Talking Tails - Pet Grief

You may be surprised that dogs can grieve. Take it from me, we certainly can. Actually, grieving is difficult for us because we process everything emotionally. Each dog grieves differently, just as humans do, but signs may include loss of appetite, lethargy, sleeping more than normal, behavior issues, separation anxiety, and howling, whimpering, or whining. For me, personally, I just don’t want to eat and spend quite a bit of time sleeping.

Your human can help you through the grieving process. Of primary importance is that your human looks after your physical needs, since these are connected to your mental and emotional health. For me, my mom is supplementing my kibble with wet food, so that I eat and can take my insulin. Remember that I am diabetic and not regulating my blood sugar is dangerous to my health.

Having your human do their best to maintain your routine – eating, walks, sleeping – can help to make you feel more secure. Extra bonding time – sleeping in your human’s bed, snuggling on the couch – will go a long way in addressing your grief. Most of all, be patient with us. Grieving is our way of honoring our lost loved one, and as with humans, we need the time to do so.

Talk to you soon!
Joey