Nothing is worse than the grief you feel when losing a beloved pet! You can probably relate if you’ve had a dog that crossed the rainbow bridge. But have you ever wondered how dogs react or feel about death? Do they experience it the way we do, or do they see it differently?
Dogs don’t know that death is permanent and irreversible, but they understand the concept in its basic form. Still, they can sense it and feel the absence of a person or animal they’ve bonded with.
It’s a lot to take in, I know. This topic is so broad that it would be good to unpack different variations of the question. It will help us understand how a dog thinks and feels regarding death, whether it is their own, another animal’s, or their owner’s. So, explore this exceptional phenomenon by getting the answers to the following questions:
- Can dogs sense their own death?
- Do dogs know if another dog has died?
- Can dogs sense their owner’s death?
- Do dogs understand the concept of death?
- Do dogs mourn?
- What to do when my dog grieves/mourns
If we unpack these questions, we might better understand how our canine friends cope when their owners or animal friend have to say their imminent goodbyes.
Can Dogs Sense Their Own Death?
Have you ever wondered if your dog can sense their own death? Do they know that it’s about to happen? Can they feel that they will cease to exist soon? And are they in distress if they do notice they’re dying?
Usually, dogs can sense that they’re dying at an old age or have terminal illnesses or fatal injuries. They can feel changes in their bodies, just like when we get sick.
So, if your dog has internal things happening, like cancer or fighting off infection from an injury, they can feel it coming. It’s not that they expect their existence to end. They just don’t feel like themselves anymore.
Dogs Can Smell Changes In Their Bodies Indicating Death
Have you ever wondered why your dog’s nose is always wet and cold? Dogs are known for their keen sense of smell. That’s because their noses have millions of scent receptors that allow them to pick out different aromas and scents, which they interpret as different things.
Dogs have incredible scenting abilities, allowing them to smell the slightest changes in their bodies, such as chemical changes when they die. So, mostly their noses will tell them they’re close to dying. Okay, they can feel it in other ways, like not feeling themselves. Still, the overwhelming sense is the olfactory ones.
For example, when your dog walks around the home, they can differentiate between the various ingredients in his food dish or even the laundry detergent on his bedding.
Their senses are so excellent that some dogs can detect the slightest changes in the body, from changing metabolisms to rapidly multiplying cells causing cancer! So, when your dog’s body changes close to their final time on earth, the chances are good that they can smell it coming.
Second to smelling bodily changes, dogs can also feel changes in their bodies that affect their usual bodily functions. The exact way they know this isn’t certain, but we can refer to it as a sixth sense. It’s as if your dog will know their end is near.
So when your dog acts like he can sense something coming up, he probably can. In fact, dogs may be able to sense that they’re dying.
What Does This Mean for Our Furry Friends?
Okay, now you know that your dog can smell and sense when they’re about to die. But what does this mean? Suppose a dog senses an impending death in themselves; several behaviors might show up in the days leading up to it:
- Increased sleep and lethargy
- Spending more time alone and away from others
- Decreased appetite and thirst
- Other overall behavioral changes out of the ordinary
So, if your canine friend doesn’t want to give you the same amount of affection they usually do, don’t take it personally! They know their time on earth is nearing the end and want to cross the rainbow bridge peacefully.
Do Dogs Know if Another Dog Has Died?
The death of a pet is sad, and we often wonder if our dog has any concept of death. An even bigger question to some is whether one dog knows that the other has passed. How can you tell if your dog knows that another pet has died?
Although dogs don’t necessarily understand that they’re mourning a fellow pet’s loss, they know they feel lonely without them.
When people lose a loved one, it is common to experience sudden changes in behavior. Some people have trouble sleeping or eating, while others become withdrawn or less interested in what usually brings them joy. But what happens with dogs? This can be especially concerning if you’ve recently lost another dog and are worried about how your remaining pets cope.
The same behavioral changes people experience manifest themselves in dogs as well. Dogs are social animals and form strong bonds with other dogs. According to veterinary experts, dogs do sense the absence of a fellow pet. When one is gone, the other feels their absence and may act differently for a time.
Then, they start to exhibit behaviors like:
- Refuse to sleep or sleep more than usual
- Appear depressed or sad after the death of another pet
- Less playful or energetic than usual
- More clingy
- Sudden behavioral changes, without any other apparent causes
It’s more a sense of longing than it is a sense of grief. Your dog doesn’t know that the other dog’s existence ended. They just know the present is sad without their fellow canine friend.
Can Dogs Sense Their Owner’s Death?
Dogs are well known for communicating with their owners and other animals. Their sense of smell is hundreds of times more powerful than ours, so it’s not surprising that they can use this to detect a death before it happens.
A dog’s sense of smell allows them to feel when someone is dying or dead. They pick up on the chemical changes in a body as it’s dying or has died. In addition, dogs know when someone is sick by using their nose and smelling the pheromones released by illness in humans. Some people even use their dogs to sniff out cancer in themselves before going to the doctor!
A dog’s sense of smell also gives them an idea of what will happen next. For example, suppose your pup smells something that reminds them of dinner time. They may get excited because they anticipate food (hopefully some scraps for them!).
A study showed that dogs could predict seizures before they happen! This means we don’t need any technology – just patience from our furry friends. They understand what we’re going through much better than we ever could! The study found that those who did have an epileptic seizure could tell what was about to happen based on how nervous their pet was feeling.”
“This is why many people believe that dogs can predict death – it’s not so much that they know what is happening, just that your change in smell is concerning.”
Hanna Marcus- Wag!
Do Dogs Understand the Concept of Death?
Hachiko waited at Shibuya Station because he thought his owner would eventually return from work. It’s the sad truth that dogs cannot comprehend that their owner passed away.
Dogs don’t have the cognitive ability to have complex emotions like grief. Numerous studies found that dogs have the mental capacity of a two-year-old child. They can’t comprehend that a person or another animal’s existence on earth has ended. So, dogs can’t perceive death as something permanent.
It doesn’t mean they don’t experience a similar feeling. They might not feel the full range of grief like people do, but they do feel a sense of loss. So Hachiko wasn’t waiting for his deceased owner to return. He was just waiting for his owner because he didn’t know what else to do.
Do Dogs Mourn?
To mourn means feeling a deep sorrow when someone close to you passes away. One key factor is the understanding of the permanence of death. If your dog can’t understand the concept of death, then how can they mourn? It doesn’t mean they don’t experience the sense of loss; it just means it happens differently.
Dogs do mourn, but not in the same way humans do. They still have the emotional intelligence of a two-year-old kid. So, they deeply feel the absence of a person. It still feels an emotional connection to them, and they may grieve for days or weeks. When a dog loses a family member or companion, it knows something’s missing.
But dogs don’t understand the idea of death. They are more attuned to us than they let on! They will usually get over their grief reasonably quickly once they realize their friend is not returning. When experiences like this happen, we see how perceptive our dogs are when it comes to emotional issues.
What to do When My Dog Grieves
Think about yourself for a moment. What would you need when you’re going through a grieving process? Would you need time alone or be with the people you love? Do you need to take your mind off the loss or take time to process it? Whichever it is, know that dogs also need time to cope with this loss.
As your dog goes through this process, there are a few things you can do to make it easier for them to cope. It might just make the mourning process easier and quicker.
Keep Your Dog Busy
If your dog lost someone it spent a lot of time with, it might feel lonely all of a sudden. So, spending more time with your dog during this time might take their mind off the absence of this individual. You can do this by doing the type of activities your dog loves. For example, if they love to go on walks, walk a little further every day.
Give More Affection
When a dog loses someone, they experience more silence and less physical touch than usual. So, you can give your dog more belly rubs or talk to them throughout the day. This way, the house will feel a little less empty and more entertaining.
Play Enrichment Games
If you don’t give your dog time to wallow in silence, they might forget about the mourning quicker. The best way to do this is to engage your dog’s mind through enrichment games. You can make DIY dog puzzles or play different games where your dog has to figure something out. The point is, the busier your dog’s mind is, the less they will think about the recent loss.
Reward Acceptable Behaviors
It’s critical that you keep rewarding good behaviors aroud your home. When a dog loses someone, the dynamics inside your home might change and your dog might try to take chances. So, to ensure they keep doing the acceptable behaviors, reward your dog for every good action. The more you reward good behavior, the more your dog will do them in the future.
This principal is based on positive reinforcement. You don’t want to miss out on reading our blog: The Best Training Method for Dogs: Positive Reinforcement.
Ignore Unacceptable Behaviors
Because the dynamics might change in your home and you may allow more bad behaviors out of pity, unacceptable behaviors might surface. To prevent this, reward good behaviors but ignore the bad ones. If your dog doesn’t get attention when they do something wrong, they won’t necessarily repeat it in the future.
The tricky part comes in that we often feel sorry for our dogs in this time and let things slide. But no matter how hard it may be, don’t give in. Otherwise you might end up having to untrain those behaviors, which might be tricky.
Don’t Replace a Lots Pet too Quickly
It’s natural to think about getting another dog when one has recently passed. But, if you lost another pet, don’t get a new puppy or dog right away. Your dog needs time to adjust to the loss of this specific pet and won’t necessarily have the same type of relationship with a new one.
At the same time, if you get a new pet during this time, your dog might not be ready to socialize and create a strong bond. So, give it a few weeks before you do it. And if you still want to, ensure that you get a dog that will fit well into your family dynamics.
The Paws Perspective
We might not understand the full extent of dog emotions yet. But one thing is certain: dogs have some concept of death, whether it means they miss their loved ones, or sense an illness coming along. Since we know that dogs can have these feelings, it’s critical for dog owners to step in if our dogs experience something similar.
You might need to give extra cuddles or help your dog learn how to cope with this absence in their life. Whatever you do, remember that you know your dog best. As long as you keep their interests a priority, you’re sure to make the best possible decisions regarding their wellbeing.