I have always had German Shepherd Dogs, and always two together.
Two weeks ago we lost Amber, our elder dog, and six-year-old Max is bereft. Amber was always the leader and Max the follower. Max has never been a big eater, but now it's hard to tempt him to eat very much at all. He will not eat his normal dry food, he'll eat very small amounts of canned but nowhere near enough. I have tried cooked chicken breasts but he won't even eat much of that. He had a vet check recently, though before Amber died, and he is physically fine, so it seems that he is grieving for his companion.
If he continues this way he will obviously lose condition. We feel it is unlikely we shall have another dog, as we are not getting any younger! Please does anyone have any suggestions for helping Max come to terms with his loss?
Dogs Today reader, by phone
It is normal for dogs to grieve over sudden losses, just like us; if you think about it, dogs even more so! They don't know what happened! Their companion just disappeared - us as humans understand death, as painful and understandingly heartbreaking it is. Max should come round soon, however the healer in this situation is time. Max shall come to terms with this new way soon, and he will become more of his normal self. About diet - talking to your vet or another nutritional specialist would be highly advisable in my opinion. In the meantime, you could add some exciting toppings to his meals, like some healthy fruit and veg, or natural yoghurt. Good luck, and I am sorry to hear about your loss of dear Amber.
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