Do pets grieve?

Schatzie, a 12-year-old Doberman cross, has just lost her longtime friend and pack mate, Sam, a shepherd mix, age unknown but likely around 14 -years old. Both were rescues and were very grateful at the second chance they were given to live in a wonderful home where the humans treated them like members of the family.

It was my pleasure to be sought out for information regarding Schatzie and her ability to cope with the loss of Sam and if/how they should introduce another dog. The humans, Rod and Marilyn Seiler, said that the day Sam died Schatzie kept looking for him, almost seemed depressed. I confirmed that she was depressed, as much as you can characterize a dog getting depressed. They described her as if she was looking for something, wasn't very interested in playing, and didn't have much of an appetite. My thoughts were that Schatzie's pack had a shake-up in its dynamic and she wasn't sure just what to do.

We talked about making sure that their routine didn't change so Schatzie wouldn't "think" that other pack changes would come. To help her cope, I advised them to give her an extra walk or two, definitely plenty more lovin', but also something to occupy her time. For example, give her a task such as a large Kong toy stuffed with dog food; working to get the food out of the Kong toy is a job. She also needed to be reassured that she would be okay with the new dynamic of her pack. I explained that they, Rod and Marilyn, were part of the pack and that Schatzie would be looking to them for consistency and reassurance.

They wondered if getting another dog would be okay and how soon that should happen, if at all. Schatzie is a dominant but not an aggressive female and lets other dogs know that she is in charge. My thought was that a neutered male or spayed female between the ages of 6 months to 2 years would likely be okay. At that age, dogs haven't gained the confidence yet to try to usurp power from an established pack leader or the know-how to be the pack leader and would likely submit in most circumstances. Rod and Marilyn could introduce Schatzie to the new friend in a neutral area (that is how they introduced Sam to Schatzie when Schatzie came along). This way Schatzie won't feel as though she has to defend her territory from the other dog. The dogs could meet and get familiar, and then the Seilers could bring everyone home.

There is no "standard grace period" before getting a new animal companion. It should be when the time feels right. If losing a pet proved extremely traumatic, perhaps that day will never come, and that's okay. But for those who are going to get another pet, here are a few tips to help ease the transition (from www.hsus.org):

• Don't make a snap decision to simply fill a void.

• Get the entire family involved in the selection process.

• Don't bestow the same name as your prior animal companion or expect a look-alike to behave just like your departed pet.

• Don't think of the new pet as a replacement for the previous one. By setting this unreachable standard, a new pet may sense disappointment and could become unhappy. Allow the new animal to develop its own personality.

Welcoming a new pet into the home should signify looking forward, not backward. It entails new bonding relationships and the potential for countless heartwarming experiences to come.

Come find your new best friend at www.capsnv.org.

Jennifer Williamson is president of CAPS.