Helping Your Dog Overcome Grief
A Compassionate Hug
You love pets and have quite a big fur family. If one of your dogs passed away certainly his companion will be in mourning. As a good pet parent you must help him to come out from his grief. Dogs are like human beings when they lose somebody they go through a mourning process. They can feel the pain of missing their companions.
First, how can you recognize that your dog is grieving? Of course your dog cannot talk and tell you how he feels but by observing him you will find some change in his behaviors such as lack of appetite, not being interested in the surroundings, not sleeping well, lack of concentration. You feel his is drifting away from you, he is quieter than his usual self and he is keeping a distance with other members of the family.
Things might get worse if your dog was not able to see the deceased after he died. Perhaps your pet died in a hospital or in an accident and the other pet doesn’t know where his companion has gone. The dog will be shocked by the sudden loss of his companion and maybe he is still waiting for him to come back home.
If you are sure that your dog is going through mourning process and you can clearly see its signs you must start helping him as soon as possible. Try to get closer to him and spend more time together. Search for new activities to do. Try to keep him busy. Naturally, at the beginning, he will resist the idea of doing new things. In other words, he is not responding. But, by the passing of the time he will begin to respond.
Some dogs show their grief in a very irritating way such as excessive barking. Don’t give attention to it. Never give him treats to encourage an end to the barking otherwise he will continue to do it. He will feel as if you are encouraging him or it is a desirable attitude and maybe he will continue doing it even after the grief is over. Just show him your love and care. Try to get closer to him.
Most dogs pass this mourning process in two weeks. But, others are more sensitive, it can take up to six months to overcome grief and be 100% recovered. If it takes longer than that and your dog seems to be severely depressed, it’s better to see your veterinarian. Obviously, he will need some medications for anxiety and depression.
Remember that everything will be just fine, by the passing of time and showing care and love for your dog.