Mourning in BC's?

[Dragoon 45]

As some of you may know I lost my old man, a traditional B/W male, a couple of weeks ago. He would have been 15 in Nov. That leaves me and my 4 YO R/W male.

 

I have noticed some behavior changes in my 4 YO, but am unable to really classify them. There are not any destructive behaviors, but now it is sometimes a chore to get him to eat and also his appetite is less when he does eat. I have fed him twice a day since the day I got him and now he refuses to eat in the morning. His appetite is less even though he actually gets more opportunity for exercise. He is somewhat more clingy, but is not overpowering about it. He does seem to do more head checks to see where I am, even the trainers have noticed that. But he is still more than willing to work and will go till he drops if I let him.

 

I am not sure at this point if there is anything to worry about here or not. I can deal with the rest of behavior changes, but the loss of appetite and unwillingness to eat kind of worries me. Any suggestions?

 

Thank You.

 

 

[Gloria Atwater]

It's very possible he's depressed about losing his lifelong companion. We had a dog go into a terrible slump when her older partner passed away.

Have you tried changing up his food a little and either adding delicacies to his meals, or switching his morning meal to something super irresistible?

My condolences to you both on losing your good old dog.

~ Gloria

[G. Festerling]

I do believe they can and do mourn.

 

However, aside from the emotion, it changes the structure in a pack or group. I just went through this with my two oldest passing. Things are just off.

 

Did you feed them close to each other? Was there maybe a type of competition about eating?

[KrisK]

I am certain they do mourn. After my Jazz died, Cricket's behaviour really changed. She never was a 'barky' dog...and after he died, she started with a barking behaviour that we've never been able to cure. I am sure it had to do with missing her companion.

I agree with the change in pack dynamics as well - she was thrown into the role of being the pack leader when the dogs were outside. I don't think her personality was secure enough to handle that role and thus the barking...

[Gideon's girl]

Gideon definitely mourned the passing of my golden mix and it took him 2 years to stop thinking every golden he saw wanted to be his buddy.

[Root Beer]

Tessa was VERY depressed and she became very anxious after we lost Speedy and Sammie this past winter/spring. It lasted well into the summer and I am really only now starting to see her get back to her old self.

 

I was so concerned I had all kinds of vet checks done on her over the summer - I really thought something was physically wrong.

 

I believe she was mourning the loss of her old boys, for whom she had watched out for many, many years.

 

I did eventually try an anxiety supplement with her (Composure) and it seems to have made a world of difference getting her back on track - but she was clearly anxious, as well as depressed.

[Dragoon 45]

He has been on TOW High Prairie since I got him, it was the only food I could get him to eat when I brought him home from the rescue. He has gone from 1 cup twice daily to less than 1 1/4 cup once daily when he will eat. He is currently at 21" at the withers and approx. 45 lbs (he has lost a couple of lbs since this started). He has always been fed in his crate, while the Old Man was fed in the Kitchen in his bowl. From the start I didn't want the two to fight over food so always fed them in different locations. That worked out well as they never had any fusses or fights over food. Truth of the matter, they never had a fight over anything that I am aware of. I was always somewhat amazed that two male dogs got along so well.

 

I have tried putting extra savory treats in with his food, but he won't touch it until he is good and ready. He is also starting to turn his nose away from treats that used to get his attention every time. Fortunately he is still very toy motivated so his agility training is still progressing.

 

Hopefully he will snap out of it, before he starts losing a lot of weight.

[Maralynn]

Kenzi was clingy, needy, and anxious all spring when Kipp was sick. She knew something was up and off. In the week between loosing Kipp and getting Kolt she was just out of it. I'm not sure how much of that was her being despressed or her feeding off of my emotions. Kolt perked both of us back up - she really was like a new dog a few weeks after I brought him home. I was ready to wash her out of SAR training and now I think I may be able to certify her in the next couple months instead.

[alligande]

I have been through this twice, first with my old lady GSDx she was 13 when her rather bossy border collie companion of 10 years died. He died naturally at home and she was there, for weeks she mopped and would chase or at least attempt to chase any dog she saw just to be in their company, it was very sad. We got Brody sooner than we planned because of this, she was not very keen on our choice of a young border collie, but she snapped right back to being her self when we got him even though they never liked each other. When Brody died it was heartbreaking for everyone as he was far to young, Rievaulx was moppy in the house but it was at certain locations when we were driving to our regular walks he would wail, I have never heard him sound like it before or since, it lasted a few weeks and it was wrenching. He was only 3 1/2 and never been on his own, I could not put a time frame on it but slowly he learned to enjoy a walk, explore on his own, run ahead of us, just enjoy being a dog, but it took a good few months.

I should add that Brody did not care in any way when Jester died, barely gave her body a sniff.

[CMP]

I believe dogs mourn - both the loss of other dogs and of people.

 

When my father passed one of his oldest dogs, who was 14, just ... faded away, eventually dying peacefully in his sleep after losing interest in work.

 

I attended the funeral of a fallen search and rescue worker and his dog would NOT leave the coffin - it became violent and aggressive and had to be tranquilized. Eventually he had to be euthanized because he simply stopped being able to be handled by anyone, including his dead owner's wife.

 

In the guide and personal services dog field you hear LOTS of stories of dogs mourning their people.

 

On sheep farms that use dogs you hear LOTS of stories about this or that one isn't the same since this or that one passed on.

 

I guess they're like people.

 

I am sure it is the same for most people, but I am very closely bonded with my dogs. I can think of two or three of them who would be sad for a bit and carry on but I can think of two of them, for sure, who would be disconsolate if I were to pass.