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?
Why is it so difficult to cope with the death of a dog?
This happens due to excessive closeness between the owner and the pet. It often happens to older people whose children live separately and have no one else. Thus, the dog becomes an object of care and care, in a sense, a support for the person. It is thanks to a dog that a person lives, he wants to return home and live for someone.
Why is it very difficult to cope with the death of a dog:
- If the family is large, then despite the huge number of members, strong grief may be felt, as well as the grief of loss. This is also due to excessive stress between the pet and the owner. This especially happens if the dog and the owner are compatible in character; they understand each other very well.
- Many people wonder why people kill animals so much. After all, it’s just a dog, you can get a new one. However, everything is not as simple as it seems. The emotions from the death of an animal are practically no different from those when a loved one dies.
- Exactly the same phases occur that a person faces after death. Depression, apathy, and some inhibition in action may appear. In order to cope with the death of a dog, you need to occupy yourself with something else.
The dog is sick
Help at every stage
Day 1 Actions
The need to organize a funeral for the animal will help stop the first shock. After the mournful duty is completed, return home; perhaps family members need your support. If you are alone, do some cleaning, washing the dishes, whatever you can do to avoid wandering aimlessly around an empty house. Do not neglect therapeutic doses of sedative (valerian, motherwort).
Take care of yourself.
As much as possible, maintain your usual sleeping and eating patterns. Don't go from one extreme to another. Starving or “eating” your grief, trying to drown it out with alcohol is equally useless and will not bring relief.
Be natural in your expressions of emotion.
Cry if you want to cry, scream if you want to scream. After the tears, emotional devastation sets in, but it becomes easier. You can’t be ashamed of your pain and bottle it up inside.
Don't cultivate denial.
As quickly as possible, remove the dead dog's equipment: from a leash to a favorite rug. If you are not yet ready to simply pack all your things into a bag and take them out, then temporarily put them in a closet or pantry. You can take the collar and go for a walk to your dog's favorite places. Capture all the details of the surrounding world: blue sky, birdsong, wind blowing
This is important to keep in touch with reality and distract your thoughts. At the end - leave the unnecessary things and say goodbye
Someone floats a collar along the river and hangs it on a tree branch. The main thing in this technique is the feeling that you did everything right.
Don't rush to look for a replacement.
Trying to quickly “replace” one pet with another will not lead to anything good. A puppy, even of the same breed, will never become an exact copy of its departed friend. A new family member should only enter the home when you are fully prepared emotionally.
Share your grief.
By speaking out negative emotions, you weaken them. Share your pain with friends and loved ones. If there is no person around you to whom you can open your soul, use the Internet, a helpline. There are many threads on dog lovers’ forums on the topic: “How to survive the death of a dog,” where people share memories, fears, and support each other. For some, such communication has become a real salvation.
Keep a diary
Buy a nice notebook and write down your thoughts. Tell the paper what you told your dog before, describe all the feelings you experience. But just don’t contact the deceased pet, don’t even talk to him mentally. He is no more, no matter how scary it is to realize it
Create a memory album.
The desire to return everything only increases suffering: remember, but do not regret. Organize memories of your dog in an album. There you can paste her photographs, puppy card, pedigree, veterinary passport. Under each photo, tell a funny story from your walks together or dog pranks.
• Draw from memory a damaged chair or a pair of Italian boots chewed by your pet as a child. This technique will gradually replace pain with memories.
Give kindness.
Volunteering, helping shelters or a specific animal in trouble will help you cope with feelings of guilt, survive the bitterness of loss, and feel needed again. And who knows, maybe just like that, you will find a new friend.
Friend for an elderly dog
Many owners, when their dog reaches old age, get a second dog in advance, so as not to be left alone later. This situation requires an individual, skillful approach and tact. But in the case when the pets find a common language, the young friend is able to extend the period of activity of the old man, as if sharing his vital energy. There is no scientific explanation for this, but the fact remains.
What to do after the death of a dog?
First of all, you need to get rid of all paraphernalia that reminds you of your pet. These are collars, leashes, bowls, beds and clothes. Absolutely everything that belonged to the dog must be thrown away.
What to do after the death of a dog:
- It is worth organizing a funeral, crying a little at the grave. Under no circumstances should you adopt a new pet at the initial stage. Usually a month after death, denial occurs; the person cannot cope with the bitterness of loss, so he tries in every possible way to fill the void. It is for this reason that he may purchase a new pet.
- Under no circumstances should this be done, since you will expect the same character traits and behavior from the new animal as the deceased. The new dog does not have to conform or satisfy your wishes.
- Therefore, hold off on purchasing a new dog. It is necessary to try to spend more time outside the home and limit your social circle to friends and acquaintances. Try not to communicate with people with whom you walk their dogs.
- Because they will often ask and talk about pets, thereby causing severe pain. Oddly enough, the pain of loss finally goes away after a year. Therefore, at the initial stage there will be depression, non-acceptance, a phase of denial. Often a person blames himself for the death of a pet.
The dog is sad
How to stop blaming yourself for the death of your dog?
Advice from psychologists will help you cope with grief. Children cope better with the death of a pet. This is due to the mobility of the child’s psyche, and a rich emotional and inner world. Children move away very quickly, because with the emotions of grief and sadness come new, more joyful emotions. With adults, everything happens, exactly the opposite; some people, attached to their pets, can suffer for months or even about a year.
How to stop blaming yourself for your dog's death:
- Cry. Tears are cleansing, they wash away fatigue and reduce depression. Thus, there is no need to suppress emotional instability and bitterness of loss. This is a natural outburst of emotions that will help you calm down.
- Never blame yourself for the dog's death. In order to get rid of feelings of guilt, you need to accept yourself as you are, and understand that every person is prone to making mistakes.
Doggie
How to survive the death of a beloved dog: advice from a priest
If a person is lonely, you need to find some kind of hobby, go on a trip, visit, or do things that have been put off for a long time. It could be some boring routine work that is very exhausting. Thus, there is practically no strength left; the person has no time to think about the death of the pet.
How to survive the death of a beloved dog, advice from a priest:
- If you feel that it is very difficult to cope with the bitterness of loss, do not hesitate to contact specialists. This could be a psychotherapist or psychologist. No self-respecting doctor will say that it is just an animal and there is no need to worry. He will provide you with the help you need.
- A clergyman will also help you cope with the loss. Feel free to come to church, light a candle for the dog, peace of mind. Tell the priest about your loss. It will help you deal with mental anguish, calm you down, and perhaps after visiting the temple it will become much easier.
- The clergy call for humility and calm, so you need to try to think less about the dog and fill the void with something. After all, a large amount of free time provokes unnecessary thoughts about the dog.
Dog
Permitted burial sites
There is an exception. There are places officially approved for burying animal corpses. In large cities there are even specialized organizations that deal with pet funerals. Such companies have a plot of land in their property from which they build a real cemetery with tombstones. Such services cost a lot of money; their list includes burial at the permitted depth, purchasing the site itself, and arranging the burial ceremony.
Permitted pet cemeteries have significant advantages: you can be sure that the dog’s grave will remain intact and you will not be fined. A full grave will be built for your pet, which you can visit whenever you want. For some clients, this fact remains the most important. Now you don’t need to look for a burial place, think about what to bury your dog in and how to do it unnoticed. All these issues are taken care of by a specialized organization. A funeral can be arranged in the same way as a human funeral, all family members can be invited.
But such services also have their drawbacks, among which I would like to note:
- such services can only be found in large and developed cities;
- An expensive procedure, it is especially expensive if the pet has been sick for a long time and has undergone serious treatment.
It is worth noting that such companies cremate the dog's body before burying it. Such conditions are prescribed by sanitary standards and must be observed unconditionally.
How to console and encourage a person who has lost a dog: words of support
In most cases, psychologists recommend getting a new dog six months after the death of a pet. Moreover, it is best to take a pet from a shelter or the street. The fact is that these dogs are the most grateful, intelligent and understand the value of living in good conditions. This dog will be grateful to you for the rest of its life. We recommend not purchasing a dog so that it does not become an expensive purchase. First of all, it must be a friend to whom one feels affection and love. Most often this happens with yard dogs or dogs from a shelter.
In this way, it will be possible to brighten up the bitterness of loss; the two pets will be identified with something common, a totality. This heals the bitterness of loss, which is very good for the child. Be sure to try to think less about the dog, don’t dwell on death and don’t blame yourself. This often happens if the dog had to be euthanized due to a serious illness. You need to console yourself and understand that the opportunity to put your pet to sleep is a real gift. After all, people with cancer die in terrible pain, without the possibility of an easy death. Therefore, think about the good, and that the dog lived a carefree, happy life in comfortable conditions.
Doggie
If one of your friends' dog died, you need to sympathize.
How to console and encourage a person who has lost a dog, words of support:
- I'm sorry for your loss, you were very close.
- They say that animals end up on the rainbow and wait for their owners.
- I'm very sorry, maybe I can help with something?
It’s better not to remind the animal about the death at all and just try to distract the person. Invite him to the movies or on vacation.
Don't say:
- The dog suffered, but now everything is fine with him.
- How much trouble you brought, now at least you can rest.
- Don't be upset, you'll get a new one.
These expressions are the height of tactlessness.
Sad
Virtual cemetery
Web cemeteries have become increasingly popular lately. All this is again related to the framework of the law. Dogs have to be buried quite far away, so in moments of particular sadness it may be impossible to visit the burial site. This is why virtual cemeteries are gaining popularity.
Such resources require a daily payment for their place. Funds usually go towards building real animal cemeteries or helping those pets who need it. Usually all this is spelled out on the website.
Virtual cemeteries will preserve memories of your pet and also help you find support. These sites are visited by people who have recently lost their pets. People who have experienced the same pain can support themselves well.
When a dog dies, what does it take with it: signs
It’s not for nothing that a dog is considered man’s best friend. There are a lot of signs associated with her life, as well as her death. It is believed that pets can absorb all the negativity that is in the family or directed at the owners. Therefore, if a dog died suddenly, it was an accidental death from poisoning, or an accident on the road, then someone wished you harm, and the dog took it upon itself. In this way, the dog saves its owner from negative consequences.
When a dog dies, what signs does it take with it?
- If it was death from old age, the dog had a happy life, absorbed all the negativity, but at the same time there was none left in the house. Such a death is considered a favorable outcome and does not promise anything bad.
- In addition, it is necessary to pay attention to how the dog died. If, as a result of a very serious illness, I suffered greatly from cancer, then there is a lot of trouble and negative energy in this house. It is best to invite a priest to bless the home.
- It is worth contacting a healer to work on a person’s aura and help remove damage and the evil eye. A dog is a kind of absorber of negative energy that is constantly in the house.
- It is also necessary to pay attention to where exactly the dog died. If death occurred on the threshold, or in a booth, then one must expect troubles that will come from outside. It will be a stranger who will bring bad news or hurt you and your family.
Junk food
Features of funerals in the winter season
If a pet dies in winter, then a problem arises - the ground sometimes freezes to such an extent that it is simply impossible to make a hole with a shovel. What to do in this case? Features of funerals in the winter season:
- paid cremation is a simple, safe and legal way;
- self-burning of a corpse on a large bonfire far from the city;
- burial pit - try to break through the frozen ground with a shovel or find a place with pliable soil;
- burning tires or organizing a large fire so that the ground in the burial site thaws.
In any case, the choice remains with the owner. The main thing in winter is not to leave the corpse in a snowdrift and not throw it in a landfill. If you decide to bury in a hole, you should know that sometimes it takes a whole day to excavate.
How to survive the death of a beloved dog: advice and reviews from people
There are a lot of reviews from owners who have lost their dogs. They know better than anyone how to cope with the death of a beloved pet.
How to survive the death of a beloved dog, advice and reviews from people:
Olga, owner of a bull terrier . I loved my dog very much, when she became seriously ill, she had to make a decision whether to euthanize her or not. I agreed because I could no longer watch the torment of my beloved baby. After my death, I blamed myself for a long time for agreeing to the procedure. More than a year has passed, now the emotions have subsided, I got myself a new pet, and I don’t regret it one bit.
Maria, owner of a Pekingese. When my Mickey died of old age, I immediately got a new dog. To be honest, I was not quite ready for the new character and stubbornness of the animal. Initially, I projected and expected that the new dog would behave like the deceased one. Of course, puppies are different, but this one turned out to be very active, playful and characterful. At first I was a little discouraged and not very happy. I didn’t give the dog to friends, and decided to take care of it myself. I’m very glad, although my Lizzie doesn’t look much like Mickey, she’s no worse. This is a different dog, with a different character, with its own shortcomings and advantages.
Oleg, owner of a Yorkshire terrier . My Nika died after giving birth due to lack of calcium. Unfortunately, the doctors were unable to save him. But there was no time to kill himself; there were only 4 puppies left in his arms. I fed him with a syringe and warmed him up with a heating pad. I left one baby for myself. He reproached himself for calling the doctor at the wrong time; the dog could have survived.
Dog
Initially, experts recommend preparing yourself for the death of a dog. On average, a dog lives 13-15 years, so you need to be prepared for the fact that you will outlive your pet. Under no circumstances should you be upset. If you have a child, it is recommended to get another dog after the pet turns 8-9 years old.
