Multiple Dog Families

[GSD10]

It's coming up to a year since my boy Heinrich came home Now that I have a 2 dogs here, on occasion I have wondered what I will do with one while the other is on the verge of leaving us.

My plan is for the vet to come to the house, neither Mas nor Heinrich dig the vet's office so unless it is an emegency situation and I have to take them there their final moments will be at home if I can help it.

I think, given their personalities and experiences in life, I would not have Heinrich in the room if Mas should go first. I would however want him to see Mas before he left the house. Mas on the other hand is more emotionally stable then Heinrich and would likely do fine observing the process. Then again I don't want to traumatize him either.

What are peoples thoughts and experiences around having other dogs in the room when one passes?

ps: neither of the Grumpsters are going anywhere any time soon

[BowWowMeow]

Hi Ruby,

I have pts 3 dogs at home. In all cases the other dogs were in the room. What really seems to get them is not the process but the end when the vet takes the body away. Rafi had a hard time with that. I think the whole thing was emotionally draining for him but preferable to him not knowing what happened to Chama. I don't think he was particularly traumatized by the process but I did not that the next time he saw the vet he did not give him as many kisses as usual.

[HeidiW]

I let my dogs be around the dying dog and in the end also. So they know that their best pal dog died and did not go for a long dog walk with out them and not return. This why they know and don't go looking for them all the time. It is very difficult. I think the remaining dog needs to know and I think they understand death.
I let my Kasey be around Patches, and she would be out of the room and then back in checking on him. Makes me still cry.

[tnbsmommy]

I wish we'd let Mya be around Magnum when he passed. She still looks for him when we go outside. The last time she saw him is when he was hit by the car. I won't make that mistake again.

[TANDB]

I didn't have the opportunity of having a vet come to my house, so when my old girl had to be put down I brought my male to the vets as well. He stayed out in the waiting room until it was done and then I brought him in to see her. He sniffed her, licked her muzzle and we went home. He never searched for her, but did act a little depressed for a couple of days.

[kelso]

I think you will know exactly what is right when that time comes.

I never realized that a vet could come to the home, and thanks to Dan I learned that could happen. It was so peaceful and perfect for Meeka, having the vet come to our house. Even though all of our dogs have liked going to the vet there was just something very poignant and perfect about the whole thing taking place at home, in the same place that she slept every night.

I took Kelso on a walk at that time (after my own personl goodbye), but it was more that he was a rambunctious pup at the time, and I wanted to give Dan and Meeka their last special moments together. Kelso did not realize what was going on...sometimes I wonder if he ever had any closure with Meeka as he still seems to think she is living in the GSD life sized stuffed animal we have

So that is something to think about, if you want to be alone with M or H when they pass or if you want the other around with you to. And how much closure it will offer the other dog.? Some may be more comforted in different ways. And also thinking about not just what they read from the other dog, but what they are reading from your emotions at the moment...if you want them to see that or not...

If something happened now in our house where the vet was able to come here, I would have K and A around each other. They are buds, and I feel it would just be most natural for all of us to be there...heck these dogs poop in tandem... But then again, maybe I would want time alone with them to sob and talk with them without the other dog around....

It is all such a personal choice, and of course depends on the personality of the other dog and what you feel comfortable with. For example, I may be thinking that Kelso is not as a smart as he is...but I wonder if Allie passed if he would be running up to us shoving a ball in our face while we were torn up over Allie passing... I just do not know. How does one know?

I have no doubt you will 100% know at that time what is the best thing for you all

Post some more pics of our fave grumpies!

[3K9Mom]

I just went through this. I opted to let Meri and Celo (our very newly acquired pup) hang around all day and after we gave Zamboni her acepromazine (which I HIGHLY recommend) before the vet arrived. Then after she was snoozing, I crated them in our bedroom. When the vet arrived, she gave Zamboni her sedative and the final injection. Then I let Meri out to see that Zamboni was gone.

When Camper died suddenly after surgery, we had brought both Meri and Zamboni to the hospital so that they knew he was gone. When we brought her from the bedroom after Zamboni's passing, she seemed to know immediately. With Camper, she sniffed for about 5 minutes. With Boni, she took one sniff and walked away. But this was my experience with Boni. When her first packmate died, she hung out for a while; with the passing of subsequent packmates, she took a quick stiff and didn't need to know anything more.

Meri was happy to see the vet and vet tech and greeted them happily. She clearly had known that Boni had been sick, so I don't think her passing was a great surprise to her. But I feel that actually witnessing her death would have been a bit much. She's young (15 months). And if it didn't affect her, it would have affected me. I just wanted quiet time with my sweet little Boni. No distractions.

For us, she didn't need to be in the room *at the exact time of death*. As long as she knew what had happened, that was enough. I've always given my dogs the ability to say goodbye.

The puppy, however, I didn't. He was only here several days before she died. While they got along, they didn't play together much. The vet and I decided that they had not had enough time or experience to bond and he was too young. It could have traumatized him while he was in a fear period. In fact, he has never made any efforts to look for her.

Meri does miss Boni. Boni often lay in the hallway where she could watch what was happening without getting caught in the chaos. Meri often lies at the head of the hallway and stares down it. But she doesn't go looking for Boni, as I've seen other dogs do when their packmates just disappear.

I believe so strongly in this that when my Grover died rather abruptly at an emergency clinic, I told the vet that I was going to drive home, get my dogs and drive back so that the dogs could have a "viewing." They were skeptical, but they didn't bring her body to the morgue until we returned almost an hour later. If there is any way that I can possibly let my dogs know that a packmate has died, I will do so, even if it's inconvenient, even if people think I'm a bit crazy...

It helps to think things through now, while your dogs are healthy. Talk to your vet now too. Do they do house calls? If not, can they refer someone? I'm usually pretty cool under stress, but I couldn't even give directions to my house on Saturday; my brain was jumbled more than I realized (we live in an area that's hard to navigate, so directions would have been helpful). I had thought through and planned most of this, but I couldn't manage directions to my own house -- and I drove to my vet's office at least 1-2 times a week. The more we discuss and get into our dogs' files (yup, in writing) up front, the less we have to manage when we're really stressed.

And whatever you put in writing, keep a copy at home where you can find it easily, so if you face a major emergency, you can take it to the emergency clinic.

This DVD 911! - BE PREPARED! EMERGENCIES AND THE EMERGENCY ROOM http://www.dogwise.com/itemdetails.cfm?ID=DN306 has a lot of useful information about being prepared for emergencies and end of life decisions. I highly recommend it.

[SuzyE]

I have had two dogs die. ONe, Cesar, had a heart attack at 8 months and I found him dead. i was hysterical, Paige was oddly silent, Jazmin my other dog was clearly freaked. It was an odd circumstance that was very off setting because I was inconsoleable for weeks, I finally had to fake it because of JAzmin.
Jazmin died after a very long battle with cancer. Paige and Jazmin were only 8 months aprt and were inseperable for nine yrs. Jazmin died in my arms in her favorite place-the water bed. My other two dogs would not come near the bedroom that night. IN the morning I let paige and travis see jazmin. They both sniffed her and decided she was dead and then ran back to the other room because there was a cookie on the floor. It actually made me laugh because they were so over it. Paige is pretty stoic and doesn't like to show much weakness. Travis is just trying to go with the flow.
Now the real tale is Riley, who was Jazmin's boyfriend. She just stopped coming and he went into a deep depression. He would not get off the couch for almost a week, just to go to the bathroom and eat.When I started bringing Travis he perked up again. I believe that my own dogs were ok with her death because they KNEW she was dead, Riley couldn't figure out why she just stopped showing up.

[GSD10]

Thanks everyone for sharing your stories and experiences, I have taken something away from all the posts.

Lori, you brought up some very good points. I will check out that site and DVD, sounds interesting. I know that my vet does house calls and he would be here in a flash if I needed him. I have personally avoided talking to him about when the time comes because I would come undone right there in his office. However, a good friend also uses the same vet and I sent her in with a list of questions around this topic

I think I have a clear idea now of how events will unfold when I am faced with this dreadful bit of being a dog owner.

Once again, thank you everyone. Your input is very appreciated

[Anja1Blue]

I personally would not have any other dogs in the room while one was being euthanized. You don't know how they would react. Wait until it's over, then allow other pets to be with their friend. I also agree with the above post which says plan ahead of time - the last thing you want to be doing at the last minute is trying to work out details. I've been there, done that, and I learned from the experience not to repeat it.

We all hope that our dogs will live long and happy lives, but the truth is it doesn't always work out that way - which is why it is doubly important to face the facts head on and have that plan in place.

_____________________________________
Susan

Anja GSD
Conor GSD - adopted from this Board
Blue GSD - waiting at the Bridge