Barking at Heaven’s Door: Do Dogs Know When They’re Dying?

Nobody wants to think about death, especially not the death of their pets.

But it’s an inevitability of dog ownership: someday, your pup isn’t going to be here anymore.

With an average lifespan of 8 to 11 years, a dog certainly has plenty of time to run, play, make friends, and be loved. A happy dog doesn’t have a care in the world, let alone a preoccupation with mortality.

But when their time is up, many dogs seem to understand it somehow.

Countless stories exist of dogs who let their owners know when they’re entering their final moments. They appear to have some sort of sixth sense, be it supernatural or physiological, that tells them they’re about to die.

What could explain this phenomenon?

Do dogs actually know when they’re dying? If not, what could account for the altered behaviors and apparent communication with their owners?

We may never know for sure what goes on in a dog’s brain, but what we do understand tells us a lot about this sad yet fascinating concept.

A Dog’s Pre-Death Behavior

Dog's Pre-Death Behavior

Across all the tales of dogs who let their humans know they’re going to die, a few patterns clearly emerge.

In their final hours, dogs usually follow one of two paths. They become extremely needy and desperate to be close to loved ones… or they withdraw and hide away.

Their Last Loving Moments

As death draws near, be it from illness or old age, dogs often take a turn for the worse.

They become less active, often remaining in one place all day, uninterested in their surroundings. Mobility may worsen, making walking difficult and jumping and running impossible.

Appetite for both food and play decreases and, in some cases, disappears altogether. It can seem like your dog is just a shell of his former self, visibly similar but sapped of spirit.

And then, all of a sudden, things change again.

A dog may wake his owners up by jumping onto their bed, although he hasn’t jumped in weeks. He can seem desperate for touch and affection, seeking out cuddles from as many people as he can find.

For a moment, it can seem like maybe death isn’t coming after all. There’s a spark of new life in the dog that ignites a spark of hope in his owners.

But the next day, he’s gone.

It’s a story reported time and time again by dog owners around the world. Dogs seem to know when it’s their time, and they put everything they’ve got left into one last hurrah before passing on.

A Bittersweet Ending

Dog knows if he is dying

Despite the dog’s renewed liveliness, some owners say that something feels off during those final loving moments.

Often, it’s a look of sadness in the dog’s eyes or an unusual persistence and desperation in the dog’s attempts at closeness. The dog may wake his human up to cuddle in the middle of the night despite never having done so before.

It’s not the same “just because” affection that healthy dogs show their owners. This affection is far more urgent and occurs without consideration for time, place, or other circumstances.

It lends credence to the theory that dogs know when they will die. And they’ll go to any lengths to make sure they get to say goodbye before they go.

Hiding Away at the End

Conversely, other dogs seem to want nothing to do with their owners at the very end of their lives.

Their conditions deteriorate to the point that they stop eating and don’t move around much. And then, one day, they’re nowhere to be found.

These dogs prefer to die hidden and alone, whether for their own comfort or for that of their loved ones.

They may retreat to a dark, quiet corner of the house, lie down and never get up again. Others may try to get outside and, if successful, take off and find a place to spend their final moments alone.

Some scientists believe that this behavior is a relic passed down to the dog by centuries of ancestors.

A dying wolf would have trouble keeping up with the rest of the pack. To slow the group down would put them at a higher risk of attack and cause them to miss out on hunting opportunities.

Additionally, a dying wolf with a contagious illness could make the rest of the pack sick. It might separate itself from the group in order to ensure the others’ continued health.

So your dog might think he’s doing you a favor by isolating himself during his final hours. He doesn’t want to slow you down, and he doesn’t understand that all you want to do is be there for him.

A Sixth Sense?

Dog knows when she is dying

It seems clear from these behavior patterns that even if dogs don’t know that they’re dying, they know that something’s not right.

Some might attribute this to a sixth sense of sorts — the ability to detect death and other abstract concepts.

But it may actually have something to do with one of the five senses we know about: smell.

Over 100 million scent receptors make the dog’s nose one of the most powerful in the world. They certainly make it the dog’s most powerful organ and the way he perceives most of the world.

Dogs pick up smells we can’t even begin to imagine. And it’s thought that one of those smells is the smell of imminent death.

In hospice centers, dogs have been shown to gravitate towards those who are about to die, often predicting their deaths days or hours before they occur.

It’s also thought that dogs can smell various illnesses, including several types of cancers. They can smell cancer markers in sweat, urine and skin concentrated as low as 1 part per trillion.

So it’s not out of the question that dogs can use their noses to detect when their bodies are about to give out. Their blood levels and bodily functions may change just enough for their scent receptors to pick up the clues.

A Matter of Brain Function

Dogs brain function

Another potential explanation for dogs’ pre-death behaviors: they’re the result of cognitive dysfunction.

Old age brings about many psychological and neurological changes, including dementia, loss of motor skills and confusion. An elderly dog’s brain may deteriorate to the point of causing erratic behaviors — like insatiable cuddling or running away.

Various illnesses also have cognitive impacts. Cancer, for instance, can spread to the brain, causing tumors that interrupt normal functioning and alter behavior.

This explanation could account for some of the behaviors that we perceive as death-sensing. But that raises more questions: why do these behaviors repeat themselves across so many different dogs with different health conditions?

And why do they only occur so markedly when death is imminent?

Much more research is needed into dog cognition and the brain in general before we can truly answer these questions.

And even then, we may never know for sure whether a dog truly knows when it’s about to die.

What we do have are thousands of anecdotes from grieving dog owners that indicate a pattern of pre-death behaviors.

From these anecdotes, it seems clear that, whether or not they can truly conceptualize death, dogs know that something big is happening as they approach the end of life. And it also seems clear that when they sense that big change, it’s us — their loved ones — that they think of first.

66 thoughts on “Barking at Heaven’s Door: Do Dogs Know When They’re Dying?”

  1. This was a lot to read. I just want to say, they do know. My baby girl Baby, she was laying in my arms and lap. She looked deep in my eyes, licked my tears on my right cheek and laid her head on my chest, and went to heaven. She didn’t like to go to the vets office, but that day she wasn’t like she normally was, when I sat on the floor she laid in my lap, she knew. Her uterus ripped. She was 14 years old, so even if you don’t have the money find it and get your dog fixed, nothing else was wrong with her.

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      • Letting her go was the right thing to do, for her. Guilting yourself into thinking money is to blame will only satisfy your need to feel bad ( seems ridiculous but we, as in humans, interject way to much into our pets psyche
        in an attempt to humanize our 4 legged fur baby’s). You had just mentioned how much Baby feared the vet so why would you subject her to numerous visits. Just imagine if something went wrong? Embrace her memory as your loving companion who thanks you for being her human mom, 14 years of unconditional love and putting her needs before yours.
        Money is an easy scapegoat to blame; long and short of it is that if she was supposed to have had the surgery the money would have presented itself.

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        • i mean this isnt some fairytail this is real life..money just doesnt present itself and plenty of animals and people die too early cuz of lack of money

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        • Yeah but that’s being selfish. If your dog is terminally I’ll or is suffering. Why would you let them suffer? Would a human prefer life support in a senior home knowing it’s no longer good?

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    • Our dog abby will be 10 great health. She developed alittle lump by her nipple so we brought her in right away. They said they wanted to spay her and remove lump. I agreed. They took bloodwork everything was fine. They did a radio graph to see if lumps spread and they didnt. Stitches get removed from lump next friday. So yes get them spade. We had our other dog nurtured so I didn’t think spay was necessary but it is for there own health. Im so sorry about your little girly … xo

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    • I’ve had about 30 JRT over the last 20 years most of them lived to 18 years apart from three that suffered from dementia and had to have them euthanised.
      I still have Belle she’s going on 18 years old her sight and hearing is failing but fortunately she still has a great appetite
      I’m going on eighty two years old and I’m looking forward to seeing all of my beautiful furry children in the hereafter. Bless you all and your beautiful furry children.

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      • Hello Torence,
        I have an elderly dog as well.
        I’m curious to know what you feed yours. I don’t know if that’s what it is, but you must be doing something right for them to live so long.

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        • Hi my fur babies name is tessie and she is 13.5 years old she has cushions disease. I gave her the one and only medication the vet has for this condition. It got to a point that I count get the capsule down her so she is now on all natural meds one for cushions disease one is cancer support and cbd oil and so far she is doing ok. Please pray she does well. On this medication. She is my heart. Than you for listening

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        • I’m not the person you asked for but I feed my doggy dry kibble along with a tsp pumpkin tsp carb 1sp veg from canned food and she’s almost 15!

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      • Hi there,
        Couldn’t help but see you are a JRT lover. Mine 16 yo JRT just passed away a week ago. I am still grieving the loss of my best friend. He died of lymphoma. He had all the signs of an old man; slight dementia (we think?), arthritis, slow, poor sight and hearing. Other than all that, he was fine. Then the next day he got really sick, within 12 hours, he was basically gone. I had him put to sleep, but he had basically already passed, juat barely breathing. I couldn’t stand the thought of him suffering. He wasn’t responsive to my voice or anything. It was such a shock to see how quickly he went. a few hours before his passing, he would bark on and off. Not a bark of pain, just a normal bark. As he would on and off bark, I would hold him and try my best to comfort him and he just had a blank stare in his eyes. no eye contact with me. I still want to know why he barked like that. about 2 hours prior to him passing. he was very calm and peaceful looking. not responsive, but appeared very peaceful which made me feel so much better. Anyhow, hoping someone on here could possibly shed light on this. Take care of your 18 year old. :-)

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        • Hello Ace,

          Our beloved Schnoodle had a similar experience with the barks. We recently returned from a week long vacation. He was staying at Grandma’s house which he always loved. He was 15 years old with diabetes, cushings, and arthritis. When we got home something was off. He was stumbling like a boxer after getting hit by a hard punch. He would go to the ground and yelp periodically several times in a row and breathe hard. This was all very hard for us and we contemplated taking him in to put him down. Rather than putting him down, we snuggled with him in bed. His eyes now had more of a distant gaze than the inquisitive look that he always stared at us with. He yelped on and off, breathed hard, and rested his head on our chest as he appeared to be approaching his last moments. We kept caressing him, telling him how much we loved him and his body became more relaxed and breathing became slower. Finally around 4:30am he made a couple final stretches and he laid motionless and passed away. We slept with him that night until his warm body started to cool off later the next day. I can’t help but think he waited for us to come home so we could comfort him in his final moments, just like he comforted us in our worst moments for all of our time with him. He was such an incredibly loving dog and I know those yelps in the final moments were part pain, but also part of his spirit saying to us how much he loved us and that we would be okay. It has been 3 days since he passed and each has been very hard. The beauty of it all is that he died peacefully in his favorite spot with us, and that his love that he gave will always carry on and be remembered in our hearts.

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    • My 13 1/2 old boy Chillin, passed away two months ago, I dropped for a regular check up and dental cleaning, the night that I picked him up, he started coughing and kind of throwing up, I took him to emergency, they did wrong diagnosed him and two days later I took back the Banfield, after hours battling they told me nothing to do for him just putting him down, I have being feeling guilty all this time like I turned him in for that. I just can’t deal with this feeling, two nights before we were in our porch as we did infinite times, but this time I noticed he was crying in silence, I recorded part of that and the I grabbed and cuddled him to comfort him, I never saw coming this end.

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      • Sadly I lost my pal Alfie on the 8th of October, Sad Dad! He hadn’t been well for a while and couldn’t walk apart from weeing and pooing and laying in it, bless him! But he had a good life and was fifteen and nearly one month old!

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  2. As a child growing up, our three dogs were our constant companions. Each had their own personality, Dutchess: intelligent, bilingual, our guardian, Fritz: not too bright, skittish, but affectionate, Spanky, the spoiled baby of the bunch, refusing any and all attempts at learning tricks.
    As they aged, they let us know in their own way when their time was near. Dutchess, who was so well behaved, never pulling on her leash, never even flinching at toddlers climbing on her, trying to ride her like a pony, suddenly bolted while on a walk and tried to jump off a 15 foot drop off. The only way I could describe it was that she was trying to commit suicide. Later that day, she became incontinent, started passing blood, and less than 12 hours later, had to be euthanized. She knew. And it broke my heart she knew.

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  3. My dog just got tired over months, accepted all the care he needed, but just got weaker and weaker until his body just timed out. The vet saw him regular over those 6 months, weekly at the end, and said he was in no pain, just getting weaker with organ breakdown. It was sad, but he acted the same just wanting to be in the same room and laying nearby. He accepted the need to be carried outside and back in. He just fell asleep one last time and died a few minutes later. It was nice in that we did not have to make a decision to have him euthanized.

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  4. I just had to put my perfect, precious boy down because he was so sick and my vet said it was time. I am hurting so much and don’t care if I ever get another dog. No dog could ever replace the amazing boy. Not handling the loss very well. He got so slow and had so many health issues in the end. I too believe he knew it was his time even tho I did not want to let him go.

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      • I came to this post about, if your dog knows theyre dying because my German Shepherd mix, whose 13 yr old and my best friend, is living his last days. He isnt suffering but stopped eating and drinking very little water. He’s always been my protector and so loyal. He’s been the best dog Ive ever had and so humanly smart and pretty much trained himself. He only had to hear instruction 1 or 2 times and he knew what to do. I knew his time was coming as hes really slowed down the last year. We spent this summer pampering him, taking him everywhere on trips camping even to a cabin in winter to go snowmobiling. Ive fed him smoked salmon and rib eye steak before he started to refuse food. Today as weak as he is, gets up to see where I am or to go out to potty and then lays down in the same spot. I think we would of lost him already but my daughter says he still wants to do his job of making sure Im safe. I do believe he knows whats up and he’ll fight it to the end.
        I love you with all my heart Petey. Until we met again Ill think of you everyday

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        • I’m so sorry for your loss. I lost my baby boy daschund of 13 years 4 months and 16 days. He was my everything. My best friend. He passed away on sept 17 from heart disease. But he gave me so much unconditional love till his last hours.❤❤❤ I miss him every second! Keep a look out for me copper. Will play together soon. I love you.

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    • Jackie, no other can ever replace your boy, ever. In honor of him, try to love another dog/pet. Your boy was a reflection of your love. Yes, it pains the soul to lose our babies but we owe it to them to keep the love and caretaking going. I have felt just like you, it’s hard, really hard. I have found that getting a new pet maybe two helps heal the soul and you help another dog/pet. Our pets bring much joy to our lives and each one teaches us, too. My condolences to you and I hope you reconsider.

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    • Am going through the exact same thing. Just put our own dog down 2 days ago. He just deteriorated over the last couple of months. Couldn’t get up , couldn’t do his business probably and had problems walking. Liver tumors were the culprit. He’s everywhere. In our house, the fields we walked over with him , it’s extremely difficult. We will never get another dog. There was only 1 Scooby

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      • My puppy is only month’s old,
        And I’m so sad she died so early,
        Before that there a sign that she is diging/ scratching on a plastic chair.

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      • I lost my baby girl of 10 years. I’m so hurt. She had major surgery last Thursday and a week later she’s gone. Waiting to see if it was cancer. I didn’t think my heart would be so broken

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    • Im so sorry. Our boy dewgy is almost 15 and has kidney failure. I can imagine that day. Last October they gave him 4-6 months but its now August and still kicking. We had bloodwork done nir long ago and his creatine level is up so they said probably he will be gone by fall. We have had him since 5 weeks old.

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    • Jackie
      I know exactly how you feel. Lost my best mate 4 years ago and still cry over her. Got a new one and she is equally beautiful. They love you just as much as you love them
      All the best
      Bob

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    • So Sorry to hear,I just had my boy put down.It is a terrible feeling.One of the worst things i have had to do in my life.So Heartbreaking Something i never wanna go through again.HUGS TO YOU

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  5. Because of this Pandemic, my Mom decided to buy 2 puppies and I grew fond of them as days pass by. I can say I am close to them and I even name them after the 5year old kids in Hospital Playlist, Mone, and Moje. I can really say that they know when they are dying, My baby Mone who is only 4 months old has sad eyes that scream death as he was suffering from a famous puppy virus that is caused by a rat. He lays down on my hand and looks at me sadly. We prepare him a comfortable darkroom for him to hid and sleep but he insists on transfer below our cabinet. We found him dead as we were about to let him drink his medicine water. I feel so sad and devastated for what has happened, my whole world collapsed and I can’t unsee all the corners of our house without remembering my puppy walking or playing. I miss him so much. I want to hug him tighter and never let him go. I love you baby Mone! I hope you are doing great up there! We love you so much Corgi doggo! Soar High my baby!

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    • 2019 We loss our girl dog that we had for thirteen years early this morning we loss our boy dog of twelve years. I’m still crying just can’t believe he is gone he stop eating start hiding last night my husband took him out to use it came back in he made this loud yelp sound took two deep breath and he was gone. WOW OUR HEARTS ARE CRUSHED

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  6. Yes they know, they get slower and they know, something is different to them, they also hide their pain for survival tactics. My dog showed signs of something being wrong yet wouldn’t show this when at the vet 3 times, which is why she was misdiagnosed, especially if you have a strong breed; pit bull, German Shepard etc… They also change their behavior, they will do things differently than they used to and then may change back hours or days before their passing. They have a bucket list and want to do and go to places they liked, this can be a sign in itself of slowing down, aging. You always figure this out later when they have passed, but I think as humans we always know when something is wrong with our dogs but to protect ourselves we become in denial, it’s hard to face the reality of losing such an unconditionally loving animal companion. When I had to put my best friend down weeks ago, I made sure when I saw her for the last time, that I wasn’t a mess, crying, this can put them in distress, hold it together until they pass, then cry your eyes out later. They will be fine, no pain, but we have to deal with the after math on planet earth. Tell them how great they were, how much fun you had and that they will be with their other friends who’ve passed on and one day will meet you in the light when the time it right. Hope this helps. Oh and get another dog, all the memories and years of fun is so worth it, save another rescue dog if you can, they need homes. Wait some time and mourn but not too long so you don’t get depressed. The first dog is the hardest when you lose them, but believe me it gets better and you know their time isn’t forever and you just enjoy whatever time you have with them, make them have triple the life. My heart goes out to all of you who’ve lost an animal companion during this most difficult Covid-19 fiasco. Be good to yourself! I cannot live without another dog can you? Best. ST

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  7. My dog Jackson passed in early May. He just turned 12 and kidney failure marked his passing.

    Waited a couple months to get our new puppy Betty.

    I still grieve the loss of my dog but, the puppy has filled the void of a new best friend.

    Had dogs all my life. The hardest part of having a dog is saying goodbye.

    I thought he had a couple more years, being healthy till the end but we both knew his time here was coming to an end.

    We were close to the end

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    • Our dog dewgy has kidney failure now also. Its been since before last October. We just had bloodwork done again and his creatine level is higher. Meds are maybe only helping abit. They said 4-6 months last October we are now aug but they say till the fall possibly

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  8. Maybe there was only one Scooby-Doo, but there are thousands in shelters, on the streets, or otherwise in need.
    You could help save one, and in so doing, start healing.

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  9. Hello Jackie reading your post brought back a lot of memories of when I lost my beloved Prince 12-13-15 of congestive heart failure. Had him for 12 yrs. He died in my arms after 6 months of doing whatever I could to keep him alive. I got him cremated and that helped for a while but something was still missing. I finally got another dog Princess and it was the best thing I ever could have done. So give yourself some time and find you another best friend.

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  10. To all of you. Your stories had me crying as we have lost 3 dogs over the last 3 years. My latest tragedy was Cavilli and she was at least 15 years old. She passed away on my Birthday 7-21-20. Yes it is true we need to move on. So I decided to play 721 until I get tired. I imagined Cavilli gave me this number as a gift. Smile

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  11. We lost our Sammy today at 315 holding him taking his last breath. His kidneys shut down after 4 years of fighting with diabetes. And he went blind years back but still loved his walks. I walked him for the last time today Sep. 5 2020. We got him when he was 8 weeks old. He was 14. I can not sleep tonight. We will miss him so much.we loved him so very much which I told him thru my tears as I was holding him as he passed. We also have another dog she is 9. Rest in peace Sammy. Mommy will miss our walks. I pray your playing in Heaven.

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  12. My beloved Simba passed away this morning. He was suffering from acute renal failure. Over past 5 days, we saw his body deteriorate rapidly. It was not only painful for him, but we were also equally pained to see him losing his energy and will to live.
    Last night, after returning from doctors clinic, he went to every room in the house, met every family member before going to his room. At midnight, he insisted to move outside into the balcony; as I sat with him, I asked him to go now. He behaved as if he was seeking permission to go. Finally at 4 AM he left us.
    I am 100% sure that he was holding on because I wasn’t letting him go. He took permission before and then went into his final sleep. He knew he was going and his eyes communicated that to me everyday.

    May he rest in peace. Love You Simba.

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  13. Just lost my rescue from S.Caro , my Gabby Boy . After 10 1/2 years of happiness and love it was time for him to depart . He was a shy , Unsocialable 4 yr old when we adopted him . People came to realize and commend him as being such a handsome boy and sweet soul . His time arrived on September 10, 2020 , and as of now l am sad and crying . His memories and shared love will go on ! Love you Bubba , your friend and campion , Daddy . ❤️

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  14. Our cat, Pasquel, lived to be 21 years old.
    Our dog, Rhett, a 75-pound mutt, is 15 years old now. He has never
    had any health problems over the years except for a couple ear infections.
    I always gave Pasquel several tablespoons and Rhett about half a cup of vanilla yogurt every morning.
    They always enjoyed/have enjoyed our morning “yogurt fest”. And I have always thought the yogurt with active cultures helped to maintain their good health and improved their longevity.
    I was born and reared in Appalachia. Sometimes we Appalachians tend to come up with
    our own tonics and cures! I guess that is what I am sharing with all you people who love your pets. This is just my own idea, and no vet ever recommended the yogurt; but I have a hunch it has been a good thing for my cat and for my dog!
    Blessings, Carolyn

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  15. My Sophie died this morning 12 yrs she had 4 abcessed tests and was having a routine teeth cleaning as well… her lung was filled with water .. we rushed her to emergency hospital but sadly at 6:30 this morning I held her in my arms for the last time.. not sure really how she died just know I’m heartbroken.. only 4 wks ago we lost our oldest 32 grandson… he died in his sleep… I pray God can get me and my seeet husband thru this.. he of course thinks a puppy will do the trick I cannot fathom

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  16. Thank you for the article, although I am left just as bewildered in trying to understand why our beautiful and brilliant 9-year-old German Shepherd passed away some time this morning. There were no signs of illness, distress or unusual behavior. We all went to bed as usual, my husband and I in our bed and she in her elevated bed next to us. When we woke up, she was gone. We are devastated.

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  17. I am so very impressed with Simba’s story…. this one really really hit me hard… what a beautiful boy…. his love and loyalty are unbelievable…. this year my little Lhasa Apso passed July 9th… he was a minimum of 14… we had found him all alone walking and looking at traffic 13 years ago.. I’m so glad I got to hold him in his last moments, He was struggling to breathe that day, I was only wishing I had taken off work so I could have spent the whole day with him . I stepped out for just a minute and when I walked back in, I noticed he had taken his last breath. I cannot believe he’s not here anymore. He was with me longer than any dog I have ever had. My sweet little friend for so long. He was extremely intelligent,funny,sassy, happy….couldn’t have asked for a better friend. So many heartbreaking losses through the years. The one who hurt me the worst was my black German Shepherd boy Blue… no words can describe him… miss him every second of every day since November 2015… my favorite of all time…Blue transcends time and space….my extraordinary friend… I can never let go….ever…

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  18. Duke was 14 when he passed, an Irish settler and lab mix. It was over 10 years ago but I remember it pretty vividly. His last couple of years were full of health problems. His last few months if I can recall he seemed lethargic most of the times but he was still up for a good rub and he’d surprise you with bursts of energy. The last day was the most vivid, he just did not want to be bothered and was a bit snappy. Anytime I tried to come close he just would limp away, he curled up in a corner in our yard and passed away not even hours after he looked in my eyes and walked away. It still stings a bit, I haven’t had a dog since. I’m very grateful to God for putting dogs on earth, they’re great animals and friends.

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  19. My dog died recently after being diagnosed with heart disease several weeks earlier. In her final days she began to refuse food at most times and only occasionally showed interest in some chicken or hot dog bites. She urinated unexpectedly and vomited a few times in her final days also. She would sometimes stop during a walk stand still, resisting my calls for her to continue. The most shocking thing she did though was look up at me, assume the howl posture and begin a very loud howl that started to fade as if it were getting farther away and when it went silent she collapsed and was dead. This was weeks ago and I’m still in shock and awe from it. Has anyone else had anything like this happen to them or seen anything like it?

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  20. This article has given me some sense of peace as 2 days ago we said goodbye to our beloved Irish terrier, Dooley, who was taken too soon at the age of 9 due to cancer.
    Unlike our last dog, we knew it was coming and had time to spoil, love him, and cherish every moment before his final day arrived. I felt so guilty that in the final hours before the vet arrived I had busied myself with work and my husband looked after Dooley. I went in a few times to see him and give him kisses and love. I covered him up in his favorite fleece blanket but I am beating myself up for not being with him all night, all morning. Not loving on him, rubbing his ears, singing to him, letting our bodies connect to comfort him in his final hours. I have tremendous guilt for not doing that but my husband consoles me saying he felt that Dooley didn’t want us around, that he seemed to be in pain or uncomfortable with us interacting with him. This article allows me to have a bit of peace as maybe he did not want me to watch him suffer. I did give him his last kisses and pets as the vet let him go peacefully. I miss our beloved little boy. Rest in Peace Dooley, until we meet again.

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  21. My dog knew she was dying, the night before she became very loving more than usual, she didn’t want me to go to bed she had cancer but to old fot treatment so i stayed with her all night and she never moved, but when my other dog came down the next morning she got up and went over to my other fog and touched her with her nose, i couldn’t believe it so i took a picture, then she turnef round and just flopped on thr floor.when we goy to the vets dhe told me that she was only houts away from dying, i made the decision to put her to sleep as i didn’t want her to suffer

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  22. Had to put my Bruno dwn this morning. Had a seizure at 2am and never came out of it. Bruno was 15, Kindey failure and cancer which is why he had the seizure. We rushed him to a 24hr vet and we made the choice. He was not himself on the day to where being carried to use the restroom. And staring into space more often. I feel so heartbroken but he was telling me it was time. I usually work nights but took off which I would of not been home so that is a sign that both I was hone and husband, thank god

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  23. We are both devastated we lost our cocker spaniel 5 days ago he was just over 2 years old I had him out for is morning walk run near where we live when we got home I got ready for work then sat with him for half a hour give him a couple of gravey bones biscuits and went out to work my wife gets home 4/half hours later normaly when she opens the door he’s there all over her this day nothing she new something was wrong she could hardly go in then she found him on the floor he had left us It’s broken both our hearts he was our life all we did was worked around him Totally lost

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  24. my wife and i were sleeping.our dog of 17 years of age had a stroke and could not stand now walk i put him at the end of the bed where he later drew towards my thigh by rolling over and over
    licking my thigh i woke up and notice the fast and heavy breathing at 0300
    a few minutes later at 0303 he took his last breath
    now this dog was always by my side and was truly my dog
    i believe in my heart that he knew his was going and wanted to be close and to say good bye.I believe dogs can sense the end and it breaks my heart
    he was a purebred pomeranian
    my wife wrapped him up and my son buried him
    i was and still am in shock
    My father would say be thankful for the time we shared together
    there was a trust and love between my dog GIZZY
    and i know he woke me up to say if he could speak thank you i love you bye
    brian in peterborough

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  25. My dearest darling HICCUP (PUG)is no more.He went to Jesus on 10th August 2021.I am still in deep pain n shock.In two days time he went.I rushed him to my vet on 10th morn.He did d needful n asked me to come back again at 7pm.As I entered he passed on right on d table.He bleed n had bloody motions.I just stood in shock could not even cry…just kept saying Hiccup…Hiccup…Hiccup…….trying waking him up….he just stared back open eyes,tongue rolled out to one side

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  26. Had to put my 12year old blind pomchi down last week . She also had Congestive heart failure and was on meds. I adopted her from animal control when she was around 3 and could still see somewhat. They told me someone had thrown her from a car window and she was infested with fleas. Not long after adopting her I started noticing she was having issues going down the 3 steps to my front door. When I took her to the vet for her shots I told doc that I think this dog doesn’t see well. He shined a light in her eyes and said She had the beginning of glucoma but not to feel bad because blind dogs do just fine. When she was about 7 she went completely bind and was coughing a lot. Had the vet check her out and discovered she had a heart murmur. Put her on meds and she perked right up. I retired 3 years ago so spent a lot of time with her. Had to carry her outside to potty etc. She was very trusting of me. I always felt so bad for her because how her life was in the beginning and than to go blind and have heart Disease. I don’t think she ever got to be a real dog. Only comfort is that it was all she knew . She was blind most of her life. I have 3 other little senior dogs. They were not very nice to her. Her only friend was me and Our big outside farm dog. He would run up to her and sniff her when I had her outside. Her little ears and tail would perk up for a few min. The last months of her life I noticed she slept a lot and was being very picky about what she ate, this made it really hard to get her meds in. She was also urinating a lot. I struggled for weeks about if I should put her down. I finally decided her quality of life was fading and I had only been keeping her alive because of the pain and guilt I was trying to avoid. So I took her wrapped in one of the dog blankets they all shared. I didn’t want to stress her out and I figured she could smell her siblings on that blanket I held her and stroked her head. . She went peacefully. I had her creamated and brought her ashes home in a little tiny urn. I cryed for several days and still have not put her little dog bed up. I dread the thought of my other little old men dying . 2 are 12 and 1 is 15 . I will adopt an older dog when they are all gone.

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  27. Nancy, my little Chihuahua just passed away one week ago in my arms, of congestive heart failure (she also had Cushings and had lost her sight to cataracts) . My heart is broken as well, so I understand how painful it is. I I got to spend the day with her holding her before she died. It’s so hard not to go over those last minutes again and again in my head. I loved her so much. What we can feel good about is that they knew we loved them. They felt it and I’m sure they lived a better life for it. It sounds like you’re a wonderful animal companio and have so much love to give them. Blessings to you and may the memories of your little dog be good ones that comfort you.

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  28. We just lost our Mabel Ann. She was an Olde English Bulldogge. She was only 6 yrs old. We found her outside behind our shed where it’s shaded. We don’t know why she died. She look like she just went and laid down and went to sleep. Very peaceful. We are at a complete loss. We, my husband and I keep thinking was there something we missed? We have been racking our brains trying to figure it out. We noticed that she had started whining out of no where. We just figured she wanted attention. She also started howling at times. We had no idea that theses meant something being she was only 6. We are having her cremated and we are getting her paw print with her name in ceramic. It’s only been a couple of days so we are still in mourning. It’s still so difficult for us, but we know we have to stay strong for our other 2 English Bulldogs.

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    • I cried as I sat here and read everyone’s story about the beloved pets they lost. I lost my beloved Sadie Sue November of 2017 at 10 years of age. I rescued her at the age of 4, So I only had her for a short 6 years. She was the love of my life! It took me a long time to get over her loss. She had stomach tumors and because of her age surgery would have been too hard on her. On her final day, We both knew it was her time. I laid with her for hours petting her and comforting her and telling her what a wonderful dog she was and how happy I was that she came into my life. I told her it was OK to let go that we would be together again someday. I laid with her in my arms until she took her final breath. My Sadie Sue was a Staffordshire bull terrier She was the most gentle and loving dog. When she looked at me I could see the love in her eyes. It took almost 5 years before I was ready to have another pet. I rescued a two-year-old American Staffordshire terrier from the humane society 4 months ago. She is just as sweet as my Sadie Sue. Her name is Trixie. She will never replace my Sadie Sue But I love her very much and I’m glad we found each other. She looks at me with the same love in her eyes and is very gentle with my granddaughter. I guess my point is no matter what name you may call them, most refer to them as pit bulls, they are the most loving and wonderful dogs who have had so much bad publicity, that most people have been convinced that they are vicious. I’ve had a lot of dogs throughout my life of different breeds, but this breed I will stick with. There are so many of them that need homes. It seems like 75% of the dogs needing to be rescued are the bully breed. They are the most misunderstood animals and have gotten a bad rap because of the terrible things that some heartless owners have demanded of them. They are such a loving dog that they would do anything to please their owner. They were once called the nanny dog and are not vicious by nature but trained to be by cruel heartless people who get pleasure watching animals suffer. So If you are looking for a loving companion please consider the bully breed, because in the hands of a responsible and caring packleader their true nature comes out they are the one of the most loving, eager to please dogs that I have found.

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