Sadly my 13 year old HWV Sika has terminal lung and spleen cancer and I have a 4 year old HWV Red who joined us as a puppy. Red is devoted to Sika and they work, sleep and go everywhere together. I think Red knows something is wrong with sika and I frequently see him nuzzling and licking him particularly after Sika has coughing bouts. I have no idea how Red is going to react when Sika no longer around in the house. I believe he will need a lot of TLC and support. Leaving him alone in the house when we have to go out is going to be hard for him. Is there anything else I can do to help him?
Younger dog reaction to older dog death
- Thread starter venery
- Start date
That’s sad, but sounds like he’s had a great life. Your dogs have got the perfect age gap really, as a two dog man I aim for getting a pop when the eldest is 7/8 and hope they last to 11/12.
It may be a good time to start getting him to work alone etc more and more over the next few weeks which may happen naturally anyway. To prepare him for being in the car or shut away alone. The ideal is to prepare for this eventuality from puppyhood by making them independently capable. Lots of time apart.
Good luck and most importantly enjoy the dogs.
It may be a good time to start getting him to work alone etc more and more over the next few weeks which may happen naturally anyway. To prepare him for being in the car or shut away alone. The ideal is to prepare for this eventuality from puppyhood by making them independently capable. Lots of time apart.
Good luck and most importantly enjoy the dogs.
Experienced this when we lost one of our two litter brother spaniels to cancer a couple of years back. The healthy dog knew there was something wrong, kept licking & nuzzling the sick one. When the sick one was gone we left all his bedding in place & the other one would do exactly as said above, sniff it, lie next to it, etc. The saddest thing was when we took him for a walk he’d run around barking & looking for the other dog. The old boy is approaching 15 now & is the last survivor from a litter of 11, when he goes it’ll be the first time in nearly 40 years that I’ll be without a dog. In the past I’ve always taken a pup on when the older one gets to about 6 or 7 years old, but with two at that age I didn’t get a pup last time around. Wishing I had as the house is going to be very empty when the old boy goes!
Highlander
Well-Known Member
Having pts’d so many 4 legged members of peoples’ families over the years both K9 and Equine, the above advice and experiences are accurate and valid. It is a task we as qualified individuals recognise that to a lot of owners is one of the most important to get “right”, and one with my own 4 legged family members I have always and will always (as long as capable) done / do myself.
We were in exact same situation 3 years ago with our two HWV’s and it was nearly 9 months before the younger dog stopped rushing around the house looking for the older dog, when we came back home.
And yes particularly with the breed tendencies lots of TLC and support, are the best remedies for the “survivor” and yourselves.
The final gentle tip would be not to leave the difficult decision too long.
Unfortunately our younger dog has now departed as well, and it is one hell of a hole left.
ATB,
HL.
Rhodesianjess
Well-Known Member
My wife took 2 dogs from the same litter, spaniels,nigh on 11 years ago. I laid the first one's to go body down, his brother gave him the once over, sniffing him all over, then went back to his bed. Doesn't seem to be missing him at all.
Suppose dogs are like people, some more bothered by another's passing than others.
Suppose dogs are like people, some more bothered by another's passing than others.
Many thanks for all the replies which I found really helpful and informative and just in time. At 3am this morning Sika started coughing up blood and had very shallow quick breaths I stayed with him until 9am having e mailed a local firm of vets who specialise in euthanasia and I had previously booked with. A vet called at 9 am and I sent him a video of Sika breathing while laying down. He said it was fast 60 beats a minute as opposed to 20 and symptoms were either indications of pain or pleurisy which linked to his lung cancer as was the coughing blood. He came out at 10.30 and examined Sika who by this time was lying head down on the garden patio and totally uninterested in anything. He agreed with us it was time. By this time all the family had come around and he passed away peacefully in my arms. ( This is hard to write I'll take a break).
Red was there the whole time and sniffed Sika and moved off. I took Red out at 12am to the farm woods and the first thing he did was chase a squirrel. He was in hunting mode for rest of walk. Called in Co op on way back and bought a bottle of champagne to celebrate Sika's life tonight. Came back and fed Red and he is now crashed out on the floor. I think we are more upset than he is. With all Sika's beds and bowls about hopefully he will adapt to the changed situation.
Red was there the whole time and sniffed Sika and moved off. I took Red out at 12am to the farm woods and the first thing he did was chase a squirrel. He was in hunting mode for rest of walk. Called in Co op on way back and bought a bottle of champagne to celebrate Sika's life tonight. Came back and fed Red and he is now crashed out on the floor. I think we are more upset than he is. With all Sika's beds and bowls about hopefully he will adapt to the changed situation.
desperate dan
Active Member
Sorry for your loss, it is never easy, hopefully in time your family and yourself will be able to look back with fond memories, I'm sure there are a great many
Koenig
Well-Known Member
I think dogs understand death in their own sort of way. When the old boy does go let the youngster give him a good sniff over. They then know. I like the bedding idea. My BMD boy adores my Goldie girl. If she goes first he’ll be devastated, I can just feel it. Here they are together.
Attachments
My first GWP died three years ago when my newest one was about three years old.
She died in the back of the truck when they were both in the same cage. She was fine in the morning when out for a walk, jumped up into the truck and when I came back to her at lunch time she was just gasping her last gasp.
The younger dog was pretty ok with it, she was a bit hesitant to go in the cage for a while but I actually think she’s just trying it on to see if she can get in the front. My wife has pugs so she wasn’t ever on her own but the old dog was 15 years old when she died so hadn’t really been coming to work with me anyway.
The older one was great aunt to the younger one. She was fantastic. I miss her dearly. The younger dog is very good also. She’s my number one now.
She died in the back of the truck when they were both in the same cage. She was fine in the morning when out for a walk, jumped up into the truck and when I came back to her at lunch time she was just gasping her last gasp.
The younger dog was pretty ok with it, she was a bit hesitant to go in the cage for a while but I actually think she’s just trying it on to see if she can get in the front. My wife has pugs so she wasn’t ever on her own but the old dog was 15 years old when she died so hadn’t really been coming to work with me anyway.
The older one was great aunt to the younger one. She was fantastic. I miss her dearly. The younger dog is very good also. She’s my number one now.
Anser anser
Well-Known Member
i think lots of us in same boat and worrying about this situation. Tess here is only 2 and worships old fynne the black lad here--hes 10 now and not too perky thee days.we have him on this joint supplemet youmove hat seems to help a bit
SikaSeeker
Well-Known Member
Do we overthink things and humanise dogs too much looking at some of the posts on here?
This.We've two SWDs (13 and 10) and the older has really slowed down, they are very close and the 10yr old has become rather protective of the older nudging her to bed and checking in on her.
Similar threads
