BY: SAMANTHA BARTLETT, DVM

Nature Publishing Group recently released a study in Scientific Reports showing that dogs mourn after the loss of another canine companion. A survey of Italian adult dog owners owning at least two dogs where one had died supports those dogs exhibited grief behaviors after the loss of a companion. 

Owners reported changes in behavior including attention seeking, playing less, reduce appetite and decreased activity. Many owners reported these signs lasted more than 6 months. 

The study involved 426 owners who were asked about changes in their surviving dog’s behavior after the death of a dog in the family. They were also asked about the relationship between the dogs and the owner’s distress after the death of their dog. 86% of the owners saw changes in their pet’s behavior after the death of the other dog. 32% reported the changes lasted 2-6 months and 25% reported the changes lasted longer than 6 months. In order of frequency, the reported changes were attention seeking, less playful, decreased activity, decreased appetite and increase in vocalization (whining and barking). 

The study indicates the length of time the two dogs lived together is not significant for influencing grieving, but a friendly relationship between the dogs and a grieving owner seemed to influence the surviving dog’s grief. This suggests the dog’s behavior is influenced both by the loss of a companion and a response to the grief emotions of the owner.