Even the Happiest Dog Can Grieve

Grief is a natural process that humans deal with over the course of life. But they aren't the only ones who feel it. While we can't read animals' minds, we know that they display behaviors and mannerisms consistent with the emotions surrounding this apparently universal feeling. Elephants and primates have been known to vocalize their sorrow or to show an astonishingly acute understanding that the deceased is dead, or at least gone and will not return.

For example, elephants have been observed to hold vigil over stillborn baby elephants, or to caress the corpses or bones of their dead. Sometimes they will even hide the bones under leaves and other growth – although why they do is unknown. Another example is of a group of chimpanzees in a Cameroon, West Africa. Over a dozen chimps at the Sanaga-Yong Rescue Center gathered one day, standing together with arms around one another's shoulders as one of their own was brought by – Dorothy, who had passed on due to heart failure.

House cats too, have displayed this, though in their case, if they are able to see the deceased (whether a fellow pet or human companion) they seem to understand that the other person/pet is gone. This may be because they are predators and link the different scents and non-mobility with not being 'alive'. We don't know if dogs are capable of making the same connection, but it is a certainty that they feel 'something'.

So, What Do Dogs Feel – Absence or Grief?
As with humans, dogs come in all shapes and sizes with as many personality variations as there are dogs. Also as with humans, where grief is subjective, so to is it with dogs. For some, it may simply be an adjustment in the order of the pack. If the lost companion or animal was an integral part to the dog's life, the social chain will need to be reformed, assuming it can be. Other dogs may go through separation anxiety, sitting by the window or door (sometimes for days on end), waiting for the absent companion to return home. Accompanying this is the change in the physical makeup of the home. Certain familiar scents will begin to fade, and any routine that the missing companion provided will of course be lacking.

Some dogs will decline food, may become despondent or go the other way and become irritable. Or they may go to a place they feel safe and hide away. You should give your dog time to do his or her thing, but keep a close eye on him or her. Sometimes, symptoms of grief can manifest as signs of some physical ailment, so make sure your dog isn't genuinely sick before traversing other avenues. You don't necessarily need an animal behaviorist to help your dog get over his or her sadness. Engage with the dog, go on long walks, talk to your dog, pet him/her, reinforce the bond you have with him/her so that the focus will be less on the missing person.

Your inclination will be to endlessly soothe your dog and while this may be what you want someone to do for you, it is not what your dog needs. In fact, the sooner you both work to reestablish the pack, the better. Bear in mind that dogs require routine to function; the quicker this is reinstated, the better. This can be difficult if for whatever reason the dog was not as close to you as the missing person, but with patience and care, many dogs come around once they realize that things have changed, but that you have reinforced that your pack is still intact. If he or she is a sociable and popular dog, invite friends over, especially those with other dogs. While it is important to allow your dog time to assimilate with his or her new surroundings, it is also important to reestablish normalcy. For dogs this means exercise, pack structure and socialization. Above all, don't rush your best friend’s healing process. Rome wasn't built in a day and you certainly won't get over the loss quickly. Neither will your dog.

Puppy City has been around for over 50 years, we pride ourselves in being the home for quality puppies for sale in Brooklyn, New York. We also have all of the supplies you will ever need, from dog food, to wee wee pads, to all the treats you will ever need in a lifetime. Visit us at http://www.PuppyCityNY.com