Do dogs understand what death is?

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Fontanafox

Fontanafox

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Jan 25, 2011
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Fontana, CA
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Wilson & BabyGirl
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@Victor Y What a powerful and moving story and what a blessing it was to have a dog like that in your lives and a loving family in his life. I will cherish the memory of him. Sending smoochies to your sweet bully who cried.



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Davidh

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Mar 21, 2011
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Katy, Texas
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I do believe dogs know death, we had one of Lucy Lu's pups die at 2 weeks old, I had the pup in my arms when he died, I let Lucy see the pup, she smelled him gave him a kiss and looked up at my and I knew she knew. I buried him in the back yard and marked the grave with a little bench, and a little concrete bully that I painted the color of him. Snowflake was one of his litter mates and sometimes she would go and lay under the bench, I always wondered if she knew. It was heart warming to see her visit her little brother. The pic is small because the phone I had at the time did not take good pics. It is Snowflake under the bench.

snowflake11-23-10.jpg
 

Laura M Velazquez

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Meilyr
[MENTION=1222]Victor Y[/MENTION]....another great story. So touching that your dog loved you and your family so much. I think we need some more hugs! I need a box of tissues, too. :hug:
 

hoegaandit

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Jul 7, 2011
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Do dog's understand death? When our old guy Nitro passed 8 years ago (we had him put down at home in my arms). They told us that it was important for Ace and Orion to see Nitro after he passed and said that they'd come up to him, sniff him and walk away. They were right and did exactly that, except Ace went one step further and gave him a kiss on the face. I sight that I'll never forget. Then they carried on like it was ok from that point on. When Orion passed in January it was so sudden and chaotic that us wisking him out of the house in the middle of the night to try to hopefully get him to the vet in time, we forgot about one thing, Ace. It all happened in front of him and then we came home without Orion. It nearly killed me to watch him night after night, week after week look for his litter mate of nearly 13 years. So having experienced two different sides of of death in dogs and seeing how calm Ace and Orion (the one that passed in Jan.) were, my answer is yes, Dogs understand death. In other animals or humans.

I feel very sorry for Ace. When the time comes and you have more than one dog, let's remember to let the other dogs sniff the body of the dog that's passed away, so that they know what has happened.
 

Sherry

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Jan 15, 2011
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We shall join one another, and our loved ones on the other side. Peace
 

JeannieCO

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Mar 11, 2011
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I feel very sorry for Ace. When the time comes and you have more than one dog, let's remember to let the other dogs sniff the body of the dog that's passed away, so that they know what has happened.
Thanks, he's ok now but it was so painful watching him greive. He'd just stare at Orion's bed or just stand outside waiting for his brother, so sad. Very very important if at all possible to let them smell them after they passed. It's the animal way of knowing......
 
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mammyglicks

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Jun 2, 2010
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Bear
I didn't read all the posts yet so if I repeat I'm sorry. I believe they understand it. My beagle mix was 12 when my lab died and up until his death my beagle acted like a puppy through and through, extremely active, great appetite, etc. He was extremely distraught for months after the death, even after we got our bully which now he is just plain annoyed I suppose. He has also dramatically aged in the nearly two years since my lab passed.
 

Bella'sMom

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Jun 23, 2010
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Eau Claire WI
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Abby 13 (RIP), Bella (6), Betsy( RIP), Frenchie: Oliver
OMG, I am crying over this. I so believe they sense death and these stories are such tearjerkers. I have a good friend who actually told me that when they have to have a dog put down (they rescue Goldens) they take the others along to allow them to sniff and know what is going on. Now I read all of these stories. It does make sense.

We have a spirit in our house. When we first moved in all kinds of things happened. One thing in particular is Sophie barking the same time every night and running to the top of the stairs. It has been 10 years now and she doesn't do it as often, but the other night Bella did it. She ran to the top of the stair and barked. I felt maybe she needs to go out, so I walked downstairs and encouraged her to come down, as soon as she hit the ground level she ran to the front all closet and barked. I have to pick her up to get her to stop......That must be where the spirit lives
 

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