Derek Hough and Hayley Erbert Mourn the Death of Their Beloved Dog Romie

Derek Hough and Hayley Erbert Hough are mourning the loss of a longtime companion who was part of their lives through years of personal growth, major milestones and family memories. The couple shared emotional tributes to their beloved dog, Romie, on October 25, 2026, remembering the animal who had been by their side long before their family entered its newest chapter.

Hough, the professional dancer and Dancing With the Stars judge, reflected on the years he spent with Romie in a personal Instagram post. His message described a bond that began when he was navigating an earlier stage of his life and continued through his marriage and the arrival of his daughter.

His wife, fellow dancer Hayley Erbert Hough, also shared a tribute, recalling the years she spent with Romie and describing the dog as an important part of their household.

The couple’s messages offered a glimpse into the place a longtime pet can hold within a family. Rather than focusing on speculation surrounding the circumstances of Romie’s death, both tributes centered on companionship, shared memories and gratitude for the time they had together.

Derek Hough Shares an Emotional Tribute to Romie

Hough announced Romie’s death through an Instagram post featuring a video of the dog walking outdoors. The accompanying message looked back on their relationship and the many changes Hough experienced while Romie remained a familiar presence in his life.

In the tribute, Hough recalled that Romie had entered his life when he was still trying to find his direction. He described the dog as a constant companion who had witnessed both difficult periods and happier moments.

The message connected Romie’s presence to several important stages of Hough’s personal journey. Over the years, the dancer grew professionally, developed his relationship with Erbert and became a husband and father. Romie was part of that longer story, giving the loss significance beyond the passing of a family pet.

Hough also described the difficulty of adjusting to the absence of an animal whose daily routines had become familiar. He wrote about looking toward a place in the garden where Romie would usually appear, only to remember that his companion would no longer come around the corner.

That detail made the tribute particularly personal. The loss was reflected not only in memories of the years they had shared but also in the ordinary moments that would now be different.

Hough ended his message with a farewell to Romie, writing, “Goodbye for now, my sweet sweet Romie Boy.” The words expressed affection and gratitude while acknowledging the pain of saying goodbye.

The post did not provide a confirmed cause of death. Hough’s public message focused instead on the relationship they had built over many years and the lasting importance of that companionship.

Romie Was Part of Derek Hough’s Life for 14 Years

According to PEOPLE, Hough adopted Romie from a Los Angeles animal rescue in 2012 after volunteering to walk dogs at the shelter. What began as a temporary arrangement became a permanent home.

The adoption marked the beginning of a relationship that would continue through major personal and professional changes. Romie was with Hough during years of work, travel, relationships and the gradual development of the life he would eventually share with Erbert.

Hough later discussed the bond in a 2023 interview with The Spruce Pets. As reported by PEOPLE, the original plan was to keep Romie overnight, but the dog settled onto Hough’s lap and quickly became part of his life.

The story illustrates how an adoption that begins with a short-term commitment can develop into a relationship lasting many years. For Hough, Romie was not simply a pet he welcomed into his home; he became a familiar presence through different versions of the dancer’s life.

By the time Hough announced Romie’s passing, the dog had reportedly been by his side for 14 years. That length of time meant that many routines, places and memories were connected to their relationship.

Longtime pets can become woven into the structure of daily life. They are present during quiet mornings, periods of change and the ordinary routines that often go unnoticed until they are no longer possible. Hough’s account of looking toward Romie’s usual spot in the garden conveyed that sense of familiarity.

The tribute also showed how strongly the dancer associated Romie with his own personal development. Hough remembered the dog as a companion who had seen him at his lowest and happiest points, making the relationship a thread running through a substantial period of his life.

Hayley Erbert Hough Remembers Her Own Years With Romie

Erbert shared a separate tribute on Instagram, offering her perspective on the dog who had been part of her life for more than a decade.

In her message, she recalled 11 years of companionship and described Romie as her first dog after moving to Los Angeles. She reflected on the experiences they shared and the comfort he brought to her life.

Her tribute emphasized Romie’s affectionate personality and his place within the family. She remembered him as a companion who enjoyed closeness, outdoor adventures and spending time with the people around him.

Erbert also described Romie as a gentle, large dog who appeared to believe he could comfortably fit in someone’s lap. The detail offered a warm picture of a pet whose size did not prevent him from seeking affection.

The message went beyond remembering Romie’s personality. Erbert thanked Hough for bringing the dog into her life, acknowledging that her relationship with Romie began through her husband and became meaningful in its own right.

Her words reflected the way a pet can form separate relationships with different members of a household. Romie had been Hough’s companion before the couple’s relationship developed, but he later became a familiar presence in Erbert’s life as well.

She also described Romie’s role as a protector and a companion to the family’s other dog, Luna, and their daughter, Everley. Her tribute presented him as an established member of the household whose presence had become part of the family’s everyday life.

Erbert concluded by reflecting on the difficulty of feeling that even many years together were not enough. Her message expressed appreciation for the time she had with Romie while acknowledging that the bond would continue to matter after his death.

Romie Was There for Major Family Milestones

One of the most meaningful parts of Hough’s tribute concerned Romie’s place in the family as it grew and changed.

Hough wrote that when Romie began slowing down, he hoped the dog would remain with him long enough to meet his little sister. The reference was to Hough and Erbert’s daughter, Everley Capri, who was born in December 2025, according to PEOPLE.

Hough said Romie held on long enough to meet the baby. The statement gave his tribute an additional layer of meaning because it connected the dog’s long life with the arrival of a new generation in the family.

For Hough, Romie had been there before marriage and fatherhood. The dog was part of his earlier life and then remained present as his household changed.

Erbert’s tribute also recalled Romie’s relationship with Everley. She shared videos of the dog through the years, including footage showing the baby interacting with him. These memories helped illustrate how Romie’s place in the household continued as the couple became parents.

The family’s experience reflects a common aspect of long-term pet ownership: animals may witness several different stages of the same household. A dog welcomed during a period when its owner lives alone may later become familiar with a partner, a new home or a growing family.

Those transitions can give a pet’s presence particular emotional significance. The animal is connected not only to one period of life but to the memories that accumulate as circumstances change.

For the Hough family, Romie’s story extended from Hough’s years before marriage to life with Erbert and their daughter. That history helps explain why both tributes emphasized the many years they shared rather than a single moment.

The Couple Focused on Gratitude and Lasting Memories

Although Hough and Erbert expressed the pain of losing Romie, their messages also focused on appreciation for the companionship they had received.

Hough described the dog as someone who had helped him through different stages of life. His words acknowledged the emotional importance of Romie’s presence and the difficulty of accepting that familiar routines would change.

Erbert similarly emphasized the love they had shared over the years. Her tribute reflected on the experiences that made Romie special to her, from his companionship after her move to Los Angeles to his later place within the family.

Together, the messages presented a picture of a dog who had developed a close relationship with both dancers.

The couple’s separate posts also highlighted that people can experience the same loss through different personal memories. Hough’s relationship with Romie began earlier, while Erbert remembered the years she spent with him after becoming part of Hough’s life.

Both perspectives were centered on the same companion, but each reflected a different portion of the family’s history.

The tributes did not offer a detailed account of the circumstances surrounding Romie’s death. Instead, they concentrated on the relationship itself, leaving the focus on the years they had shared and the memories that remained.

That distinction is important when reporting on a personal loss. Public statements can establish what someone has chosen to share, but they do not justify assumptions about private medical details or the exact circumstances of an animal’s final days.

In this case, the information publicly reported supports a story about grief, companionship and remembrance. Additional claims about Romie’s cause of death would require reliable confirmation before being presented as fact.

Romie’s Adoption Story Adds Context to the Farewell

Romie’s adoption history helps explain why Hough’s tribute looked back across so many stages of his life.

PEOPLE reported that Hough first brought Romie home after volunteering at a Los Angeles rescue. The arrangement was intended to be temporary, but the dog quickly became part of the household.

That beginning contrasts with the significance Romie eventually acquired. An overnight stay became a relationship that lasted 14 years, spanning a substantial period of Hough’s adulthood.

Rescue adoption stories often begin with a practical decision to provide an animal with a safe home. Over time, however, the relationship can develop into something much larger than the original plan. Daily routines, shared experiences and familiarity give the animal an enduring place in the owner’s life.

Hough’s account of Romie settling onto his lap after arriving home captured the turning point in their particular story. It was a small moment that became the beginning of a long relationship.

The public tributes now look back on that relationship from its later chapter. Rather than reducing Romie’s life to the news of his death, they acknowledge the years of companionship that preceded it.

For readers following Hough’s career, the adoption history also provides context for why Romie was important to him long before the dog became part of the family he shares with Erbert.

The story is therefore not only about a loss announced on social media. It is also about a relationship that began unexpectedly and continued through many of the dancer’s most important personal milestones.

What Is Known About Romie’s Death?

The central confirmed information is that Hough and Erbert publicly mourned Romie’s death on October 25, 2026. Their tributes described a longtime companion whose absence was deeply felt.

PEOPLE reported that Hough had adopted Romie in 2012 and that the dog had been with him for 14 years. Us Weekly reported both Hough’s tribute and Erbert’s separate message about their years together.

The sources reviewed do not establish a confirmed cause of death. The couple’s public messages, as reported by these outlets, did not provide a definitive explanation of what happened.

For that reason, claims suggesting a particular illness, accident or medical complication should not be treated as established facts without further evidence.

The public record also does not establish a separate memorial event or any planned public farewell. The available reporting centers on the couple’s social media posts and the memories they chose to share.

Readers should therefore distinguish between what the couple has publicly communicated and what remains private. The loss itself has been reported, but the circumstances surrounding it should not be filled in through speculation.

This approach keeps the story accurate while respecting the family’s privacy during a personal period of grief.

A Lasting Place in the Hough Family’s Story

Romie’s death marks the end of a relationship that began years before Hough became a husband and father. Through the dancer’s account, the dog emerges as a familiar presence who remained alongside him while his life changed.

Erbert’s tribute adds another perspective, showing how Romie became part of her own story and then of the family they built together. Her memories emphasize the affection and companionship that developed over more than a decade.

The couple’s messages also show why the loss of a longtime pet can be difficult to separate from the memories of a home. Familiar places and everyday routines become connected to the animal, making its absence noticeable in small moments as well as major milestones.

For Hough and Erbert, Romie’s life included years of companionship, the beginning of their relationship as a couple and the arrival of their daughter. The tributes they shared on October 25 brought those memories together in a public farewell.

While the cause of Romie’s death remains unconfirmed in the sources reviewed, the couple’s central message is clear: he was deeply loved and held an important place in their lives.

Their farewell honors not only the years they spent with Romie but also the lasting role he played in their family’s story.