urgent advice needed please .

[goingtoosoon]

hi i have 2 dogs , they do everything together , where ever one is the other is next to them ,unfortunately one of my little men is really poorly and will need to be put to sleep in the next few days , the problem is do i let my other dog see him after or not , will he go mad not knowing where his soulmate is , and search for him ,is it cruel to just take him out and he comes home to find the other one gone ,or will he get upset seeing him , i really dont know what to do for best for him , has anyone else gone through this and what did they do , thank you in advance for any advice ,its such a sad time and i dont want to do the wrong thing .

When we had two elderly dogs, the vet suggested we bring the surviving dog into the surgery so that she could see that the other one had 'gone' following being put down. She turned her head away from the body and the vet said it meant she knew her friend was really not there any more and she wouldn't be looking for her.

She was a bit clingy and confused for a few weeks afterwards, I noticed. With love and attention they get over it. I suggest you let your survivor see his friend's body, so he knows, too.

Sympathies--it's a horrid time for everyone.

I agree with Abra, we had 2 dogs, one much older than the other. We had our eldest dog put to sleep at home in the comfort of his bed next to the fire. We allowed his friend to see that he had passed away, she snuggled him, nosed him payed him started crying but walked away after a minute or two, she knew he had gone.

Itsheartbreaking to see, bubut they do need to see that they are gone, they understand death.

thank you for your advice , my instinct was to let him be there but wasnt sure , i can imagine him nuzzling and pawing to make him play , i just hope he understands and doesnt freak out , it will be done at home with us all there , i cant believe im writing about it all , it seems surreal .

So sorry to hear about your boy.

Our vet advises you allow your other dog/s to see them after they've passed, as it helps them understand.

If it helps, I have never heard of another dog freaking out. They tend to react as we do, say their goodbyes and appear sad, but at least they understand and can deal with it, as opposed to wondering when/if their friend is coming back.

Wishing you and yours all the strength you need to help you through this difficult time.

Firstly, I'm so sorry to hear about your loss.

I haven't had the experience but I have talked to people about it and have already decided that I will let the other see whichever one passes first. From what I have been told and read they can understand their pal is gone. They may still grieve of course, but they won't search for them. That would break my heart.

Our two old terriers had an up and down relationship, though they never scrapped. The one who died first bossed the other one around. When she died the survivor mourned her, but then had a lovely time of being 'sole' dog. She really came out of her shell (she'd always been more retiring).

We then got a new puppy in time, and that was a mixed blessing as far as she was concerned! She was perhaps a bit too old for a boisterous pup, but used to come out and find us when the pup was sleeping and look at me as though to ask whether we could have some quiet time WITHOUT THAT BRAT.