Dogs are unique and amazing animals. They, who love people without any conditions, have only one mission in life: to give their heart to a person and do everything possible to please their two-legged friend. Dogs unconditionally trust people, protect and protect them, save them from loneliness, and give them a lot of positive emotions. They are the embodiment of loyalty and sincerity!
For many of us, a dog is not an ordinary animal, but a real family member. But four-legged companions live shorter lives than humans. A dog's life on average lasts about 12-15 years. There are exceptions, but they only confirm the general rule.
When a person gets a dog, somewhere in the depths of his soul he understands that the animal will spend only a short period of life with him, and then he will have to say goodbye to his pet. Although we are all well aware that this will happen sooner or later, we don’t want to think about it at all.
And now the funny puppy, who just yesterday was learning not to make puddles in the apartment and getting used to the leash, turns into an adult dog. She takes her rightful place not only in the house, but also in the hearts of household members. The dog and the people who care for it pass together day after day through the period of life determined by fate.
And then the day comes when a man looks at his dog and suddenly notices that she has aged: gray hair has appeared on her muzzle, excessive playfulness has disappeared without a trace, and instead of a young and full of strength good girl, a canine lady of advanced years, wise from life experience, lies on the mat.
And sometimes it happens that a still young dog suddenly dies, because no one is immune from illnesses and accidents. It doesn't matter exactly how old your dog was when he left you for the rainbow. It hurts both when the dog has lived in the family for 12 years, and when you have to say goodbye to a small puppy or teenage dog that has recently appeared in the house.
The death of a loved one is a terrible tragedy that is very difficult to survive. This event divides life into “before” and “after”, makes people experience a variety of negative feelings and emotions, blame themselves for the death of their beloved four-legged friend, look for the culprits, think about what would have happened if at one point or another they had taken If there was a different decision, they would have contacted a different veterinarian, given a different medicine, etc.
How to cope with the death of your beloved dog? What do psychologists advise you to do to cope with the loss of your four-legged friend? What do people who have already experienced the death of their dog talk about and learned to live with this loss?
The dog died, what should I do?
Everyone dies and dogs are no exception. There are many incurable diseases for which it is impossible to insure. It’s a very difficult situation when a dog is euthanized, how to survive it? After all, you made this decision, signed the “verdict” with your own hands. Thoughts come to mind that she could have been cured, but you didn’t give her a chance, deciding to put her to sleep.
Most often, a person blames himself for everything that happened. After all, you could go to another clinic, borrow money for expensive treatment, etc., but you simply betrayed your pet. You scolded her for her torn slippers, got angry when she woke you up on a day off. Now that your pet is gone, you understand that all the slippers in the world are not worth this guilty look and sad sniffling. Didn’t finish the game, didn’t finish the game, didn’t love it...
Nobody knows what to do when a dog dies. There is no universal recipe, but there are some ways to ease the pain of loss.
Euthanasia or death from disease is a difficult choice
Inexperienced owners often torture their pets, making excuses that euthanasia is murder. We will not refute the truth that euthanasia or euthanasia leads to the death of a dog. However, every time you see a pet in pain, watch a disease kill it, ask yourself: am I acting humanely?
Naturally, you want to stay with your pet for as long as possible, to know that you did everything and were there until the end. Try to think about the pet, about its well-being, about its comfort. Unfortunately, in this matter you have to show all the composure and rationality that you are capable of at that moment.
We do not call for resorting to euthanasia if the dog has at least the slightest chance of recovery and a full life.
Why does losing a dog hurt so much?
Often the death of a dog is more stressful than the loss of friends or even relatives. In psychology, there are five stages of grief after the loss of a dog that the owner of the animal experiences.
Shock
Even if a pet has been seriously ill for a long time, its death is a shock for the owner. The sudden death of a pet causes even more stress. Poisoning or an accident is a huge emotional shock for which it is impossible to prepare. At this stage, migraines, insomnia, loss of appetite and weakness may occur. The brain blocks all feelings, and a person performs everyday actions “automatically.”
Negation
The owner refuses to believe that his beloved dog has died. He hears her sniffling, her steps. It seems to him that she is about to return. He does not allow her food bowl to be removed or her toys or leash to be hidden. Automatically, he gets up in the morning to walk his pet, and at the store he goes into the pet supplies department to buy treats for his pet.
Anger
The brain is desperately looking for someone to blame. A doctor at the veterinary clinic, an inattentive driver, or is it my fault? Didn’t notice the illness in time, didn’t take it for a walk, didn’t take good care of it? Most often, the pet owner blames himself for the death of the pet. By withdrawing, a person drowns in the abyss of self-flagellation and this can last for years.
Grief
At this stage, the person is already quite emotionally exhausted. He simply shuts himself off from the outside world and goes into depression.
Adoption
Time cures. Over the course of about a year, a person begins to lose the habit of daily rituals, such as walking a pet or going to the store to buy food. The pain becomes less, and only bright moments are remembered.
A person can have many pets, but only one becomes a true friend. It is difficult to say how this “chemistry” occurs. This does not depend on the age or breed of the dog. No one can replace him, it’s not even worth trying.
Lonely people develop a strong attachment to a pet. The fact is that over the years, a special connection arises between the owner and his pet. The dog knows how to read the emotions of its owner, and in its own way, tries to take care of him. It has been noted that dogs sense people and react to them differently. They growl, bark and try to keep the bad ones away from their owner, but they are loyal to the good ones.
Often the owner gets used to talking to his pet and sharing problems with him. The dog will not judge, will not argue, and unconditional love and devotion will always shine in its eyes. Therefore, a person often develops a much closer relationship with his pet than with relatives or friends. The loss of such a friend becomes an irreparable loss, which is very difficult to survive.
How to prepare the body of a deceased pet?
Be sure to wear gloves while working. After death, bodily fluids often begin to leave the body. You may want to clean the tissues around your dog's mouth, genital area, and anus. Don't be alarmed if moving your body releases additional bodily fluids and/or waste products.
Get a blanket, sheet or towel large enough to wrap around your body. Prepare a heavy-duty plastic garbage bag (double it if the body is bulky or the bags are thin). Spread the remains on a blanket, towel or sheet. Position your body as if your pet is sleeping on its side, curled up. This will give you a feeling of peace and make it easier to work with the body.
Then wrap the body tightly in cloth and place it in the prepared bag(s). If your dog is heavy, you will need an assistant.
It is advisable to tie the bag with a secure knot and wrap it with tape. Attach a tag or name tag (yours and the dog's).
Store the prepared body in a freezer or refrigerator until burial, cremation, or other disposal begins. If this is not possible, use a garage or basement. There is no need to keep the body in the house for more than 4-6 hours, as the smell becomes heavy and spreads throughout the house. Use additional bags if it is impossible to store the body in the cold.
How Do Dogs See?
How to survive the death of a dog: 10 survival strategies
By communicating with people who had already gone through this, a strategy was developed on how to survive the death of a beloved dog. When someone tells you, “I can't get over the death of my dog,” they are not playing and they are not lying. For many, a dog is considered a member of the family, like a brother or child. Help him overcome the crisis, and show compassion.
1. Don't let anyone tell you how much you should grieve or how much time you should spend grieving. This is your grief, your pet, and you have the right to mourn it for as long as you need. Melancholy can come in waves, worsening at certain moments. A pet's birthday, accidentally seeing a similar dog on the street, or watching a sad movie.
2. There is no need to be ashamed of your grief. There is nothing wrong with your affection. By pushing and hiding your emotions, you only delay the process of acceptance.
3. Get rid of guilt. You are not to blame for the death of your pet, and there was nothing you could have done to save it. It is unreasonable to blame yourself for the death of a dog, you are not omnipotent, are you? These emotions are caused by the fact that a person feels responsible for the pet and guilt for not being attentive enough. Before you let your dead dog go, forgive yourself.
4. When a loved one dies, everyone sympathizes and empathizes with the loss. They seek words of consolation and strive to ease the pain of loss. When a dog dies, a person does not receive such support and is left alone with his grief. You need to find those people who will understand, support, and who you can talk to.
There are such people on dog breeders forums or in the kennel club. In Britain, magazines for dog lovers are published, where obituaries with photographs of departed pets are published on the last page. This is a kind of tribute to memory that helps to overcome grief.
5. Get a special book and dedicate it to your departed friend. Paste in his photographs, collages, paw prints. Accompany the photo with captions describing the circumstances under which the photo was taken or words of gratitude to your pet.
6. Make a day of remembrance for your friend. Choose his birthday or death, and perform peculiar rituals on these days. A trip to a pet’s grave or to a shelter to help disadvantaged animals. These rituals will help transform grief into a feeling of tenderness and gratitude to your pet.
7. Create a small memorial dedicated to your pet. His photo in a beautiful frame, his collar, his toys, all this will help you remember him with warmth and gratitude.
8. We need to move forward. By ceasing to mourn your dog, you are not cheating on him or betraying him. His memory will forever remain in your heart, but life goes on. Your friend didn't like that you were so sad. Remember how he consoled you during difficult times in your life. Surely he would like you to be comforted as soon as possible.
9. Go to an animal shelter and volunteer there for a few days. Your heart and conscience will be at peace if you can help those who desperately need it.
10. There is no need to rush to get yourself a new pet. Moreover, dogs of the same breed and color should be avoided. You will subconsciously look for the features of your deceased friend in her, but he is completely different. He has a different character, different traits and habits. Each dog has its own personality and it is unwise to see a new dog as a reflection of the old one. This can only result in irritation and the appearance of another portion of self-flagellation for the fact that you cannot love the one for whom you accepted responsibility. Go to the shelter again. When the time comes, you will recognize YOUR dog at first sight.
Try to find peace of mind and not blame anyone. When a dog dies, it takes everything bad with it, and you only need to remember the bright moments of your friendship.
If your dog has already reached old age, psychologists advise preparing for his departure. On average, dogs live 12-15 years, depending on the breed. The death of a pet is easier for those who have more than one pet in their home. Get a puppy. You will have time to make friends with him, get used to it, and your old dog will have more fun. A young dog will help you survive the pain of loss, taking some of the pain for yourself. He will be able to console you in difficult times, and you will not be left alone with trouble.
Burial of the body
Check your local laws before burying your dog on your property. In some areas it is illegal to bury pets in yards, especially in cities.
Before the burial process, remove the body from non-degradable materials (plastic, polyethylene). It is possible to use a wooden or cardboard coffin. The grave must be at least 1 meter deep. Choose a secure location with low risk of destruction. You may want to add a headstone or other marker to memorialize your beloved pet.
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How to help a child cope with the death of a dog?
- The hardest thing is to understand how to cope with the loss of a child. Parents often say that their pet ran away or fell asleep so as not to traumatize the child’s psyche. After all, children develop a special bond with animals. Children humanize their pet, and he becomes an older brother or sister for them.
It is important to know that children are very sensitive to lies, and they will not believe stories about escape. Well, such a “dream” can contribute to the development of phobias. The child may begin to be afraid of sleep, so as not to “fall asleep” like his pet. Children often withdraw into themselves after the death of a dog, and enuresis, stuttering, or nightmares may begin. Children have a fragile psyche, and such a tragedy can provoke neuroses.
- Psychologists give a lot of advice to parents on how to cope with the death of a child’s dog. It's not easy, but you have to tell the truth. Be prepared that the child will begin to ask questions about death and they need to be answered. This is a difficult moment, since adults do not know what happens after death. It is even more difficult to explain this to a child. Depending on the age of the baby, different strategies should be used to cope with the loss of a dog.
- First of all, you need to give the child the opportunity to say goodbye to his pet. If euthanasia is planned, explain to your child that it will be better, first of all, for the dog. She will no longer suffer and suffer.
- Organize a burial. Now there are many companies that do this. The child needs to see where his pet will calm down and where he can come to cry.
- Search online for fairy tales that talk about animals that have passed away. One of these fairy tales was written by Daria Dontsova. Writing The Tale of the Beautiful Valley helped her survive the death of her beloved pug. The cartoon “All Dogs Go to Heaven” is a good way to help a child cope with grief.
- The psyche of children, although fragile, is flexible. Talk to your baby, remember the funny incidents that happened to your pet. Ask him to draw it and write a fairy tale together in which your pet has gone over the rainbow to a wonderful place where he will be happy. At a certain age, this tactic works.
- Don't rush to replace your lost pet with a new one. At the stage of acute grief, this will most likely aggravate the baby’s suffering. There is no need to rush, give him time to come to terms with the loss. Wait until he asks.
Contact your veterinarian
If this happens during normal business hours, your veterinarian can help you with step-by-step instructions.
They may also have a way to contact someone who can pick up your pet's body (such as a pet crematorium or mobile veterinary service).
In some cases, the veterinarian's office may hold your pet's body for a day or two while you decide on subsequent arrangements, such as cremation or burial.
Your veterinarian's office should also be able to contact a local company for cremation or burial. Fortunately, most veterinarians have a relationship with at least one local business that offers these services.
Late signs
- Lack of thirst (disinterest in water and food); — Urinary and fecal incontinence; — Inactivity (lies in one position, rarely turns over with difficulty); - Soreness (often accompanied by difficulty breathing, restlessness, lack of appetite, whining and licking the area that hurts); - Difficulty breathing (slow, irregular breaths or heavy breathing that is different from what you are used to); — Changes in the color of the gums (instead of the normal pink they become pale or bluish); - Decrease in temperature (the body becomes cold).
