# Grieving dog?



## aus_staffy (Nov 10, 2009)

This isn't something I've had to deal with (yet) but one of my wife's co-workers has just had a dog die. This is obviously a problem in itself but an additional problem is that their other dog seems to me missing it and pining for it. I've had dogs die before but they've always been the only dog in the house.

Just wondering if anyone else has had this happen and what (if anything) did you do to help the situation?


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## Aireal (Jul 2, 2010)

Yes I have seen it many times! We actually advise the owners to bring the other pets in the smell there play mates after we put them to sleep so they know they are deceased and will (hopefully0 stop looking for them.
We've had a German Sheppard go down hill so fast after the dead of his brother he had to be put to sleep within the same month as he would simply cry then shut down and his health issues escalated to the point where the owner could not bear to see there dog in such misery. it happens and it breaks my heart every time I see it.


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## wild_deuce03 (Aug 14, 2010)

*sigh* Typing this with misty eyes. When my Spike passed this past August, my Sky walked around just looking for her for about a month. She would just lay around, rarely wagging her tail and very rarely even giving me the belly when I'd pet her. Used to be all I had to do was make eye contact with her and she'd be on her back. For awhile she even slept on Spike's blanket. The hardest time was when Sky was out in the yard walking around and just whining because she couldn't find Spike.  It is truly heart breaking! She's come around lately and I truly think that it helped having the other dogs. Since we switched food, she has even lost weight and gained some energy. Her hips are still really weak but there are times that she gets a boost of energy and trys to play with the other dogs. She goes all ballistic, barking and growling like crazy (playfully). The poor other dogs have no idea what to do because they've never really been able to play with her. That breaks my heart too because she wants to play so bad but just can't really do it. 

To answer your question though, I'm not really sure there is anything that you can do to help them out of it. This is the first time I've had to deal with it but to me it seems that they either come out of it or they don't.


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## MISSAPBT (May 10, 2009)

When Kyza passed i placed her in stages kennal until i could take her to the vet at cremate her. he went over to her sniff put his ears down and looked at me, it was sad! Then for the rest of the time she was in there he would no go near the kennal.


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## ames (Jun 6, 2010)

Ugh my cousin had two Jack russell terriers who were brother and sister. They were 16 and Aiko died, we think Holly went looking for him and never came home. It was so so sad. Sorry don't have any ideas the ones above seem good, just thinkng about how sad it is for the poor dogs and unfair since they don't understand. We wondered if we brought Holly with aiko to the vet if she would know he didn't sender off. He got sick in the mindle of the night and passed on the way there. She just woke up to him being gone. They would change that if they could


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## Black Rabbit (Nov 14, 2009)

I've had this happen with a few of our dogs. When Marley was wandering around looking for Mack after he passed, we gave him one of Mack's teddy bears and he always slept in Mack's bed. I think whatever smelled like him made Marley feel better.


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## MY MIKADO (Apr 7, 2006)

I make sure that my dogs always smell the one that died. I also have them out side with me when we bury them. It does help some.

Mikado would get so upset when one of the goats died that he would have seizures. That was horrible.


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## jayandlacy (Sep 21, 2009)

When Chico died, Ice was just as depressed as us. I believe that dogs can smell sick and death, and Ice knew it was coming...Ice grieved poor guy. We got a new puppy, Kaos was a pick me up for all of us, and gave us something to think about that wasn't Chico. I know many people think that apbts don't need other dogs, but I believe when they spend their entire life with another dog, they miss it, since its all they've known,. As a matter of fact we got Ice for Chico, cuz Chico was lonely after we had to get rid of our female years ago. Now I'm worried, I'm sure we'll eventually have to get a puppy for Kaos, since Ice was older then Chico was when we got Ice....I wish they lived forever.


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## aus_staffy (Nov 10, 2009)

Thanks to everyone for the replies. Sorry to bring back sad memories for some of you.


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## Padlock (Nov 19, 2010)

i think you would all enjoy the movie 'where the red fern grows"
you'll be able to cry and let out emotions without seeming 
to over emotional. i-tunes has it for like $2.00 
(make sure you watch the original, i think it was in the mid 70's)

sorry for your losses folks


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## Xiahko (Feb 24, 2010)

^

Wow...for once I agree. That was a great movie. Yes,it is a tear jerker,but a great movie.
I think I saw it in,7th grade? We read the book,and I brought in the movie for us to watch. Even the boys cried. LOL!


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## Xiahko (Feb 24, 2010)

I always wondered if there was a connection. 
After my dog Pup died,our other two passed away withing the next 3 months. 1 was old and had liver failure,the other one who was healthy,suddenly got her tummy twisted and was pts.
It was like 1 blow after another. Pup was 14,Black Jack 15 and Lady was only like 3?


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## Black Rabbit (Nov 14, 2009)

MY MIKADO said:


> I make sure that my dogs always smell the one that died. I also have them out side with me when we bury them. It does help some.
> 
> Mikado would get so upset when one of the goats died that he would have seizures. That was horrible.


We did this for Mar Jane when one of her pups died. She was so sad it was terrible. She would lay by where we buried her and cry. She made that her special spot outside. When she passed we did the same with Mack Truck. Mary Jane was buried under our oak tree with her baby and Ryan had Mack there while he did it. Mack took it a bit easier but we could tell he was sad. He would lay under that tree for hours with his head down in the dirt. They are all there together now and I planted a butterfly bush and some flowers there for them.


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## Xiahko (Feb 24, 2010)

Man this thread is making me cry. ^That is just beautiful what you did for your dogs.


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## Black Rabbit (Nov 14, 2009)

We loved them so much they were as much a part of this family as we are. The even have a rock slab head stone with there names on it.


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## Xiahko (Feb 24, 2010)

All our dogs were cremated and had their ashes spread,except for Toby,we burried him in our front yard(right under my sisters window haha)
He was a great dog. Died the day before we were going to take him in to be pts. At least he got to eat his favorite food one last time~


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## Lex's Guardian (Aug 8, 2009)

Padlock said:


> i think you would all enjoy the movie 'where the red fern grows"
> you'll be able to cry and let out emotions without seeming
> to over emotional. i-tunes has it for like $2.00
> (make sure you watch the original, i think it was in the mid 70's)
> ...


The book is better & yes... Quite sad. Free at the Library


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## Saint Francis (Jun 2, 2010)

When Cuda passed, Jack couldn't sleep with me in the same manner, still walked on the right side of the sidewalk (because Cuda always was on my left side), and had a hard time being alone when I went to work. He died within the next 10 months of Cuda  Not very good times in my life, as you have all heard me say.


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## Xiahko (Feb 24, 2010)

The books are always better.


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## Carriana (May 13, 2008)

I think Loki may be heartless, the only thing he did after we came home from the vet without Brutus was growl at my husband from the crate. I think it was because he smelled death on him. Loki is so single minded about his toys however that he doesn't even respond to Brutus' name. It makes me sad that Loki doesn't seem to miss Brutus but at the same time, he has always been an attention hog so he probably enjoys that extra bit he gets now


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## wild_deuce03 (Aug 14, 2010)

aus_staffy said:


> Thanks to everyone for the replies. Sorry to bring back sad memories for some of you.


No worries. It helps to talk about it.



Padlock said:


> i think you would all enjoy the movie 'where the red fern grows"
> you'll be able to cry and let out emotions without seeming
> to over emotional. i-tunes has it for like $2.00
> (make sure you watch the original, i think it was in the mid 70's)
> ...


Ugh.....SAD movie. I've still yet to see Marley and Me. I know the dog dies, and I know it's a "happy" movie, but just can't bring myself to see it.

Thanks.


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## wild_deuce03 (Aug 14, 2010)

Saint Francis said:


> When Cuda passed, Jack couldn't sleep with me in the same manner, still walked on the right side of the sidewalk (because Cuda always was on my left side), and had a hard time being alone when I went to work. He died within the next 10 months of Cuda  Not very good times in my life, as you have all heard me say.


This was my fear with Sky as well. At first it was looking really grim. She just seemed to be giving up, but she has since turned around. She's 14 though so I know she won't be around a ton longer but her increase in energy has my hopes up.


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## Xiahko (Feb 24, 2010)

Do NOT see Marley and me! The death scene was way to realistic for me.
If you've stayed in the room while your dog was PTS,it will bring back to many sad memories. To realistic...


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## Gimbler (Jan 29, 2010)

Dogs and cats can grieve. I don't think Loki is heartless, some animals just don't notice what's not, only what is. 

When we had to put Rufus down last year the vet came to the house to do it. Our male cat had been smelling at his tumor and looking sad since the night before and it turned out it had burst internally and we didn't know. The cat did. He seemed to know why the vet was there too and run up out of nowhere to give his buddy one last nuzzle. After Rufus was gone Rodney the cat acted out really weirdly on the grass - I guess from the stress. He was sad for weeks after. Our female cat, who was actually closer to Rufus than the male never even acknowledged that anything was different. It's like her memory is real short term.

When we had Jake neutered he had to stay at the vets overnight and Maggie looked for him all night around the house and outside on our walks. You could see her trying to work it out in her head, sniffing his pee spots and pulling and looking. I think if he passed on and she didn't get to witness it she would be a handful for a while.

Other than letting them smell and know what happened I don't know if there's anything you can do to help them with the grief. I think it just takes time, same as with us.

I keep reading and hearing recommendations for Where the Red Fern Grows (Jake is a redbone coonhound so people are always bringing that title up) - I think I'll have to see if it's at my library.


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## aus_staffy (Nov 10, 2009)

wild_deuce03 said:


> I've still yet to see Marley and Me. I know the dog dies, and I know it's a "happy" movie, but just can't bring myself to see it.
> 
> Thanks.


Me too. My wife has read the book and wants me to read it but I refuse. I don't want to watch the movie either.


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