Surely, as a caretaker of one or several dogs, you have asked yourself this question at some time: Do dogs miss their owners?When we leave home and leave them alone, we take them to a kennel, but also, if we adopt them after having been abandoned or the death of their main caregiver, we are faced with situations in which we would feel sadness, nostalgia or concern. Knowing how empathetic dogs are, does the same thing happen to them? We found out in this article on our site.
Do dogs miss their owners when they are left alone?
There are not a few dogs that, just left home alone, experience what is known as separation anxiety. It is a picture that is characterized by howling, crying, destructiveness, inadequate evacuation, etc. But more than being due to what from the human perspective we would understand as missing, it is a problem of separation management which, as such, can be solved by contacting hands of a canine behavior professional or ethologist.
Outside this disorder, dogs do not count time the same as we do, although they do internalize their routines, which are the ours. In other words, the dog senses when it is time to eat or go for a walk, but if we are late, he will not suffer, since he will adapt to the situation. Dogs live in the moment They have the ability to learn to live with what they have every day.
This is not incompatible with being greeted with great euphoria every time we return home. We are not only its maximum reference, but we also represent the best of its life, that is, affection, walks, food and, of course, the fundamental company for an animal as sociable and social as the dog.
How does your dog feel when you leave him in a kennel?
On the other hand, sometimes, especially when we are going to be away for several days, we don't leave the dog alone at home, but we take it to a specialized center where it is in the care of professionals. canine field. They are called residences or daycare centers for dogs. They have the advantage that the dog is cared for at all times and, in addition, has the opportunity to interact with other dogs, if it is sociable.
Some caregivers are reluctant to leave their dog in a residence because they fear that he will experience it as abandoned. The truth is that, just like when it stays alone at home, the animal does not keep track of time like ours and, although at first it may feel displaced by the change, if it is well cared for, it will take advantage of the moment. In other words, he's not going to spend his days thinking about home or his caregiver.
Furthermore, by choosing a good residence and even taking the dog beforehand to give him the opportunity to get to know the place and the people before staying for a few days, we will help your adaptation period be faster and more successful.
Do dogs miss their deceased owners?
The bond that is established between dog and handler is very deep. If the death of our dog is a hard blow for us, it is not uncommon for dogs to also go through their own mourning Also, you have to know that they are experts in reading our body language This means that, although they have not witnessed the death or do not understand it as such, they do perceive that the family suffers and that pain reaches them.
You can't just be saddened by the death of a caregiver. The lack of a congener or any other animal that had accompanied him throughout his life is reason for the dog to notice his absence. A dog in this situation may lose its appetite, spend more time lying down or sleeping, ask for affection and attention, or display abnormal behaviors. He can also lie down in the favorite place of the missing loved one or near his objects. In this article titled Why is my dog sad? you can read other common signs of sadness.
But, as we pointed out in the previous section, dogs are very good at adapting to circumstances. Therefore, if they find themselves in an environment with other people who care for them and care about their well-being in these difficult times, they usually manage to regain a taste for life.
Does a dog forget its owner?
As we pointed out, the close bond established between a dog and the person who cares for it could be said to be unbreakable. The dog incorporates it into his long-term memoryin which his caretaker is associated with positive feelings. The evocation of the person who is no longer there, for example by showing him a garment with his scent or a recording with his voice, activates all these sensations that the dog has kept in his memory, even long after the death. death of him.
Thus, a dog will never forget his deceased handler, but he can get used to enjoying life without him if you are lucky to have a family that takes care of your needs and cares about your well-being.
How long does it take for a dog to adjust to a new owner?
When a dog is abandoned or simply removed from the environment that he recognizes as his home, regardless of whether he has been treated better or worse, his whole world falls apart. Dogs need predictability, so if you're wondering what a dog feels when he changes hands, it's easy for him to show signs of sadness in a situation in which he has lost all control and any role model. Some dogs can even reach a state of depression.
In any case, the dog will feel disoriented and regaining control of the situation will take more or less time, depending both on his circumstances and those of the new environment to which he arrives. That is why in cases where we know that there is no choice but to leave the dog in another home, the change must be made little by little to minimize the disorientation of the animal. In conclusion, it is not possible to speak of an exact and equal number of adaptation days for everyone. Adaptation depends on multiple factors
Do not forget that a dog that has had the misfortune to fall into a hostile environment where it has not been given the opportunity to develop a secure bond, has not been able to socialize, has not received stimulation and On top of that, it has been physically or psychologically abused, not only will it show sadness or dislocation, but we may find ourselves with a dog with serious psychological damage that may even need professional help. Sure, his new family is better than the old one, but he needs time to trust people again. Some may take more than a year.
That's why there is not the same adaptation period for everyone, as it will vary depending on both your starting point and the Characteristics of new caregivers. In any case, you have to know that even animals adopted at an advanced age or with problems living together can adapt. Thus, adopting a dog allows you to continue being happy or, in the case of dogs that have been mistreated, finally achieve the life that every living being deserves.
