Losing a pet when you have more than one..

[Tiggerwit]

For those who have lost a pet, specifically for those who have 2. How did it affect the surving one? What did you do for the one to ensure he wasn't lonely? Especially when you leave and they are left alone and no longer have someone to keep them company. Etc. Those kinds of things.

[MeganS]

We only had Bandit for about a month, but when he died Rusty was just a little "out of it" for a couple days. He didn't seem really depressed, but he definetly knew something was wrong and he seemed kind of confused. We were grieving, and I think that upset Rusty more than not having Bandit around (if that makes sense). We tried to keep things normal-ish for him, we made sure that he still got attention and that we didn't change around his schedule at all. We also put Bandit's things away where Rusty couldn't find/smell them.

[mizzwanned]

I have more than one and i think that would be very sad, cause when Teddy is not here, like if he's with my bf or something London get's very sad and cries so i can imagine how she would get if something ever happened to him. She doesn't like being alone. I don't think it would affect Sophie, or Teddy that much. They seem to be content either way, idk. But what i would do is give the surviving one extra love, hold them everywhere i go, etc.

[YorkieAunt]

I had two dogs and had to put one down this summer due to cancer. They had been together for 10yrs. The surviving one, Misty, spent most of her time sleeping and going off by herself. We would give her extra attention, and take her in the car whenever we went anywhere. (with 2 of them, they never got to go in the car. They were too big) I also took her for playdates with friends dogs.
Now I have my yorkie and the two of them play together all the time and Misty acts like a puppy again. (She is 10)
She did grieve after Klondike but she is fine now.
Hope this helps.

[bchgirl]

After losing pets and not doing this....when we lose a pet now, we allow the surviving animals to smell the body. I know it sounds morbid, but truly I think they understand than when we didn't do this. Let me say...I have always had multiple cats not dogs. The surviving cats would always look for their friend....mewing and crying...until I decided perhaps they would understand if I allowed them to smell the body. Since then we have not experienced the mewing, crying or looking. I do give them extra attention afterward.

We recently lost another cat...I allowed Ramsey and Reese to smell him too.

If one of my yorkies was to pass...I'd say I'd do the above, lavish attention on the surviver and play hard...so perhaps he wouldn't miss his companion quite so much.

PS I know that smelling thing...sounds me sound whacked. It's okay if you think it...I do myself.

[hha]

My mom had 3 dogs, when she lost one last Feb, the next oldest one(she got her at 11 mos), mourned for a very long time, even though Mom still had another little dog..it was so sad, the one wouldn't eat and just always walked around like she was still looking for the one that had died..

[Tiggerwit]

bchgirl:

thanks, no don't think morbid, surprisingly it makes sense to me, however, it's not always an option.

[mizzwanned]

Originally Posted by bchgirl

After losing pets and not doing this....when we lose a pet now, we allow the surviving animals to smell the body. I know it sounds morbid, but truly I think they understand than when we didn't do this. Let me say...I have always had multiple cats not dogs. The surviving cats would always look for their friend....mewing and crying...until I decided perhaps they would understand if I allowed them to smell the body. Since then we have not experienced the mewing, crying or looking. I do give them extra attention afterward.

We recently lost another cat...I allowed Ramsey and Reese to smell him too.

If one of my yorkies was to pass...I'd say I'd do the above, lavish attention on the surviver and play hard...so perhaps he wouldn't miss his companion quite so much.

PS I know that smelling thing...sounds me sound whacked. It's okay if you think it...I do myself.

I think that makes sense. It's like letting them say goodbye.

[margaritaville]

I just can't imagine. When I take one to the vet the other is at home upset and when I bring the one back from the vet, it's like "where did you go?"

[bchgirl]

That ps was supposed to say....makes me sound whacked...not sounds me sound.

My yorkie, Trace, had a best friend Taz...a big ol mutt. The two of them spent a great deal of time together. Both of them knew....who went with which people....meaning...to Taz seeing me meant Trace. Trace died very very unexpectedly. We buried him....and Taz looked for him for a long long time. I really regreted not allowing her to see him so perhaps she would understand he was gone.

[bchgirl]

Originally Posted by margaritaville

I just can't imagine. When I take one to the vet the other is at home upset and when I bring the one back from the vet, it's like "where did you go?"

Oh mine don't ask where did you go....mine sniff and think...ooooo, you went to the bad place.

[soccbydo]

Originally Posted by Tiggerwit

For those who have lost a pet, specifically for those who have 2. How did it affect the surving one? What did you do for the one to ensure he wasn't lonely? Especially when you leave and they are left alone and no longer have someone to keep them company. Etc. Those kinds of things.

I am dealing with that right now as my little scoobydo died on Thrusday. I am going to get a new yorkie BUT I must first grieve for the one I lost. the one I have I am showering with constant loving and playing a lot with him and including him in everything I do, well except bathing and eating my food etc ,but trying to make him feel loved beyond words.

[chachi]

So far I have only been through this with cats. I used to have 3 cats. Checkers My cat I have is my last surviving cat. She went in to a mini depression when the last one died. She meowed alot and didnt eat for a couple of days. I dont even want to think what it would be like for the other one if I lost one of my yorkies.

[ladyj]

Originally Posted by bchgirl

After losing pets and not doing this....when we lose a pet now, we allow the surviving animals to smell the body. I know it sounds morbid, but truly I think they understand than when we didn't do this. Let me say...I have always had multiple cats not dogs. The surviving cats would always look for their friend....mewing and crying...until I decided perhaps they would understand if I allowed them to smell the body. Since then we have not experienced the mewing, crying or looking. I do give them extra attention afterward.

We recently lost another cat...I allowed Ramsey and Reese to smell him too.

If one of my yorkies was to pass...I'd say I'd do the above, lavish attention on the surviver and play hard...so perhaps he wouldn't miss his companion quite so much.

PS I know that smelling thing...sounds me sound whacked. It's okay if you think it...I do myself.

Even if it is morbid, it works, and my family has instructions that if something should happen to me, my dogs are to be allowed to see and smell me so they will know what happened and where I am and not look for me. They do understand a lot more than we know and they certainly understand death. When one of my dogs dies, I will see to it that the others see and smell it so they will know. A friend's husband died and their little dog was very traumatized because he couldn't find the man. My friend took the dog to the funeral home and allowed it to see and smell her husband's body as long as the dog wanted to. It didn't take long, just a few minutes, and the dog was satisfied and went back home and didn't look for the man any more. The dog did grieve, but didn't search. This is a simple thing we can do for our pets and their comfort.

[Patti]

I just lost Dixie and she was very attached to Pixie even though she was only here for 5 weeks, The daY I took Dixie to the specialist I didn't know if I would be bringing her back or not but when I came home without her all 3 dogs were looking for her and were very quiet. That night Pixie who is the keeper of the others went frantic when I turned the light off to go to sleep. My dtr and I watched her go room to room and to Dixie's crate looking all over for her. It broke our hearts. Everytime I come home now they all are looking at my arm to see if I have Dixie. I brought her carrier in Yesterday becasue I couldn't bring myself to do it sooner and they all 3 swarmed it looking for her. They are just now starting to bark and be more active. I can't imagine when you have them a long time how they must grieve.