Losing a sick or elderly pet can be emotionally difficult for pet owners in many ways. As our dog nears death, we may have to deal with personal emotions and internal stress while also comforting grieving loved ones, including our other pets.
Although dogs may not have a deep understanding of death, their attachment to family members and their ability to recognize illness can influence how they feel and how they behave when someone close to them is dying.
Being aware of these effects is vital for pet owners trying to help their families get through this stressful time. Find out if your dog can understand that another dog is dying and how this may affect their behaviour so you can give your pet the care and support they deserve.
Can dogs understand that another dog is dying?
While the extent to which dogs understand the concept of death is up for debate, it’s likely that dogs know when their canine companions are approaching death: they can use their senses and observational skills to recognize bodily signals and behavioral changes that indicate something is wrong.
In some cases, dogs may notice they are sick before owners notice other pets are sick.
Dogs can detect illness
A dog’s sense of smell is so strong that it can detect the slightest chemical changes, and as the disease progresses, the body produces volatile organic compounds (VOCs) that are too minute for humans to notice but easily detectable by dogs.
Dogs have a proven ability to detect cancer, diabetic blood sugar drops, epileptic seizures and other serious medical events, while changes in VOCs from breath and sweat can signal psychological stress to dogs and indicate that a sick dog is anxious and uncomfortable.
Dogs can also recognize unique chemical signals called necromones that appear when other people or animals are dead or dying, plus they can sense the outward signs of illness or stress.
Dogs will notice weakness, lethargy, and changes in eating, elimination, and other habits. Combined with chemical signals from the body, these signs can let other dogs know that your pet is about to die.
Dogs are empathetic
One of the most endearing characteristics of dogs is their ability to identify and adapt to human emotional states. Dogs are highly empathetic and are influenced by the emotions of others. They express happiness when playing and negative emotions when someone nearby is stressed.
Studies have shown that dogs can distinguish between positive and negative emotions in humans and other dogs. They understand facial expressions, body movements, and vocalizations.
Dogs exhibit a stress response, such as increased cortisol levels, when they hear crying or barking, and they show comfort and concern for people who appear to be in distress.
How do dogs behave when other dogs are dying?
Like many animals, including their wolf ancestors, death is a social event for dogs. Dogs will often seek out and remain with their dying companion. Although they may not understand that their companion is dying and will not return, they will still sense their companion’s declining health and will recognize and share the emotional reactions of other family members.
If dogs have a friendly relationship, they will offer words of comfort when they notice the other dog is in distress. Familiar dogs will pay more attention to the other dog’s behavior. They will show greater concern, look towards the other dog more often, and spend more time with him in an attempt to calm him down.
They may also show additional friendly behaviors such as sniffing, rubbing, standing nearby, licking, etc. Each dog is unique, and breed, environment, and individual differences may affect how they respond to other dying dogs.
Some dogs may cling anxiously to other animals, while others may withdraw or even become disinterested.
Dogs are affectionate
A dog’s response to distress is more intense to a dog they know than to an unfamiliar one. Just as dogs bond with their owners, they also feel strong bonds with other dogs in their lives. The amount of time spent together doesn’t necessarily have a big effect on a dog’s reaction to the death of another dog, but a more friendly relationship creates a bond.
Dogs develop routines, learn to cooperate and synchronize their behavior, and when that dynamic is disrupted — like when a friendly dog dies or nears death — the surviving dog can easily become stressed.
Do dogs mourn other dogs?
Anecdotal evidence suggests that dogs may have several conflicting reactions to the death of another dog. Senses when other dogs are being euthanized When in close proximity, they exhibit unusual behavior, including:
- Sudden silence
- Howling and whining
- Barking
- General upset
After the death of a pet, dogs may continue to display unique behaviors to help them cope. They may become depressed and lethargic and move slower than usual. Their appetite and sleep patterns may change and they often have a decreased desire to play. Some dogs may even keep a watchful eye or engage in search behavior by returning to familiar areas of the lost pet.
Your dog’s interactions with you and other family members may also change. He may seem more fearful, aloof or anxious, more clingy or more prone to separation anxiety.
Can dogs understand death?
Just because dogs respond sadly to the death of another doesn’t mean they understand the event on the same level as humans: although dogs can detect illness and tell the difference between a dead body and a living one, the meaning of the loss remains in question.
Dogs cannot predict or feel anxious about impending death like humans can, nor can they imagine or grieve the future life of a dead animal, leading many to wonder whether dogs actually feel grief.
Although dogs may experience strong and simple emotions such as fear or sadness, grief is a complex process. Death triggers them to contemplate their own death. There is an inevitability and irreversibility to death that dogs may not understand. This is evident in the way dogs behave when they see and interact with the corpses of other dogs, and in their search behavior.
The dogs are still sad
While this may seem like dogs can’t grieve, some question whether these factors matter — canine grief may be more akin to separation anxiety than the painful human realization about the permanence of death — but that doesn’t make loss any less emotionally significant for dogs.
Some argue that dogs don’t fully understand what death means, and that grief is a process of learning a new world without a loved one – they don’t necessarily need to understand that the person has died.
In fact, the loss of that relationship affects the surviving dogs as well, erasing important bonds and making their lives unpredictable. They may become depressed or fearful in response, but they will eventually adapt and start to move on.
Helping dogs cope with death
Grief in dogs can take many different forms and last for different lengths of time. Some dogs bounce back from the death of another dog within a few days, while others may take several months to settle into life after the loss. You can’t make your dog’s grief go away completely, but you can help them get through this unsettling time.
Maintain a routine
Changes in routine that accompany the death of another dog can add to the confusion and sense of loss for the surviving pet. Keeping the routine the same helps maintain a sense of normalcy, predictability, and safety. Dogs will feel the absence of other dogs, but keeping everything relatively the same can help reduce fear and stress.
Be mindful of your emotions
The death of a dog brings sadness for us as owners, but observing how we communicate our emotions can also help ease the feelings of our surviving pets. Dogs are sensitive and will reflect the emotional state of those around them.
Dogs pick up on the body language and chemical signals of stress, anger and fear that lead to negative emotions. Coping with grief, finding comfort in your pet and maintaining a positive attitude can help give your pet a greater sense of security and help it get through the grief of losing another dog.
Conclusion
While it’s impossible to know exactly how much a dog understands the imminent loss of another dog, and it’s not always possible to predict how they will react, there’s no denying the emotional impact of losing a companion. A dog’s grief should be respected, and as an owner, you should show every consideration and support as your dog transitions into the next chapter of their life after the loss of their friend.
Featured image credit: fongbeerredhot, Shutterstock
