This article may not be the happiest in the world, but it is something that happens and we don’t always know how to deal with this kind of event.The departure of his dog, whether old or young, remains a difficult life event to deal with, whether for the family or even for the other dogs already present.
HOW I MANAGED THE DEPARTURE OF MY OWN DOGS
In 2021, I lost 2 dogs from my group, one of my cats and my ferret in the space of 8 months.
This period was very difficult to live and to manage for me because these departures were brutal and took place in a very close way. Darya, my cross German shepherd / husky died at the age of 8 years of a supposed cancer.
She left in my arms one night before going to bed. Her departure was extremely difficult but it was also the most beautiful proof of love I could have because she waited until I was alone with her to let herself go.
Afterwards, I adopted Loba, a deaf and visually impaired double merle border collie, who was only 6 1/2 months old when I adopted her. She unfortunately died 6 months after her adoption at the end of the summer by falling down the stairs.double merle dogs can be prone to heart problems, I suspect a disorder on this side that would have led to her very sudden departure.
I will give you my personal experience but it is not necessarily the only way to go.When my dogs left, I wanted to adopt another one rather quickly in order not to think about the departures that I lived and I gave myself body and soul in my work not to think too much.Some people will prefer to wait and to make their mourning by being alone, others will adopt an animal immediately afterwards to heal their wound.There is no good and bad solution because each one manages as it can.
HOW TO MOURN THE LOSS OF YOUR DOG
SOME TIPS ON HOW TO DEAL WITH THE DEPARTURE OF YOUR DOG
Don’t delete your dog’s photos and videosIt is indeed difficult to look at past memories with your dog who is no longer with you. I personally put everything on a hard drive so I wouldn’t have them on my phone anymore, but months later, I was happy to look at those memories with them, even if it was still hard to live.The photos and videos will be the last moments you get to keep with your loulou, so save everything and you’ll get to look at them one day with a smile on your face and think only of the good times.Don’t keep your grief insideThere’s no shame in crying or being unhappy when you lose your dog, cat, or other pet. Most people who don’t have pets tend to downplay the death of a pet because it “was just a dog. But a dog can be totally part of your family. A dog can be deeply loved and your pain is legitimate, so don’t be ashamed of it. Surround yourself with people who understand and listen to you. If you don’t feel like talking, you can write on a piece of paper or on your computer to express your pain, but don’t keep it inside. If you try to bury your pain so that you don’t have to think about it, it will come out one day and the pain will be greater and more intense.
Don’t feel guiltyWhatever the cause of your dog’s death, don’t blame yourself. Think about the life you had with your dog and tell yourself that you did what you could. Blaming yourself will only make your grief more difficult and will unfortunately not change anything.
HOW TO MOURN YOUR DOG
SURVIVING A DEATH (DOG SIDE)
Recently, I was asked how to know if our dog is ready to live with a new individual, puppy or adult.
Unfortunately, I don’t have a ready-made answer without knowing the precise situation of the household in question. Because again, each individual is unique.
However, I will speak from my own experience.
Before Saiyen, my Belgian shepherd groenendael, there was Loba: a border double merle who died at the end of August 2021.
Before Loba, there was Darya : a cross shepherdess who died in April 2021.
Darya was the cement of my group. She was 6 years old when she arrived in my family, she was the “mother” of Pepper, my welsh corgi cardigan, who arrived as a puppy and found her bearings in her.
Darya, Lascar (my pug) and Pepper were a close-knit trio.
Always together, even to sleep, there was Darya, the big one who supervised the little ones, Lascar the quiet force and Pepper the electric battery who discovered life. And the balance was perfect.
Then Darya passed away. Brutally, even though we had been preparing for it for a few days.
And this event broke something in Pepper. Lascar, my pug, is a dog that easily handles change but Pepper was not… She was not the same. Less playful and seemed to be waiting for her den to return.
So I took the decision, even if no individual will reunite my group, to take a dog. A shepherd dog because it is my personal preference. And of medium size, to complete my troop.
HOW TO MOURN YOUR DOG
Pepper matured after that, she became confident, as if she had to keep the ship sailing. And even though they all got along great, I knew I would never find the fusion that my old trio had.
Then Loba left, and Saiyen came along as a puppy. I still have my trio, but this one is still different even though the understanding is there.
So my only advice would be to adapt yourself according to your dog already present. Only you know him better than anyone else. But above all, do not compare to your previous individuals.
Love your pets, new or old, as they are.
But don’t hide your pain, because reality will catch up with you sooner or later, and that’s inevitable, because you can’t run away forever. One day, the pain will be less strong and you will be able to talk about it. But you never forget.
