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View Poll Results: Does a domestic dog that it will die one day?
Dogs know fine well that they will die one day 10 16.13%
Dogs can't know that they will die one day 46 74.19%
Some dogs might figure it out 6 9.68%
Voters: 62. You may not vote on this poll - please see pinned thread in this section for details.



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Phil
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04-04-2009, 08:42 PM

Do dogs know they will die ?

Something I was watching on the television got me thinking.

Do dogs know that one day they will die ?

We know that we'll die one day because it's obviously been happening for as long as people have been around.

Wild animals might know something about it but what about the domestic pet dog.

I can't see how a dog that's lived with people since puppyhood can have any idea that one day it will die.

I'm not talking about a dog realising that it's 'about' to die - just whether or not a young normal fit dog knows that one day he will.

Just wondered what other people thought ??
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Reisu
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04-04-2009, 08:50 PM
Hmm.. I think that they can recognise death, but I don't think they necessarily realise that they themselves are going to die. Like how they say letting a dog see it's dead friends body lets them know that they aren't going to come back. I don't think they'd make the connection that one day the same will happen to them, as they tend to just live from one day to the next without much thought for anything but the now (mine does anyway!! )
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Meg
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04-04-2009, 08:52 PM
Hi Phil dogs are thought to have no 'awareness of self' so I don't think it is possible for them to contemplate their own demise.
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Shona
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04-04-2009, 08:52 PM
Originally Posted by Reisu View Post
Hmm.. I think that they can recognise death, but I don't think they necessarily realise that they themselves are going to die. Like how they say letting a dog see it's dead friends body lets them know that they aren't going to come back. I don't think they'd make the connection that one day the same will happen to them, as they tend to just live from one day to the next without much thought for anything but the now (mine does anyway!! )
thats sort of how I see it,

though I have to say phil, its an intresting question, not one I have asked myself before.
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cava14una
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04-04-2009, 08:56 PM
I think dogs do recognise death but I think they also live in the moment so won't think ahead that much
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Jackie
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04-04-2009, 08:57 PM
Originally Posted by Shona View Post
thats sort of how I see it,
though I have to say phil, its an intresting question, not one I have asked myself before.
I agree , I dont think they know that death is inevitable , but I do think that some dogs may know when their time is up...

You hear stories of dogs seeking out a quiet place to die.

I know of a friends Rotti who did this...
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Dale's mum
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04-04-2009, 08:59 PM
I think dogs live more in the present than we do so I can't imagine they think about it.
When they're close to the end I suspect they sense it just like some people.
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Phil
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04-04-2009, 08:59 PM
Originally Posted by Jackbox View Post
I agree , I dont think they know that death is inevitable , but I do think that some dogs may know when their time is up...

You hear stories of dogs seeking out a quiet place to die.

I know of a friends Rotti who did this...
Cats do that too don't they. I always worry that I'll not know if my cats have died
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basi
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04-04-2009, 09:00 PM
Originally Posted by Jackbox View Post
I agree , I dont think they know that death is inevitable , but I do think that some dogs may know when their time is up...

You hear stories of dogs seeking out a quiet place to die.

I know of a friends Rotti who did this...

That is what my grans dog did years ago. She never ran away ever until this one day she took herself off to her fave walking place and just laid down and died bless her. I don't think they know until it gets to that time.
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Harry21
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04-04-2009, 09:33 PM
Well dogs live in the now dont they...
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