had been slowing down with age and was not doing well in the weeks before his death.
How old was Romie?
Romie spent 14 years by Derek Hough’s side, according to Derek’s tribute post. Derek adopted Romie as a rescue dog about 14 years ago, and in 2024 he marked 12 years since the rescue.
What did Derek Hough say about Romie?
Derek called Romie his constant and said he saw him at his worst and at his best. He thanked Romie for choosing them and for carrying him, and wrote that the ache feels unbearable but proves that love lived there fully.
Does Derek Hough have other pets?
Yes. Besides Romie, Derek and Hayley have another dog named Luna and three cats named Palo, Lily, and Otis. The family is known for being huge animal lovers.
Who is Derek Hough’s wife?
Derek Hough’s wife is Hayley Erbert Hough, a professional dancer and former DWTS troupe member. They married in August 2023 and welcomed their daughter Everley in December 2025.
Conclusion
Romie’s passing closes a 14-year chapter that shaped Derek Hough’s life in ways fans could see but never fully know. From a young dancer figuring life out to a husband and new father, Romie was the constant through it all.
For celebrity watchers, the story is a reminder that behind the ballroom lights, the losses that hit hardest are often the quiet ones at home. Derek asked Romie to hold on until he met his little sister, and Romie kept that promise. That is the part fans will remember most.