Grieving dog?

Hi everyone. We very sadly lost our older dog Poppy last Monday and since then my younger one, Lucy, has been acting really strangely. They were never great friends as Poppy more or less ignored Lucy, but could it be possible that the little one is grieving? My husband and I have been very upset and I'm wondering if this has had some sort of an effect on her?
When Poppy was very poorly, Lucy took herself off to a little corner and though we took notice of her we were totally wrapped up in Poppy and since then her personality seems to have changed. She was always jealous of Poppy and always made a beeline for my knee, followed me about etc but now Poppy has gone she's gone very solitary and kind of looks scared sometimes? She's a very fiesty little thing but even that part of her seems to have died down.

Any ideas anyone? Thanks

Yes very possible when our Duncan died earlier in the year we were not ready to get another puppy we thought but seeing Mollie mooch around unhappy and grieving we went out and got her another companion, Betty pup arrived and she perked up straight away, now they are inseparable and we realised we must have been ready because she wormed her way into our hearts too instantly she arrived.

I'm sure it is perfectly possible. Not only that your dog misses the other one but is picking up on your misery and inattention to her while you tended to them.

I'm sorry to hear you lost your dog.

I am very sorry to hear that you have lost your little Poppy and I think that Lucy has picked up on your sadness more than grieving herself, and she is probably wondering what has happened to make things change.

I think that it is possible that Lucy felt rather neglected and is now scared that you might not want her any more, and probably needs lots of love and reassurance now.

Will she let you pick her up for lots of extra cuddles?

Yes, I am sorry to that you have lost your dog, now you must concentrate on the other one she is probably missing her but is picking up on your misery at the loss so brighten up and make it up to the little one.

When I had to have Sydney pts in June, I was devastated as was my Husband but we put on a bright face for the sake of the other dogs and just kept busy, making sure we had fun with them every day. Not only did the dogs carry on pretty much as normal, it had the same effect on us. Of course we still miss him every day, he was a big character and such a wonderful dog but I was so determined to make it easier on the dogs it actually made it easier for me too. Try making Lucy the focus of your lives and go out and have fun with her, make her feel special now.

So sorry you lost Poppy
Run free sweet girl xx
Poor wee Lucy,no way dogs can understand,all she knows is that Poppy isn't there anymore Must be so confusing for her.On top of that her owners are understandably heart broken,she's sensing all of that Imagine she's afraid and totally confused
I know it will be difficult but Lucy can really help you heal..more attention she gets right now the better I imagine Even though it didn't seem like they were the best of chums,her life must seem so different now
Really hope things get better(( hugs))

When I had two cats I thought they hated each other for 16 years. When one died the other one definitely missed him.

I've had a dog who 'pined' for my ex when we split. Yet never once did he talk to it, take it out, sit with it or have much to do with it at all. He wasn't a dog person. She'd sit by the gate and just wait for him. Unfathomable.

The day M'boi my Pei died suddenly eighteen months ago Chloe my Tibbie went under my bed and hid there for three days and would only come out when she was hungry or needed to go out. She and M'boi had grown up together and were in separable and she really missed her big sister.

I had a new Pei puppy last September and it was only then I realised how subdued Chloe had been for the past eighteen months. It's wonderful to see her back to her old self again ..... and yes dogs do grieve.

Last year I lost an elderly dog in January and then had to have another dog put down in April (osteosarcoma). It was three months before I realised that I and my four other dogs had been grieving and only then started to feel 'normal' again!