My dog has died - other dog

[BoxerMam]

We had our lovely girl put to sleep today.
How can we make it easier on our other dog who has never lived as an only dog?
Pics of my beautiful girl

Oh love I just want to give you a big hug. I'm so so sorry. It's so difficult. Your doggy will be sad naturally and will grieve. It's going to take time all I can suggest is to keep to your normal routine. Sending love to you xx

Rip beautiful girl.

Aww so sorry to hear that. Lots of cuddles for your girl xx

What a magnificent looking dog with such a gentle face

It takes time. Your dog will obviously look about and be a little lost for a while. Also maybe off food. It took a couple of months for my dog to pull around. It's hard. I lost one of mine a few months ago. My other dog is pulling himself round now.

If you can, allow your other dog to see the dog after it has been put down

It can help the other dog understand

Im sorry you have to do this

Oddly enough, as our old girl had been mainly confined to her bed for around a week before we took her to the vets, he seemed to know that something wasn't right. He pined, and kept wandering from room to room trying to find her.... but once we popped his bed upstairs by ours he settled.

It'll take time for all of you

Depends on the dog. They nearly always look for them (could be an hour, could be a few days) for a little while and then most will just accept the absence and move on. Remember you're all a pack so they still have their other pack members around them. Just give them a bit more time and attention to fill in the hole.
So sorry for your loss. Its a horrible time.

My parents had a terrible time with the family dog when the cat got knocked over and died. He pined and pined, stopped eating, nothing helped. It was also my first term at Uni, so he was missing me as well. The vet recommended another cat in the end, as had run out of ideas. My parents bought a puppy and the dog picked up straight away.

Would you perhaps consider another dog, in time?

Im sorry for your loss 💐 x

So sorry for your loss .. such a horrible time

Other dog will no doubt .. pace , off food , be unsettled , search but with your love and attention it will get better ..

💐

Our dog had never been an only dog when the older one was PTS. It took a good six months for him to adjust...and then I brought a puppy home, which had its own set of problems. While he was on his own he had lots of cuddles and playing and gradually came round, but he was definitely moping and sad.

I had a pair of sibling bitches.
When the time came, I had the first one put to sleep at home. Her sister then came in to have a sniff and say goodbye. She was quite uninterested.
She didn't seem to pine at all for her.

Y friend had 2 dogs from same litter. When first one died at 12 the other one pined for months. The vet said remaining dog was depressed. After about 4 months of dog being very down my friend got a rescue dog of about 5 years. It took a month for new dog to settle but her old dog cheered up but still likes quiet time away from you get dog. It also eased some of the pain for my friend when 18 months later her older dog died.

I’m dreading this eldest his 12 and his puppy is 6 - they are a totally bonded pair. The only I will do when the time comes is keep the younger one snuggled with me

Sorry for your loss.

We went through this recently. We hoped that our other dog would be ok. She cried the whole night after the other dog had gone.

Not wanting to get another dog, (because we'd keep going through this and so many at the cats and dogs home can't be rehomed with another dog) my parents removed the stair gate and allowed her upstairs where she now spends a lot of time! She's much happier now.

So sorry for your loss 💕

our lab was 10 months old when we lost her ‘big brother’ who was 12. He was old and ill and under the vet for about 3 days but we bought him home each night so he could lay in his special orthopaedic bed.

The last 2 days she ignored him completely, didn’t come to greet him when he came in and pretended he wasn’t there - we think she knew he was dying.

After he died, she laid in his bed and looked really sad we think she knew he had died bless her. She is a lab so didn’t go off her food but she was very clingy to us and didn’t perk up until we bought her (already planned) - younger brother home about 4 weeks later.

If we say old dog’s name she still perks her head up and does the side ways look at us. 😭🥺

Sorry for your loss OP 💐.
When we lost our eldest the younger one had never been on his own and we were very concerned, I remember the vet saying that the living dog often does better because he now has full attention of both parents ...... and he was ok, he looked lost for a couple of days but we kept to the same routines of walks etc and he was ok.

I didnt come back to this thread until now because it was so upsetting. It still is, but we have brought a new puppy home and our resident dog is thrilled.
Thanks everyone who took the time to respond