If you have other dogs in your home, they are experiencing something too. Dogs form deep social bonds with each other and with the humans around them. When a member of their pack is gone, they notice. They respond. What looks like behavioral change in your remaining dog is not imagination — it is grief.

Signs your dog may be grieving a companion include:

• Searching — looking for the dog who is gone, standing at familiar spots, sniffing for a scent

• Loss of appetite or disinterest in food

• Lethargy, withdrawal, reduced interest in play

• Increased clinginess or, conversely, increased distance from family members

• Howling, whining, or vocalizing more than usual

• Changes in sleep patterns

Dogs do not grieve on a human timeline, and they do not respond to human explanations. What helps them is consistency, presence, and gentleness.

What you can do:

• Keep the routine. Maintain your dog’s routine as much as possible. Structure is stabilizing during grief, for dogs as well as people.

• Be present. Give them extra attention and physical contact, but do not flood them. Let them seek closeness at their own pace.

• Keep moving. Gentle exercise — walks, outdoor time — helps regulate mood and anxiety for dogs.

• Go slowly. Do not rush to “replace” the lost dog for the benefit of the grieving dog. Bringing a new dog into the home before everyone — human and canine — is ready can create more stress, not less.

Talk to your vet. If grief-related behavior continues significantly beyond a few weeks or interferes substantially with eating or normal function, speak with your veterinarian.