It feels like there’s been a lot of loss in the last year. Last fall a friend of mine suddenly lost her husband. He had been lying on the couch snuggled with their dog when it happened. The dog and him were quite bonded, so the dog was quite upset. She became submissive, aloof, confused, anxious, and overly energetic. She was also sleeping curled up in a tight ball. Once I did scalar wave and communicated with her, she relaxed and was stretched out and more relaxed while sleeping.
That’s an example of what can happen to your dog when they lose a loved one- whether it’s a human or an animal companion and the healing that occurs. Clearly dogs and all animals experience sadness and grief. How do we know? For dogs, behaviors are one clue. If you notice any major changes in their behavior or attitude, take them to the vet for a check up to confirm your companion isn’t sick.
There are several behavioral changes you might see in them, including-
Excitable
Sad/lethargic
Confused
Anxious
Panting
Whining
Pacing
Fidgeting
Sleep more
Sulking/moving slowly
Loss of appetite
Weight loss
Lack of energy
Listlessness or clinginess
Loss of interest in physical activity
Dogs feel the loss of a human or animal they’re particularly close to. They are intuitive and sensitive creatures. Your dog can sense the pain of your loss. If the dog’s animal companion dies or if the dog has been given up by previous owners or lost their previous owner to death, they will feel the loss. You may notice that an animal you adopt is feeling grief and will need to help in their healing. An animal communicator can help with finding out how the dog is feeling and what they might need. The animal communicator can also help the dog with understanding that they do not need to take on your grief. In the example above, the dog just needed time, extra love, and more time in nature- as did the human (flower essences and Bladder sweep helped).
Even though the physical presence of the human or animal companion is gone, the dog can still smell and feel their presence. If you notice your dog staring at a chair, bed, couch, etc. and you can’t see anything there, they may be seeing an apparition of the person or animal. Cats have also been known to display this behavior, too.
Try talking gently to the dog. Let them know not to take on your pain. Some dogs are extremely sensitive and bonded, so grief is a very powerful emotion for them. Like humans, the animal has to work through their grief on their own however, there are tools to support them. These tools include an animal communication session, Scalar wave energy healing, Emotional Freedom Technique (aka tapping), Flower essences, Reiki, Ttouch, Healing Hands, Crystal Healing, Essential oils, and more. (Essential oil use must be used with caution so find a professional before using them.)
Other ways to help them work through the loss include:
Spending more time with them
Getting out in nature more
Keeping a routine
Exercising more
Touch and holding more
Using Bach’s Rescue Remedy
Bladder Sweep grounding exercise
The following suggestions are just a sampling of healing tools available to both the human and the animal.
Suggested crystals include:
Rose quartz- sadness, worry, stress
Hematite- Grief and dying
Moonstone- Grief and dying
Amethyst- Grief and dying
Dioptase- feelings of Abandonment
Sunstone- feelings of Abandonment
Carnelian- feelings of Abandonment
Seraphinite- uplifting, strengthening, and balancing
Suggested Flower Essences include:
From the Flower Essence Society-
Borage- lifts spirits
Five Flower Formula- any type of stress or emergency
Wild rose- apathetic, listless animal
Star of Bethlehem- injury or trauma
Self-heal- stimulates inner healing forces of animal, awakens vitality and will to live
Pink yarrow- for animals that take on or mirror pet guardian’s emotions
Penstemon- illness or trauma, gives inner strength during adverse circumstances
Animal Relief Formula- stress, trauma, illness, etc.
From Alaskan Essences-
Soul Support- stress, grief, anxiety, pain, sickness, trauma, mirroring your stress or anxiety
Reindeer moss- accept loss
Alpine arnica- restores alignment between physical and emotional
Fireweed combo- helps in being better able to cope with change, grounding after shock or trauma
Celestite- release pain and sadness held deeply in the heart
Foxglove- release pain and sadness held deeply in the heart
Pink quartz- release pain and sadness held deeply in the heart
Be gentle and patient with yourself and your companion animal. The grief process is different for everyone, including your companion. Allow yourself grace. You and you companion will get through this and find joy again.
"Unable are the loved to die, for love is immortality,"
Emily Dickson
**Please note I am not a veterinarian. I do not diagnose. These are simply suggestions.