have you ever wondered, do dogs mourn?
Have you seen the movie Hachi? If not, it’s a must-see. Just be sure you have lots of Kleenexes available! If you haven’t seen it, it is based on a true story starring Richard Gere.
It’s the story of an Akita in Japan that waited at the train station every day for his owner to come home from work on the train. One day the man didn’t return. Unknown to the dog, of course, his master had died before he could return. The dog spent the rest of his life at the train station loyally waiting for his master to return to him.
Hachiko never left the train station waiting for his master. In time he become a beloved pet to all at the station. For the rest of his life they fed him and watched out for him.
In Japan, they have erected a statue of the real Hachi whose name was actually Hachiko at the train station in honor of that dog. It’s a very moving story.
We’ve all seen many videos and pictures on the internet that seem to prove that dogs do indeed feel grief.
what do the experts say?
Barbara King, a professor of anthropology at the College of William and Mary in Williamsburg, VA, believes that thanks to thousands of years of companionship, humans, and dogs have grown quite in tune with each other. She is convinced that dogs (and cats) do feel deep grief.
Studies On Canines Grieving Loss Of Another Household Canine:
- Scientific Reports published a study that found dogs mourn the deaths of other household canines. In fact, 90% of owners reported a change in the behavior of the surviving canine.
- A 2021 study in the Journal of Veterinary Science explored the behaviors of dogs following the death of a human or animal companion, finding that a significant number of dogs displayed grief-like behaviors.
- Another study found that the quality of the bond between two dogs was a key factor in whether a surviving dog showed grief-like behaviors.
Studies show that dogs mourn-related behaviors after the loss of a companion, including:
- Decreased Appetite: Some dogs either ate less or refused food altogether.
- Lethargy and Reduced Activity: Some became less active, slept more, and lost interest in their usual activities.
- Increased Attention-Seeking: Some dogs became noticeable more clingy or wanting more attention from their owners.
- Whining or Barking: Some dogs became increasingly more vocal.
- Fearfulness: Some dogs became more fearful or anxious.
- Withdrawal: Some dogs seemed to withdraw from social interactions.
Studies On Canines mourning The Loss Of A Household Human
Dogs can grieve the loss of a human displaying many of the same behaviors as the loss of another household canine. While they may not fully understand the concept of death, they recognize the absence of a loved one and can experience emotional distress.
do they understand death:
Stanly Coren, Ph.D., F.R.S.C says that for us to get an idea of what may be going on in a dog’s head when a loved one dies we can look at what goes on in the mind of a child in the two to five-year age range. These children do not understand that death is irreversible.
do all dogs mourn?
According to Dr. King, some dogs do and some dogs don’t. She also says that just like people, dogs are individuals and respond differently to different situations. She thinks that whether a dog grieves or not depends on his or her life experiences, including how they were raised and what their people or animal housemates were like.
how to help your dog when mourning
- Pay attention to any changes in behavior and consult with a veterinarian or animal behaviorist if necessary.
- Allow your dog to gradually adjust to the new environment and continue to associate the space with positive memories.
- Maintaining a consistent feeding, exercise, and bedtime schedule can help the dog feel secure and provide a sense of normalcy.
- Don't rush to get another dog. Allow the grieving process to unfold naturally, and avoid introducing a new pet too quickly.
- Regular walking can help a dog to cope with grief.
on a personal note:
On July 17, 2020, we lost our beautiful Chico. Chico was my buddy, my inspiration, my confidant, and best friend for 17 years. Chico was the inspiration for this website; ChiChis And Me. We all miss him very much and probably will forever.
Pebbles came to us when Chico was only three years old and so, Pebbles has never known a time without Chico, except for the times that he or she had a dental at the vet’s office and spent the night there. I can tell you from experience that for Pebbles there was grieving.
She and Chico had a certain bed that they used to share, especially the last several months of Chico’s life. When he died she would go sniff the bed every so often, but she would not lie in it. She missed him until she died just one year later at the age of 15.
conclusion
So, it is true. Studies have proven the dogs do indeed mourn the loss of a loved one be it canine or human.
Yes, there is sorrow, but perhaps something positive also. Because dogs do not have the knowledge that death is forever, at least there is the option to hope – a hope that their loved one might come back again. That explains why poor Hachi waited for the rest of his life for his owner to return. And perhaps why Pebbles never slept in the bed she and Chico slept in together. She was waiting and hoping that he would return to share it with her again.