How to help your dog cope with the loss of a canine companion

If you had more than one dog and one has passed away, it is important for you to realize that the dog left behind may go through a grieving process. Just as humans mourn the loss of a companion animal or human loved one, there is a great deal of evidence to show that dogs also go through a grieving process. Therefore, it is important that you are aware of this fact and that you take the necessary steps to help your grieving pet overcome the loss in the best possible way.

Recognizing a mourning dog

Recognizing that your dog is in mourning can sometimes be difficult. After all, they can’t talk to you and tell you how they feel. At the same time, a grieving dog will generally exhibit some specific behaviors. Some of these behaviors may include:

or lethargy

o distant behavior

o Loss of focus

o Disoriented behavior

o Lack of appetite

o Lack of interest in the environment

o Disruption in sleep patterns

o Become “distant”

o Getting too sticky

o Excessive vocalization

o Be quieter than usual

If your dog was unable to see the deceased dog after his death, as may be the case if you take the dog to the vet to be euthanized and decide not to bring it home, your dog may also wait anxiously for the other dog. to return. In fact, it’s not uncommon for dogs to go through separation anxiety when another canine companion dies.

Helping your grieving dog with loss

If your dog shows signs of pain after losing a canine companion, it is important that you try to help him get over his pain. One way to do this is to provide more affection and attention to the surviving dog. Trying to involve your pet in an activity that he enjoys will help him forget the loss, but be aware that some grieving dogs will be reluctant to play. The key is to keep trying and keep paying attention to your dog. Most grieving dogs will return to their normal activities in about two weeks, although some may take up to 6 months before fully recovering from the loss.

If your dog expresses his pain in an undesirable way, such as howling or excessively vocalizing, you need to be careful when paying attention to it. If you give your pet attention or treats to stop the vocalizing behavior, you are reinforcing the behavior and your pet can continue the behavior even after the pain has passed. Therefore, it is important to give your pet the affection and attention it needs while behaving appropriately. As long as the undesirable behavior is related to the grieving process and does not reinforce it, the behavior should be subsidized after your dog has finished crying.

If your dog appears to be very depressed and is not making good progress through the grieving process, you may want to consider talking to your doctor about giving your pet anxiety medication. If not, remember that healing comes with time, and with the help of your love and affection, your pet is likely to return to normal.