Keep your pet's routine consistent during their grieving process. Be patient as they mourn and don't hover over them or give into negative behaviors. Consider adding playtime to boost their mood and serotonin. Wait to introduce new pets, house guests, or changes for a few weeks to reduce their stress while grieving. Consult your veterinarian if concerned about the duration of their mourning symptoms.

2. 1. Keep Your Routine
It's important that you stick to your schedule.
Your dog will be dealing with a lot of changes, so
you want to keep the rest of their life as
consistent and familiar as possible.

3. 2. Be Patient
Be patient as your pets are grieving. Try not to
feed into the negative emotional process. It's
possible that your dog is picking up on your
emotions when you are trying to console them.
So, try your best not to hover. If your dog isn't
eating, you are potentially creating a picky eater
by paying attention to them while they are by
the bowl, but not eating.

4. 3. Add More Play Time
If your dog is struggling to recover, feel free to
add additional play time to their day. Similar to
humans, playing and interacting can increase
their serotonin levels, which can positively
impact their mood.

5. 4. Try Not to Introduce a New Pet Right Away
Although this may be a coping mechanism
(perhaps even denial) for some people, it may
simply prolong the grieving process. If we don't
deal with our emotions, the other pets in the
home may pick up on the negative energy
associated with prolonged grieving. That being
said, I am not one to tell others how to grieve,
so I would take this piece of advice with a grain
of salt.

6. 5. Don’t Give Into Human Food
Many pet parents feel that they are "treating"
their pets by giving them pieces of human food.
However, you will be upsetting their stomach
and potentially creating a picky eater.

7. 6. Try to Keep Their Environment as
Stress Free as Possible
If your pet is grieving, they might find house
guests, changing of the furniture, construction,
or gatherings stressful. Give them a few weeks
before you go introducing any of these things
into your home. If your dog is feeling stressed, it
is less likely they will recover quickly from their
mourning symptoms.

8. mykidhaspaws.org
If you are concerned about your pet or the
length of their grieving, please speak with your
veterinarian.