Dogs have an uncanny ability to recognize human emotions. They know when something’s not right in the home, whether someone is ill, frustrated, angry, or just having a bad day. They also seem to know when there are issues with other animals.
Take a look at the forum and community posts from dog owners, and you’ll see various stories of dogs who get antsy and start looking for other animals when they are away from the house. Yet, if those other animals die, they often become withdrawn and sad. They’re not actively looking for them anymore. They seem to know that their furry friend has passed.
It begs the question: Do dogs know when another dog is dying? If so, how? More importantly, how can you support them at this difficult time?
Understanding Canine Perception
Dogs may be more aware than you realize. They are incredibly adept at picking up on emotional and social cues. They can sense that you’re unhappy; they feel the tension. If this coincides with another dog not quite being themselves, they may make the connection.
Of course, they also have a way of mimicking human behavior, so their perceived sadness could simply be their way of mirroring your emotions.
As pack animals, dogs are finely tuned to the emotions and reactions of everyone in their pack. That includes their owners, as well as other animals. They form strong social bonds, just like humans, and when those bonds break or threaten to break, they may react negatively.
Behavioral Cues in a Dying Dog
In addition to reading the emotions of their owner and other human companions, a dog can pick up on signs in other dogs that you may miss, including:
- Chemical Signals: A dog’s nose is significantly more sensitive than a human’s. In some breeds, it can be up to 100,000x stronger. If a member of their pack is unwell, they might not smell differently to you, but they will smell differently to fellow canines.
- Demeanor: Sick and dying dogs are unlikely to run around and play like they used to. Their energy levels may drop. They might spend more time sleeping and lying around, refusing to engage with their owners and other pets. How a human or animal reacts to their presence can tell a dog a lot about their demeanor, and if something is drastically different, they may determine that something is wrong.
- Vocalizations: Whether they’re barking while playing with their owners, barking at the mailman, howling for attention, or wailing in excitement, dogs tend to vocalize their emotions. Humans become attuned to these sounds and learn what each one means—“I need food.” “There’s someone at the door.”—but other dogs are even more wired into these sounds. If they change or stop, it suggests there is a problem.
How Other Dogs Respond
After realizing that their fellow pack member is unwell, a healthy dog may respond in various ways.
They will often increase their affection for the animal and may spend more time licking and grooming them. They may try to draw your attention to them, which could be their way of asking you what’s wrong or alerting you to a potential issue.
As sick animals are more vulnerable, they will likely spend more time around them and may become very protective of them.
Younger and more playful dogs will likely express frustration as they try to encourage play. They want the dog to feel better and act like they did before, so they will do everything they can to rouse them and encourage them.
Although it’s rare, some dogs may take the opposite approach and avoid a sick animal altogether. They’re not shunning them. Rather, they just don’t know how to act, can’t understand what’s wrong, and assume that the sick animal needs time alone. They may also be mirroring your actions. If you’re suddenly very gentle, comforting, and caring and aren’t encouraging play, your other dogs may adopt a similar approach and determine that it’s best to leave them alone.
When a sick dog passes away, you may notice changes in their behavior. Some dogs look for their departed friends, although, as noted at the outset of this guide, many seem to acknowledge that they are no longer around. This is especially true if they were sick for a long time or they were present when the animal passed.
More commonly, they will have behavioral changes, such as declining food or refusing to play. They may be depressed, or they could simply be unsettled because the dynamic of the house has changed and has been enveloped in sadness.
Scientific Perspectives and Observations
Studies have shown that dogs can detect bladder cancer in other dogs’ urine, as well as other cancers in saliva. Whether they understand the gravity of the situation and know that what it means for the animal is a different story.
A study published in 2022 surveyed 426 adults with at least two dogs and noted that 86% recorded some behavioral changes in their animals when another dog died.
It seems that dogs definitely know when something is wrong, can detect certain diseases, and suffer a form of grief when a dog passes. However, there is very little research on whether or not they can actually make the connections between a dog being noticeably different/unwell and knowing that they will soon pass away.
Interpreting Canine Responses
Pet owners tend to anthropomorphize their animals. They assume that those long and mournful stares indicate depression and that disruptive behavior means they are depressed or anxious. That could be the case, but they could also be reacting to a change in the environment.
It’s important to look out for changes in your dog’s behavior and try to determine if those changes are the result of actual depression and anxiety or are simply a way of the animal mirroring their owners’ reactions.
Support them. Help them. And try to make things as normal as possible for them.
Supporting Dogs During Loss
It’s hard to maintain a sense of normalcy when you’re struggling with a loss, but your living pets need routine and normalcy. Stick to your routine—feed them, play with them, and walk them at structured times. Don’t try to force human emotions on them. They may be a little depressed, but they’re probably not suffering as much as you are, and if you can maintain their routine, they’ll be back to normal before long.
If they are now the only animal in the house, consider introducing a new companion when you’re comfortable with the idea. They may be missing having another animal in the house, and introducing a new dog will provide them with some comfort and give them a way to expend their energy and focus on their feelings.
Conclusion
Dogs are complex creatures, and there’s a lot that we still don’t know about them. It’s clear that they experience intense emotions and can pick up on things that go unnoticed by their humans. But, at the same time, many of their reactions to illness, death, and absences may be more down to a change in routine, a disruptive home environment, and a sense that something isn’t quite right.
Dogs form strong bonds with one another, but they can form even stronger bonds with their human owners, and if those humans are depressed, they will sense it and may mirror some of those emotions.
