Do Animals Grieve - I Say Yes

Jeffie and the Dog Daddy

Today marks the one year anniversary of Jeffie's death and tomorrow will mark two weeks since my husband Gary's death.  Naturally, I'm thinking about grief.

Awhile back I wrote about missing Jeffie and Kim (Team Beaglebratz) left a comment which included:

" I was wondering something - is there a chance your other dogs would still be grieving a little - or were they never close to Jeffie?  Just a thought."

My answer is yes.  Especially Rudy.

And it got me thinking about other animals we've lost and the reactions of the ones they left behind.

I firmly believe our pets do grieve.For both their animal and human companions.

I shared Tim and Tom's story with you last week (Burying Tom and Going Home)   Our Belgian draft horses Tim and Tom spent their whole lives together.  Born on the same farm and matched up as a team, they ate, slept, worked and played together.  When Tom died at age 29, Tim was present as our vet administered the euthanasia drugs.  He was present as we buried him 

And Tim stood guard at Tom's grave for weeks sending heart breaking whinnies into the skies.  Tom was never the same and there was never any doubt he spent the rest of his own life missing his partner.

Tim (left) and Tom (right)

When we lost Cakes this past January, Ditty - who never even bothered to answer Cakes whinnies for her - spent more than a week in grief.  Calling for her friend.  Like Tim and Tom, Ditty and Cakes had spent their whole lives together.

Most of our dogs have been present at the deaths and burials of their canine friends.  There has always been a very subdued mood and they've always spent time visiting the graves.

Rudy has lived through the loss of Tucker, Lucy Jeffie and now Gary.  He was really just a puppy when Tucker was dying.The last two days we most often found Rudy sitting vigil with Tucker.   He still visits Tucker and Lucy's graves.

Rudy sitting vigil with Tucker.

Rudy and Jeffie had a very close relationship.  We'd jokingly told Jeffie that Rudy was his puppy, but Jeffie took that very seriously.  Rudy really did become his.

I started to say that Rudy hasn't been the same since Jeffie died, but the truth is that he hasn't been the same since Jeffie became ill.  Both Rudy and Rosie were very upset, nervous and worried.  Rudy more so.

And when we came home without Jeffie - after that fateful mad dash to the vet when Jeffie died in my arms before we could get there - neither Rudy nor Rosie looked for him.  

They knew.

Since then Rudy has become more my dog than ever.  He's been by turns what I would call depressed and what I would call manic.  When we're outside playing he pretty much goes crazy.  I have no doubt his misses his hairy brother and the rowdy play they loved.

Rowdy boys Rudy and Jeffie

These days both Rudy and Rosie are missing their Dog Daddy.  They periodically check the house for him.  Rudy sometimes stations himself at the front door watching for him.  They examine and sniff things that were his.

Rudy waiting and hoping.

Yes, they're definitely influenced by my own angst and heartbreak - in all these instances of loss.  However, their behavior leaves no doubt in my mind.

Do animals grieve?

Unequivocally, I say yes.   

Dog Art | Tucker is Watching for Us

If you're reading Talking Dogs blog, then you're a dog lover.  

So, you'll understand.

Our beloved black boy, Tucker, left us in October of last year.  

We still miss him and will forever.  Even though we had 14 years with him, no matter how long our furry family members are with us, it is never enough time.

We often talk about Tucker and how we like to think he's found another giant holly tree or two to shelter him.  And some wild strawberries to munch.   

So, imagine our feelings when we were shopping online and discovered an artist by the name of Todd Young.  

Todd is a self-taught artist.  You may have noticed one of his large forest paintings in the movie "I Hate Valentine's Day" starring Nia Vardalos and John Corbett.  You may have seen one of his paintings in the Grand Lobby of the Indiana State Museum.  Or you may have stumbled onto his Etsy shop or his ArtFire shop.

If not, you should.  Because Todd Young loves dogs and they show up everywhere in his work.


The Dog Daddy and I purchased one of his art prints as a Christmas gift to each other this year.  It's called:  The Clearing.

One glance below and you'll understand why.

Yes.  There's our beautiful black boy, Tucker.

Waiting and watching. 

Keeping an eye out.     For us.

Still Missing an Old Friend Guest Post

Today we have another guest post by the Dog Daddy at our house.

Still missing an old friend.

We were living in Virginia and down to only one dog. Sue had a serious case of  “puppy fever” and we heard that a neighbor’s golden retriever had given birth to a new litter which the family needed to give away. We drove over to take a look and see if one of the pups “spoke” to us. 

We found 7 beautiful golden fur balls. We were having a hard time deciding until Sue picked up Lucy. Lucy started to cuddle up to Sue’s neck and moan and groan. Sue had found herself another “talking dog.”  

We learned that the daddy was a deep chested black lab from the neighborhood. Lucy grew to have her mother’s sweet disposition and golden color and her father’s coat of Lab hair and his short legs and deep chest.

Lucy’s first job was as our “shop dog.”  We owned an antique shop in a small courthouse town at that time and Sue was the shopkeeper. Sue took Lucy along to the shop every day where Lucy would sleep under the desk.  She greeted customers and won them over with her loving puppy skills. 

This was a great socialization experience for Lucy, but she never became that dog who loves everyone. Lucy was very discriminating. If you hung around long enough she may accept your presence but she only truly loved very few and one especially.

At times I even felt that she did not love me. She did, of course, but she always preferred to be with Sue.  Unless I was in the kitchen baking. Then she would stick around knowing that there were good things to come.

Lucy was also our best “road dog” ever. She was always ready to get into a vehicle and go. When she was only a few months old we traveled cross country to help Sue’s mother move. Sue flew ahead to start packing.  Lucy and I came in the pickup truck pulling a trailer. 

Lucy did not like not being able to see out so she would climb the seat until she was lying between the seat top and my neck. This is where she spent most of the trip. 

At home in Virgina, Sue made frequent trips into town to go to the bank, post office or other errands and Lucy was always with her. She had a special love for the bank because they gave dog treats to canine passengers.

Lucy and Tucker became fast friends and eventually became the original “Talking Dogs” for which this blog is named. They loved to run and play in the yard however Tucker was faster than Lucy with her short legs and she would eventually tire of being run over and rolled by him and would sit and snarl to let him know the game was over. They also loved rousting around our 3 story, colonial era home. 

We have an antique couch which was given to Sue by her mother. This became Lucy’s napping place as it was one of the few pieces of furniture we allowed dogs on. She loved to get away for a nap and curl up on it. Any time Lucy was not with Sue we knew where to find her.

When Sue began designing jewelry and selling it over the internet. Lucy began her next career as our “Design Diva” as Sue called her. From the shop to the studio to the computer work, Lucy was Sue’s constant companion. The bond between them was the strongest I have ever seen.

When we moved to Missouri we bought bare land and lived in a 26 foot RV trailer for over a year while we built our house. Two adults, two dogs and a cat in a trailer became more of a bonding experience for all of us. I was mostly at work or working on the house and Lucy stayed forever at Sue’s side. 

Lucy refused to use those little metal steps on the trailer and instead would bound in and out. This is when her hips started to go bad. We finally moved into our new house and finished Sue’s studio which is now in a separate building in the back yard. 

Lucy and Tucker were both beginning to really slow down by the time Jeffie came to live with us. The old couch became too much of her hips to take and eventually it became Jefffie’s napping place. Lucy accepted Jeffie but never became great buddies with him.

When Rudy came to live with us it was a different story. We were a little hesitant at first as to how she would react. Lucy accepted Rudy from the beginning and really enjoyed being around him, and he loved her too. I think she saw Rudy as the son she never had.

Until the end of her life Lucy never left Sue’s side. If it was a long day in the studio, a longer day on the computer, or in the bedroom at night - wherever Sue was, you would find Lucy.

Sue often talks about having a “heart dog” and how she wishes that everyone could find at least one in their lifetime. Sue found hers.

Even though Lucy is now resting in the back yard,  she is still - and forever will be - at Sue’s side.