Dog is going to have to be alone :(

[FiveHoursSleep]

Has anyone got any experience of dealing with dogs that are used to being one of two, suddenly losing their friend?
We have a 2.5 year old lurcher and a 11 year old collie cross. The collie has had some diarrhoea over the last month or so, and a scan today has showed an inoperable tumour taking up most of his large bowel, and blocking a large blood vessel. He's either going to end up with an abdomen full of fluid in the next month, or the blood vessel will be damaged and he will bleed out quite quickly.
He's quite comfortable and still enjoying his walks and is eating enough to maintain his weight so I don't feel bad keeping him alive for another week or so.
We are supposed to be going away this weekend and the dogs are supposed to be going to the dog sitters. They know our dogs well and are 'happy' to have him although obviously concerned that he might die on their watch :( This worries me too and I have thought about cancelling our trip
But then in a few weeks, we are off to Namibia for 3 weeks and house sitters are supposed to be looking after the dogs. We can't leave house sitters to deal with this so we accept we'll probably have to put him to sleep before we go.
Obviously I'm gutted, we got him 3 months before I had my first DD and he's been a fabulous family dog. But I'm also worried about our lurcher- she's never been an only dog and has been left on her own a few times but she's very unsettled. Even this morning, when our Old Boy was at the vets she wandered the house crying and looking for him :( Now he's home, she's settled again even though he's upstairs and she's downstairs on the sofa.
Are we going to have weeks of a sad dog? we would consider getting another but obviously not until we have been on holiday.

Hi I have had exactly the same dilemma recently
Our 2.5 lab cocker cross had been with our 15 year old lab since we got him at 8 weeks
Our 15 yr old was having numerous problems and it became clearer and clearer she was reaching the end

In the end 3 days before we went away (my dad was debt have dogs) I had to take her to the vet she was obviously suffering the morning I took her the younger boy sensed something was determined to get in my car jumping about etc...

When I came back he was wondering about lost. I worried about us going away as well as his freind. In the end I put him to kennels for the week we were away (a nice country one 3 walks a day other dogs to socialise with . Now he's back he's still looking but not half as much were spoiling him rotten

I was going to get a rescue dog when I came back to give him companionship but he seems fine ATM so I don't think I'll rock the boat just now

Hope my ramble helps I keep looking for her myself shed become a different dog in the last couple of weeks almost like demantia which was hard on him too I keep putting out 2 bowls, expecting her to greet me when I get home etc... It's hard :(

We've had this twice. Once when our GSD had to pts leaving our lab behind and once when the lab passed leaving the Akita behind.

The lab was a young pup (around 18 months old) and recovered, although she pined for a while, she settled after a few weeks. When we were ready we got the Akita.

After the lab passed he was just too old and to sad to carry on and died about a week after her. The only thing that brightened him slightly during this time was me visiting.

I think with younger dogs it's easier. Just make sure you spend extra time with her, giving her lots of treats and doing her favourite things. For the Akita that was being brushed a task which only I dared to do, since most of the family were afraid of him for no actual reason, hence why he brightened up when I visited him.

There is nothing wrong with looking for a new companion for her when you are ready. It might make it easier for her and for you, although equally there is nothing wrong with sticking with one dog, if you don't feel able to take on another.

Just a quick update on this. Our old dog was PTS on Saturday. He could still get up and wobble around the woods for a walk, but he lay down when ever he could and he was forever lip licking and looking anxious.
I had been looking at him over the previous few days and feeling dreadful knowing what I was going to need to do, but once it was done I realised what I'd been feeling was sadness at the state my Old Friend had been in.
Once he was gone, and lying there in peace, I was sad an actually felt much better.
Our younger dog sat by him as he was PTS and sniffed and whined a little once he was gone. She was very unsettled for a couple of day afterwards and seemed to be waiting for him to come through the door/across the park, but we've been for a few long walks and she's played with other dogs and she seems happier/ more relaxed.
When we get back from holiday and into the school routine, we will start looking for a rescue dog as a companion for her.

Sorry for your loss

After my dog was PTs it was a strange kind of relief the decision was made and she wasn't suffering anymore she had been looking so sad the last couple I weeks I was actually hoping she would die in her sleep as then I wouldn't have to make he decision

Younger dog has been more affectionate since and never wants to be alone in the house I was putting two bowls down for weeks and then dissolving in tears

But the rawness does go with time

Hugs

So sorry for your loss, I dread The Day coming to our Dog, but I hope I face it with the courage and strength you have

My parents had the same situation last year, where their older dog was pts and they were so worried about how the 1yr old (dog) they also had would take it.

We were all quite surprised by how well the youngster took the whole situation; he pined and was a bit lost for a few weeks, then he really stepped up to the plate as 'alpha' dog of the household whereas previously he had been very much the 'beta' dog to the older chap's 'alpha' status.

He's now 2 and a bit and my parents have recently adopted a rescue puppy too. Its actually quite sweet the way the incumbent dog now bosses the pup around in the way the older dog used to do to him.

Thinking of you though, such a difficult time for your family.

I always wonder if the dog left needs to see/sniff the one that's been PTS? If I had a rat PTS, I always brought it home, put it back in the cage for a little while so the others knew it had died and then they wouldn't search for it. Maybe the same thing applies to dogs? They'd still mourn, but might not search fruitlessly. I'm dreading the day one of my dogs dies - they're littermates and have always been together :(

Our dog was PTS at home so the lurcher did get to be there when it happened, have a good sniff afterwards. She lay there with him for a bit while the sedative kicked in but seemed largely uninterested once he was dead. I do think it's good thing to do if you can, as they are a pack animal and there seems to be some understanding of death at some level.

It is heartbreaking isn't it. :(

We found that changing the routine stuff as much as possible helped take the mind of the left behind dog off their loss. So if it was twice daily walks and meals at certain times etc, we tried to mix it up and go at different times to different places and basically change as much as possible. This seems to stop her looking for him quite so much and doing new exciting things - such as day hike in peak district - seemed to help the transition.

You might think yet more change would be even more unsettling, but in fact before we did this and it was all the usual stuff, she just expected him to be there and would look and look. The changes removed that expectation and gave her some pleasant distractions.

HTH.

Sorry to hear about this and feel for you. :)

I have told my current dog he is not allowed to get old or die. I dread the day, he is a top notch family pet and our hearts will break, just reading the OP makes me well up.

I think it does help with animals that they see/smell the other animal after PTS. I've had lots of rabbits living in bond pairs, the first one who died i mentioned this to the vet who told me not to be so ridiculous, and to just bury the dead rabbit. His bond pair was distraught and we nearly lost him too due to him not eating and ending up with a bowel obstruction. He never paired with another rabbit either, despite many attempts.
Second time it happened I had a new vet who was much more sympathetic and advised leaving dead rabbit in cage for a couple of hours. That rabbits bond pair was slightly mopey for a few days, and successfully joined another bond pair to make a threesome a few weeks later. We have always shown the dead animal to its "partner" since then and have never had any problems since other than slightly depressed behaviour/moping for a few days.
Animals do understand death. They aren't stupid, we all know this as owners!
So sorry for your loss op.