If you’ve ever experienced the loss of a dog, you know that the feeling of sorrow can feel as huge as if it was a family member or a close friend.
But according to a new survey, it’s not only your immediate family which will get sad, but your other dogs really mourn the loss as well, and will also share this feeling of sadness.
At least that’s how it seems according to a lot of dog owners according to ScienceAlert.
Dogs Really Mourn The Loss Of Their Best Friend
In this survey, 426 Italian dog owners, with more than one dog, told that when they experienced the loss of a dog, it seems as if the remaining dogs were less active than usual.
86 perfect of the owners reported that the dogs, in the days following the death of their mate, seemed lethargic or demanded more attention.
According to the researchers behind the study, it might give an indication of something in animals that have been neglected in the world of science.
“The survey shows that dogs display a behavior closely related to sadness when a mate of the same species dies, and this behavior might be linked to the emotional state of the dog owner.”
– Federuca Pirrone, Department of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, University of Milan
While most dog owners, or other pet owners for that matter, do indeed believe that all animals have feelings, the research in this area is quite lacking, and that’s why this study is rather sensational.
Mourning is something that researchers have a newfound focus on, as it tells us a lot about the cognitive levels of an animal. Previously, mourning has been observed among elephants and dolphins, but there have never been documented actual mourning periods among pets.
Based only on the survey, it can’t be fully concluded that dogs really mourn the loss of their best friend, as there might be other influential factors according to the scientists.
As an example, the dogs might be affected by the behavior or their owner, they say in the study.
The study has been published in Scientific Reports.
Some of My Favorite Products For Dog Owners
I hope this article has helped you just a bit in everyday life as a dog owner. Being a dog owner for more than 25 years myself, I’ve tried an abundance of different products with varying success, but these products below are some that I can highly recommend to every dog and their owner without hesitation!
These links are affiliate links, so if you do end up using the links, I will earn a commission. But it’s products that I use daily myself, and I have nothing but praise for.
Dog Food: Every dog needs to eat correctly, and finding the best food for your dog can be hard, as the market is absolutely flooded with products. But since 2015 when the company was founded, I’ve been using Ollie Petfood. With their product being tailor-made to suit every dog’s specific needs, and as my dogs absolutely love the product, I’m pretty sure I’ve found a product I will continue to use for many years more. If you use my link you can get 50% off your first order.
Dog Training: If you’ve ever owned a puppy, you know that they require a lot of training to grow into a well-behaved adult. Brain Training for Dogs has helped me immensely with the mental training part of raising a dog, and it’s something I strongly recommend you consider.
Grooming: If you have a dog in your home, you’re going to need a brush, and for this, I recommend a Hertzko Self-Cleaning Slicker Brush. For that price, you simply can’t beat this brush for everyday grooming.
If you’re looking for the most up-to-date recommendations, check out my recommended products section that I’ve created to help every dog owner!
