The journal Scientific Reports is reporting that a new study shows that dogs grieve for their furry friends. They studied households that had at least two dogs where one of them died. They found, “a dog may show grief-related behavioral and emotional patterns when a close conspecific dies”. They added that the dogs displayed “several negative behavioral changes”. Translated to layman’s terms, that means the pups wanted more attention, played less, had a lower level of activity, and slept more. They also had decreased appetites. All of these things are signs of depression in humans. They did say that this doesn’t prove that dogs understand that their friend is dead or just that they’re not with them. They plan on another study to help determine that.
There are things you can do to help a grieving dog. According to several sites and vets, spend extra time bonding with your dog. Go for more walks and more play time. Stick to a routine that makes him feel secure. They caution against getting another dog or pet right away and thinking that they’ll be best friends. You can find some more tips on this video.