Dog depression

meacy · 20-10-2013, 03:57 PM

Can dogs suffer from depression? I know it's a tort forum but don't really have any other animal loving group.
I had to have my bestest friend put to sleep

and I am really struggling (yes 41 yr old man struggling with a dogs death). I am now worrying about my young dog she's just walking about lost, not eat well and not enjoy her walks all by herself.

Suze65 · 20-10-2013, 04:20 PM

So sorry to hear about your loss Michael, nothing wrong with a grown man struggling with the loss of a dog, it goes to show what a caring person you are.
Our dogs are part of the family, and your other may well be feeling the loss.
In a pack of wolves when a member of the pack dies it can turn the whole pack into turmoil for months , specially if it the pack leader , may be she saw the other dog as a leader ( only a guess ) and now feels lost. May be if you could show her some leadership behaviour it might help her. Things like you eat something before giving her her food, walking through doors before her, you start games instead of her, but introduce these things slowly. Hope this helps.

Merlin M · 20-10-2013, 04:28 PM

Yes dogs do miss their friends too!
She may well, like you, recover over time.
When you are ready, and if you want to of course, another dog can help, as she will be used to the companionship of another dog, but like you she will need time to grieve a bit first!

meacy · 20-10-2013, 05:00 PM

[QUOTE= specially if it the pack leader , may be she saw the other dog as a leader ( only a guess ) and now feels lost. May be if you could show her some leadership behaviour it might help her. Things like you eat something before giving her her food, walking through doors before her, you start games instead of her, but introduce these things slowly. Hope this helps.[/QUOTE]

She was, if you like the lowest in the pack of 3 and over the past year we have lost the other 2 above her . Will maybe try your tips

Merlin M · 20-10-2013, 05:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by meacy

She was, if you like the lowest in the pack of 3 and over the past year we have lost the other 2 above her . Will maybe try your tips

I know those tips work for a dominant dog, as I do exactly this with my dog!

pagan queen · 20-10-2013, 05:07 PM

My daughter had the same thing with her dog when her older companion passed away. They used to do everything together so Bella stopped eating, going outside and even going on walks. She was a different dog when she came round to us as we have a dog. Bella gradually got over it but some behaviours never returned, she wont go out in the garden alone but my daughter got a puppy so they do everything together now.

Catwoman63 · 20-10-2013, 05:09 PM

So sorry for your loss, I had 2 of my dogs put to sleep years ago and and one died the other missed her terribly, it's awful and I understand, I agree with suze, xxxxx

Pussygalore · 20-10-2013, 06:00 PM

when we lost one of our two jack russels, the mother of the one left we made sure we bought her body back, let him see and sniff her and watch her buried in the garden. Max seemed to know and never attempted to dig or look for her, he was depressed but we bought a hamster as another pet and having something of interest to watch soon made him 'forget' his loss, needless to say he did eventually accept the hammy as part of the family although we'd have never left him alone with her. Is it possible for you to have something else that the dog would take interest in watching I know it worked for us, mind you Max as a terrier would have watched anything that moved even a fish.

emma_mcraf · 20-10-2013, 07:55 PM

I'm so sorry for your loss Michael. Our animals are like part of the family, so it's not at all surprising that you are feeling such grief. I'm not a dog keeper so can't offer any words of advice, but I hope your other dog soon picks up. I'm sure she's missing her friend and is feeling very thrown by it all.

filardimarg2 · 20-10-2013, 08:08 PM

So sorry to hear of your loss.
Other dogs in the family will feel the loss but will also pick up on you feeling sad to, another pup or rescue dog will help both of you.

Marg.

20-10-2013, 03:57 PM	#1
meacy Member Incubating Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Scotland Posts: 166	Dog depression Can dogs suffer from depression? I know it's a tort forum but don't really have any other animal loving group. I had to have my bestest friend put to sleep and I am really struggling (yes 41 yr old man struggling with a dogs death). I am now worrying about my young dog she's just walking about lost, not eat well and not enjoy her walks all by herself. __________________ Michael 1.0.1 Hermanns. Dexter+Morgan 0.1.0 Dogs. Roxi & RIP Ben & Buster 0.0.1 Chinchilla Chinky

20-10-2013, 04:20 PM	#2
Suze65 Senior Member Adult Join Date: May 2012 Location: Wiltshire Posts: 6,769	So sorry to hear about your loss Michael, nothing wrong with a grown man struggling with the loss of a dog, it goes to show what a caring person you are. Our dogs are part of the family, and your other may well be feeling the loss. In a pack of wolves when a member of the pack dies it can turn the whole pack into turmoil for months , specially if it the pack leader , may be she saw the other dog as a leader ( only a guess ) and now feels lost. May be if you could show her some leadership behaviour it might help her. Things like you eat something before giving her her food, walking through doors before her, you start games instead of her, but introduce these things slowly. Hope this helps. __________________ Suze. 3 THB, Sammy, Jemima, & Phoebe 7 Marginated, Tabitha, Ptolome, Tatiana, Noah,Lottey, Lulu & Poppy 1 TGG (Emma) RIP Feb 2012

20-10-2013, 04:28 PM	#3
Merlin M Senior Member Adult Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: Edinburgh Posts: 4,186	Yes dogs do miss their friends too! She may well, like you, recover over time. When you are ready, and if you want to of course, another dog can help, as she will be used to the companionship of another dog, but like you she will need time to grieve a bit first! __________________ 1:1:1 Horsfields (Misha, Amber and Teabag) 1:0:0 Dog: Rocco, Rottweiler cross 1 husband (Russ)

20-10-2013, 05:00 PM	#4
meacy Member Incubating Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Scotland Posts: 166	[QUOTE= specially if it the pack leader , may be she saw the other dog as a leader ( only a guess ) and now feels lost. May be if you could show her some leadership behaviour it might help her. Things like you eat something before giving her her food, walking through doors before her, you start games instead of her, but introduce these things slowly. Hope this helps.[/QUOTE] She was, if you like the lowest in the pack of 3 and over the past year we have lost the other 2 above her . Will maybe try your tips __________________ Michael 1.0.1 Hermanns. Dexter+Morgan 0.1.0 Dogs. Roxi & RIP Ben & Buster 0.0.1 Chinchilla Chinky

20-10-2013, 05:07 PM	#6
pagan queen Senior Member Adult Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Kent Posts: 6,073	My daughter had the same thing with her dog when her older companion passed away. They used to do everything together so Bella stopped eating, going outside and even going on walks. She was a different dog when she came round to us as we have a dog. Bella gradually got over it but some behaviours never returned, she wont go out in the garden alone but my daughter got a puppy so they do everything together now. __________________ 1.0.1 TG Ibera 1.0.0 Chinese Frise dog 0.1.0 African Grey Parrot 0.1.0 Hahns Macaw 0.1.0 Pearly Conure 0.2.0 Guinea Pigs 0.2.0 Chickens 1.0.0 Bearded Dragon 7.4.0 Budgies 1.1.0 Cockatiels 1.3 Kids 1 Husband

20-10-2013, 05:09 PM	#7
Catwoman63 Senior Member Adult Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: South East England Posts: 6,739	So sorry for your loss, I had 2 of my dogs put to sleep years ago and and one died the other missed her terribly, it's awful and I understand, I agree with suze, xxxxx __________________ BEV XXX 0.3.0 - T Horsfieldii (Xena, Zelda & Lilly) 2.2.0 - TG Terrestris (Zeus, Astreus / Zagreus & Alexia) 1.2.0 - Zebra Finches (Gunner / Bonnie & May) 0.1.0 - SBT (Hazel) 1.0.0 - FBD (Ted)

20-10-2013, 06:00 PM	#8
Pussygalore Senior Member Adult Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Cambridge Posts: 6,479	when we lost one of our two jack russels, the mother of the one left we made sure we bought her body back, let him see and sniff her and watch her buried in the garden. Max seemed to know and never attempted to dig or look for her, he was depressed but we bought a hamster as another pet and having something of interest to watch soon made him 'forget' his loss, needless to say he did eventually accept the hammy as part of the family although we'd have never left him alone with her. Is it possible for you to have something else that the dog would take interest in watching I know it worked for us, mind you Max as a terrier would have watched anything that moved even a fish.

20-10-2013, 07:55 PM	#9
emma_mcraf Senior Member Adult Join Date: Jul 2010 Location: Devon Posts: 11,365	I'm so sorry for your loss Michael. Our animals are like part of the family, so it's not at all surprising that you are feeling such grief. I'm not a dog keeper so can't offer any words of advice, but I hope your other dog soon picks up. I'm sure she's missing her friend and is feeling very thrown by it all. __________________ Emma Testudo Hermanni 5.12.2:Theo, Tamara, Tabitha, Harriet, Isabelle, Clara, Oscar, Hugo, Oliver, Florence, Arabella, Esmé, Aurelia, Felicia, Claudia, Atticus, Celestia, Amaris, Tristan and Clementine Budgies: Jasper, Ivo, Otis, Henry, Louie and Luca Doggies: 1.1.0 Chester and Lottie

20-10-2013, 08:08 PM	#10
filardimarg2 Senior Member Sub Adult Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Leamington Spa, Warwickshire Posts: 1,201	So sorry to hear of your loss. Other dogs in the family will feel the loss but will also pick up on you feeling sad to, another pup or rescue dog will help both of you. Marg. __________________ Testudo Hermanni Hermanni...Flo, Dotty & Daisy, all December 2010. German Shepherd Dog...Kiera.

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