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Sharing your home with a dog can bring a great deal of joy to your life and provide you with years of companionship. The unconditional love animals offer us makes it that much harder when the time comes to say goodbye, and you may find it difficult to grieve for your lost pet. The sadness you feel can be powerful, but there are a few ways you can honor your companion and heal in a way that will allow you to remember him with all the joy his presence gave you.
Allow Yourself To Grieve
When a pet dies, some people may downplay the loss by telling you that animals are not equal to humans and it should not affect you in any serious way. This may cause you to hide how you feel or to try and forget the loss and move on, but these actions can have a serious impact on your mental health.
Grieving your pet in a healthy way is a process, and the first step is to recognize that your feelings are valid. There is no set time limit and your feelings of grief may differ from day to day. The first few days after the loss are often the most difficult, so sharing your feelings with a trusted friend or finding a support group online may help you to process your feelings.
Accept the Pain of Grief
You may feel numb directly after the loss of your dog, but understanding and accepting the pain that comes with grief may help you accept it. Your instinct may be to push the pain away and try to move forward, but this can cause more harm than good. Try to accept what you are feeling and reach out to a grief counselor or online support group if you become overwhelmed.
Arranging for the burial or cremation of your pet may help you accept some of the most intense parts of the grieving process. Ask for help from friends and family members if you need it, and your veterinarian can also assist you by recommending and performing certain preparations. Choosing a Dog Speak Aluminum Urn to hold your pet's cremains can remind you of everything he meant to you and keep him close as you move through the grieving process.
Seek Closure
When a pet dies unexpectedly, the grieving process is often different than when an ill or senior pet passes. Accidents or sudden medical problems may mean choosing euthanasia if your pet is suffering, or you may not have the chance to say goodbye at all. This can cause a lack of closure that may extend the grieving process and feelings of guilt that are often difficult to handle.
Seeking proper closure in this situation may depend on the circumstances of your pet's passing, but a memorial service may help you cope with your feelings. A memorial stone paperweight for your garden, patio or your pet's final resting place can remind you of how much love you had for him and gives you a tangible object to view and hold as you process your feelings.
Share Memories of Your Pet
Talking about your pet can help you remember all the good times you shared together and help you realize that they will eventually make you smile and keep your companion close to your heart. Sharing amusing and unexpected things your pet did to make you laugh or what his presence meant to you can help you navigate the grieving process.
One way to keep your pet's memory alive is by creating a photo collage or memorial photo of them to keep close by. A Dog Speak Picture Frame can remind you of all your pet meant to you while framing an especially beautiful moment of your canine companion. It is important that you take the time you need for creating such a memorial, and while sorting through photos may make you emotional, it can also be therapeutic and help you to better accept your pet's passing.
Hold Other Pets Close
If you have one or more other dogs in your family, they may be feeling the loss as well, so it is important to give them extra attention. If you notice them looking for their missing friend, you can redirect their attention with a walk, a play session, or even with a little extra cuddle time. Animals grieve in a variety of ways and sharing your feelings with the pets you still have can help you feel better.
Talk About the Pet's Passing With Your Kids
Sometimes, a pet's passing is a child's first experience with death and what it means. Your child will likely take his or her emotional cues from you, so being honest and compassionate can create the building blocks for how your child handles grief later in life. Encourage questions, offer support when tears come and share your emotions outwardly so your child sees it is normal to cry during a time like this.
Offering your kids a tangible reminder of the lost pet may help them through the grieving process, especially if they shared their childhood with your beloved dog. A Gone but Not Forgotten Memorial Wood Sign to hang in your family room or den can remind them of all the fond memories of your pet and encourage them to talk about their feelings. While processing the loss may be difficult at first, they will eventually realize that the memories also offer comfort as time passes.
Losing a beloved dog is an emotional blow that may take months to completely heal. Learning to how process and face the grief it causes, along with the love of family and friends, can mellow that grief into good memories you will always cherish.
