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Advice for surviving dog?
Hello everyone,
I don't post over here much, but figured this was the place to get help my questions answered.
My 11 year old, female black lab died suddenly on Thursday morning. Long story short, the emergency vet discovered that she had what appeared to be the late stages of cancer (a grape-fruit sized mass in her small intestines). She had not really shown any signs of illness, besides sleeping and slowing down, but she was getting older , too. (:() I'm heartbroken, as she was really bonded to me, but that's not the point of this post.
We took our male black lab (4 or 5 - the rescue didn't know his exact age), to say goodbye. When we took him in to see the female when she was under sedation, but still alive. He wasn't as interested in her as he was the strange smells.
We return home without the female. The male mopes around (understandably) not engaging in usual behaviors of barking at the door or looking out the window. We take him for a walk and he wants to get into my car (a first) I open the door and he jumps in and sits in the drivers seat waiting for me to get in so we can go (maybe to get the female?) On Sunday we get the female's ashes. We show the male the ashes, her fur and her collar and allow him to sniff for her. He wags his tail at the smells and the sound of her collar tags and looks around confused.
When we went on a walk on Sunday night (post-ashes presentation). He doesn't show any interest in the car.
Do you think he realizes that dog #1 (our silly nickname for her), is not coming back and he is now the alpha of the dogs? Should we start feeding him in her spot or leave him where he already eats? Do we let him lay on the couch that dog 1 used?
To complicate matters, our friends and their 80lbs German Shepard have been staying with us since a few days before dog#1 died. The will be moving out in the next 2 weeks. Should we anticipate additional separation anxiety? (Dog #2's adoption bio said he would do best in a 2 dog household. Should we consider getting another dog in the coming months?)
Any advice you can give would be great!
Re: Advice for surviving dog?
First and foremost, I'm so sorry for your loss. My parents lost their (and my) 16 yr old dog almost 1 yr ago. They still have their 11 yr old dog, who was definately not used to being an only dog. My best suggestion to you for right now is to not change things too much for your dog. He may experience some depression not having his best friend by him, but I wouldn't go changing his habits (where he normally eats/sleeps) to confuse him as well. Keep things as stable and normal for him otherwise that you possibly can control. My parents have opted not to get a 2nd dog at this point but only because my H and I now have two dogs that keep my parents dog company a lot, so she's not quite as lonely. You'll know in the next few months if you think your dog would do best with another.
I volunteer at a shelter, and many people come in because they recently lost a dog, and their current dog is 'missing' a friend. Some people wait a week, some people wait a year. It honestly depends on your family. Good luck
In regards to anticpating separation anxiety, that is a possibility esp if the shelter stated he was always around another dog/best with a buddy. I wouldn't rush into it though. THis is a decision that only you and your family can make, when the timing is right for everyone.