Many Tripawds members have multiple dogs, cats and other animals in their homes.
Oftentimes when one animal dies, the balance of the pack is thrown off. Some critters in the family might be left feeling lost and bereft in their grief while their humans struggle to help.
Tips for Coping with Grief
We thought the article, “Five Ways to Help Your Dog Get Through Grief,” would be a tremendous benefit to Tripawds families since so many members will ultimately cope with this scenario. Author Carol Bryant shares useful tips on coping with loss and moving through grief with your canine companions. These tips are so good they can also be applied to our feline family members too.
If your animals are coping with loss, Bryant recommends:
- Talk to your pet.
- Be positive but gentle.
- Allow the pet to say goodbye.
- Maintain a routine.
- Don’t listen to those who say “pets do not grieve.”
To learn more about getting through the heartache of saying goodbye to your animal companion, read Bryant’s entire article at Pet360: Five Ways to Help Your Dog Get Through Grief.
The Tripawds Community is Here to Help
We hope you’ll also consider talking about your heartache and your life together in the Tripawds Community Coping with Loss Discussion Forum Topic where you’ll find a long discussion packed with ideas for healing, such as these from the American Humane Society:
- Acknowledge your grief and give yourself permission to express it.
- Don’t hesitate to reach out to others who can lend a sympathetic ear. Pet Partners offers a list of pet loss hotlines for those grieving over the death of a pet.
- Write about your feelings, either in a journal or a poem.
- Call your local humane society to see whether it offers a pet loss support group or can refer you to one.
- Prepare a memorial for your pet.
Do you have suggestions for helping your pack recover from death? If so, please share them in the comments below and in our Coping with Loss Forum. You can help heal hearts for years to come by participating. Thanks.
This post is sponsored by #Pet360. Tripawds is being compensated for spreading the word about Pet360.com, but we only share information we feel is relevant to our readers.
I believe, as an Animal Behaviourist and Dog Massage Therapist, that massage and Reiki can help in these situations.
See if you can find a qualified animal therapist near you, and see if they do end-of-life and grieving issues.
My husband and I recently lost our great dane who was the gentle giant of our pack. We also have 2 choc labs that were all raised together since pups. Our female seems to be doing well, but our male is lost. He keeps waiting for him to walk through the door. Im so sad for him. We have kept them both on schedules but the male doesnt seem to be himslef. If anyone has any more suggestions pleaae reach out.
Hi Candice, I’m so sorry for the loss of your Dane. Our condolences go out to you and the furmily. If you’d like more help please post here in our Discussion Forums so others can chime in. Meanwhile have you considered talking to an animal communicator? They can often give us insight into what our animals are feeling and how we can help them.