Q: I have three senior dogs who have always been together sharing everything. At some point, one will die or, more likely, need to be put down. What is the best way of letting the other two know that one has passed and will not be coming home? If the dog has to be euthanized at the vet’s office, should I bring all three with me so that the others know their friend has passed?
Bob Akerley
DeLand, Florida
Dear Mr. Akerley,
A: Dogs who are close to one that has died definitely experience the loss. In fact, research suggests that the length of time and the intensity of a dog’s grieving is related to the strength of the dogs’ bond. If two dogs like to cuddle together and play together frequently, when one of them dies you’re likely to see a greater amount of grieving in the surviving dog than if he simply lived with the other dog but wasn’t bonded to it.
As far as wheth-er your two dogs should be present during the euthanasia of the one who dies first, the truth is that we don’t know what dogs are thinking when a companion is dying. Stephanie Borns-Weil, DVM, head of the Tufts Animal Behavior Clinic, says that “As far as I know, no one has ever studied whether dogs adjust better to their loss if they are present and can view the body.”
Dr. Borns-Weil’s own inclination would be against recommending the presence of companion dogs at the euthanasia of another one. “Seeing the process of euthanasia itself would be stressful.” she says. “It is unlikely that dogs understand death as we do. They wouldn’t realize that their companion is going away not to return, and they might find the presence of their friend, now still and silent, to be unsettling.”
When a pet dog is dying, she adds, it’s good to focus on that dog. Once the dying dog is gone, that’s when it becomes important to focus on the others in your home to help them adjust to life without their companion. That’s accomplished with more attention, more exercise, more environmental enrichment, and also, simply an understanding that they have suffered a loss and that it’s going to take time before they may be able to get back to their full activities and a better state of mind. If the grieving and depression persist beyond two months, it’s worth having a discussion with your veterinarian.
