how to help dog come to terms with other dogs death?

votejohn

Hi there,

A friend of mines dog has cancer, and hasnt been given long to live. she has two dogs, and is worried about how the other dog will handle it, any advice?

sambuka41

Thats so sad, i had two westies. One died (the female) after battling with diabetes for 18months. It was a very hard time for the family as well as the male westie. She used to really look out for him. For a few weeks after her death he would wake up crying and howl a bit. We just kept him in the bedroom and went to him when he cried, it passed after a few weeks.

He still misses her, we have 3 new dogs since to keep him company. He did not like the last, shes a bichon(sp?)/maltese cross. When we brought her home she was ill as we had rescued her, she was wrapped in a blanket and from a distance looked like our female westie, we think the male thought she was her. He rushed over to her crying with excitment was very narky when he realised she wasn't. he hasnt taken to her since. (he's very good with the other two) Could all be in our heads but i def think dogs have memories and do hurt when they lose a companion.

Fair play to your friend for thinking ahead about this. Lots of love is all i can think of to help;)

votejohn

any more advice? the surviving dog is a JRT, and is about 5 or 6.

If they were to get a new dog, would it be easier on the surviving dog to get it before the old fella passes away, or should they wait until a good while after? Will the surviving dog be ok again after a few weeks and adapt to the new set up?

Padjo1981

I had 2 springers, they were got from the same litter, and one died when they were 15. The other one did mope for a while but as humans do he got on with it after a while. I did get another dog but it took ages for them to get comfortable with each other. So my advice would be just to let him get on with it.
The other springer lived to the bright old age of 19.

votejohn wrote: »

any more advice? the surviving dog is a JRT, and is about 5 or 6.

If they were to get a new dog, would it be easier on the surviving dog to get it before the old fella passes away, or should they wait until a good while after? Will the surviving dog be ok again after a few weeks and adapt to the new set up?

Paul91

Padjo1981 wrote: »

I had 2 springers, they were got from the same litter, and one died when they were 15. The other one did mope for a while but as humans do he got on with it after a while. I did get another dog but it took ages for them to get comfortable with each other. So my advice would be just to let him get on with it.
The other springer lived to the bright old age of 19.

jee's them's some good ages! well done to you for looking after them so well to live that long - had to look up the oldest dog - 21 in May 2009 was Chanel http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/worldnews/article-1178235/Chanel-worlds-oldest-dog-enjoys-21st-birthday-party-thats-147-canine-years.html but the oldest dog ever - 29 Lab cross from Lincolnshire http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/2707307/Oldest-dog-Bella-the-Labrador-dies---aged-29.html

convert

In the past I've found that the surviving dogs cope best when they know what has happened to the other dog and that they're not just 'gone' for no reason. I had to bring one dog to the vet to be put down a few years back (she was 16 and had developped cancer ) and the other dogs pined for quite a while after because they didn't know where she was or why she had gone. I also didn't allow them to see me bury her, incase they became very upset or tried to dig up the grave.

However, when the last dog died, she passed away in her sleep from old age, so the surviving dogs knew what had happened her, and were quite happy to say their goodbyes. They even 'helped' me to bury her. There was no problem with them going at the grave after. They coped much better and weren't nearly as upset as the time before, which is to be expected. Afterall, I'd be much more upset/worried/confused about somebody going missing with no explanation than I would about them dying as at least with the latter I'd have a chance to say goodbye as well as having closure with a funeral.

If your neighbour only has one dog, it might be an idea for her to get a second one before the first dog died, so at least they'll have a companion when the time eventually comes. But that only works if they get on well. I suppose you're taking a chance regardless of which option you choose.

CamillaRhodes

I wish I could offer you some advice, but I just wanted to congratulate on being so caring, and to say that you're right to take the matter so seriously.

When one of my dogs, Holly, died unexpectedly (she wasn't particularly old), our other dog Judy, who was a lot older and bigger, mourned desperately for her. She would just lie on the ground immobile for hours and hours, or else would stand staring at Holly's empty bed. It was heartbreaking to see. She also refused to eat or drink much at all. She had previously lost three other owners - she was a guide dog, and her previous owners had also been sick. (She 'retired' as a guide dog after the death of her third owner passed away and came to us). After Holly died, Judy's health deteriorated rapidly and, though the vet did underline that she had other underlying health issues, I have no doubt that the trauma she went through in the loss of her best friend (again) was the cause of her death. It was almost as if she decided to give up living.

I have tears in my eyes just writing about this, it was so, so sad to watch. We couldn't have done anything about it in advance, as we didn't know Holly would die prematurely. But god, I wish, WISH there was something we could have done to ease Judy's sadness.

Good luck, and thanks for being such a good friend in thinking about this.

votejohn

CamillaRhodes wrote: »

I wish I could offer you some advice, but I just wanted to congratulate on being so caring, and to say that you're right to take the matter so seriously.

When one of my dogs, Holly, died unexpectedly (she wasn't particularly old), our other dog Judy, who was a lot older and bigger, mourned desperately for her. She would just lie on the ground immobile for hours and hours, or else would stand staring at Holly's empty bed. It was heartbreaking to see. She also refused to eat or drink much at all. She had previously lost three other owners - she was a guide dog, and her previous owners had also been sick. (She 'retired' as a guide dog after the death of her third owner passed away and came to us). After Holly died, Judy's health deteriorated rapidly and, though the vet did underline that she had other underlying health issues, I have no doubt that the trauma she went through in the loss of her best friend (again) was the cause of her death. It was almost as if she decided to give up living.

I have tears in my eyes just writing about this, it was so, so sad to watch. We couldn't have done anything about it in advance, as we didn't know Holly would die prematurely. But god, I wish, WISH there was something we could have done to ease Judy's sadness.

Good luck, and thanks for being such a good friend in thinking about this.

Gosh that's so sad, at least you gave Judy a good home after she retired, thats all you can do.

Thats good advice about letting her know whats happening though, perhaps my friend should bring the younger dog to the vets with the older one, im sure she is aware of whats going on though.

Our poor doggies though, sometimes i just wish we could sit them down and explain things to them!