Dogs alter their behavior when they mourn, much like people do: They may become depressed and listless. They may have a decreased appetite and decline to play. They may sleep more than usual and move more slowly, sulking around.
How Long Do Dogs Grieve? Of those participants who noticed a negative behavior change in their surviving dog, about a third said it lasted between two and six months after the death of their companion, 29.4 percent said it lasted less than two months, and 24.9 percent said it lasted over six months.
A survey of dog owners in Italy reported that 86 percent of them saw negative changes in the behavior of a surviving dog after the death of a companion dog in the same household — among other things, the surviving dog typically sought more attention, ate less and played less for several months after the event.
Signs of Grief in Dogs
Although we observe that dogs do grieve for other dogs, they may not fully comprehend the concept of death and all of its metaphysical implications. “Dogs don't necessarily know that another dog in their life has died, but they know that individual is missing,” says Dr.
They may be lethargic, have a loss of appetite, or your pet may even have a terminal diagnosis from a veterinarian. Dogs are similarly, if not more, in tune with their environments and surroundings, and more likely than not, they fully understand when a canine companion is on its way out.
Therefore, when another pet dies, surviving pets will typically experience a sense of anxiety or stress. As a reaction to this sudden change in household dynamics, they may even frantically seek out the deceased pet. In many cases, the clinical symptoms of grief in pets will resemble separation anxiety.
Once you're sure your dog has passed, the next step is to call your veterinarian's office. A vet's office will take your dog's body and either dispose of it for you or store it for you before you have a cremation or burial. They might also know of resources like a pet crematory or a mobile vet service.
Acute grief symptoms after the death of a pet can last from one to three months and general symptoms of grief can continue, on average, for six months to a year This grieving period can vary significantly from person to person and can be much longer or shorter.
It may help to try feeding in a different place from usual, or feeding away from home for a day or two. It may be helpful to allow your pet to sleep in your bedroom for a few nights, if he or she becomes very restless and won't settle if left alone.
Dogs sometimes wail plaintively at funerals, refuse to leave the cemetery, and even track down a deceased owner's grave weeks after the death.
The last few days before your dog passes you may notice: extreme weight loss, a distant look in their eyes, a lack of interest in anything, restlessness or unusual stillness, a change in the way that your dog smells, and a changed temperament.
Share stories about what you remember about their pet. Use the pet's name…even after death. Provide a hug, a squeeze of the hand, or touch on the shoulder-whatever you feel comfortable doing. Listen more than talk and also listen in a non-judgmental manner.
You grieve the loss of your dog because you are human and you truly love your dog. Your feelings are real and need to be honored. Express your feelings and talk about the experience of your dog's life and death or loss.
So it's safe to assume that your dog's soul will ascend to Heaven, or to a similar equivalent, after death, as it is a creature of God and deserves eternal paradise.
While religious views around the world vary, Christianity has traditionally held that animals have no hope of an afterlife. But Pope John Paul II said in 1990 that animals do have souls and are “as near to God as men are”.
The pets that we had to say goodbye to are alive in heaven right now in their spiritual bodies and we will see them again if we accept Jesus as our Savior. Your Pet Is Not Gone Forever.
Dogs will often reminisce on their beloved owners while they wait in heaven, and we can feel these memories simultaneously. Take comfort in these memory floods as they mean your furry friend is expecting you in heaven, and they are thinking of you and missing you just as much as you are them.
Psychologist Julie Axelrod has pointed out that the loss of a dog is so painful because owners aren't just losing the pet. It could mean the loss of a source of unconditional love, a primary companion who provides security and comfort, and maybe even a protégé that's been mentored like a child.