Do Dogs feel an attachment towards each other? Do they care for each other? Lucky is the great (great) grandfather of several of my beagle Moms. Birdy is the great, great grand aunt of the same beagles. The two of the lived in my beagle retirement home.
The old ones need to have a “safe” place where they can get away from the young dogs. This is even more important when the dogs are “less than perfect.” Lucky has a bit of arthritis. Birdy has cancer. Bad breast cancer.
She had an infection in her milk glands as a young dog and they got enlarge and hung down. Being a pocket beagle they almost reached the ground. At about 10 years of age, she started to develop tumors along her belly. They didn’t grow fast and at her age, we decided not to subject her to any cancer treatment.
Birdie got along fine living with her long time friend, Lucky. They would go for little walk arounds (we have 1000 of acres of wood surrounding us) come in and sleep in the sun. Somedays Birdie would go to Lucky nudge him and head out the dog door. When he didn’t follow she would come back and try and get him to go again. They appeared happy and content.
Finally the tumors started to grow. Movement got difficult for Birdie. One tumor become enormous and Bitsy had to drag it around. I know that many of you would say “Why didn’t you put her down?”
Our philosophy with our dogs, horses and cattle is “where there is life, there is hope” and we don’t put an animal done till it says that it is time.
Birdy never complained. She couldn’t walk far but Lucke encouraged her to move around a bit. When she didn’t want to go, he stayed with her. He cleaned her face, licked her eyes and watched over her.
One evening after 6 to 8 months after Birdy got bad, she was moving really slow when she come to supper. I told the “old man” that she isn’t going to be with us long now. Birdy died that evening.
The next morning we found Lucky sitting beside her in the dog house. He wouldn’t budge.
We also believe that dog’s grieve over death.. so we left him alone. After about 48 hours, we had to take her. He just watched and then went into a howl that he continued for several days. I thought he was going to die.
I put his two granddaughters in the pen with him in hopes that it would take his mind off of his loss. It did! He quit howling.
It has been about 6 months since Birdy passed. Lucky is OK. He is not happy but he is OK. He goes on little walks by himself. He loves to be petted and always greets me with a wagging tail. But one day I know he is going to go for a walk and not come back. He will go off to die.