Today my family had to put down Mariah, a 13 year old Golden Retriever, due to cancer. Tomorrow we will be burying her in our back yard because this is the only home she ever knew and this is where she should rest. I know this is not in the Dealing the death of a dog forum but I really just need my question answered by tomorrow.
My question is about my other dog, Cash a 3 year old German shepherd. Should we show him her body before we bury her? Though they never really played with each other he loved to try. Today after we came back from the vet I let him out of his kennel and he is just running around the house sniffing for her because he always goes to her before he does anything else. I'm kind of worried about him. Would showing him Mariah's body be the right thing to do or not?
Thanks for any help
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Connie Sutherland Moderator Reg: 07-13-2005
Posts: 31571
Loc: North-Central coast of California
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Quote: Timothy Dotson
My question is about my other dog, Cash a 3 year old German shepherd. Should we show him her body before we bury her?
Yes. JMO, of course.
I am very sorry that I was not able to do this the last time I had one die and one still at home, and I vowed never to let that happen again if I could possibly arrange for the survivor to see/sniff the body.
I would so much rather the survivor know what happened than to wonder where she went.
After it happened I did a fair amount of reading, and found no one whose opinion I valued who thought otherwise. Many reasons were given (dogs accept death with none of the human baggage around it; the combination of the missing pack member and the rest of the pack in turmoil can be very anxiety-triggering, etc.), but mostly it just really resonated with me. We have no way to explain besides showing the body.
Our Dalmatian died last year. Her and my dog stayed in the same room almost every night of his life. She had the room and he had his kennel.
She died shortly before I woke up that day. I let him out of his kennel, and he walked up to her, sniffed her, poked her a few times with his nose, and walked away.
He showed no sadness whatsoever after that. He handled it his way and I did my best to step back and let him.
I think him seeing her body and getting her scent that he knew exactly what happened. I just know that has to be why he handled it perfectly.
Timothy, I am really sorry for you loss. I have found that it is best to let all the other animal family members inspect the body and watch the burial. They truly understand what is happening. Peace to you and your family.
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