Dogs grieve the loss of companion animals and human family members, showing behavioral changes that require sensitive management to support welfare during bereavement periods.
Dog grief welfare recognizes that dogs form genuine emotional attachments to both humans and other animals whose loss causes a real behavioral and emotional response that is not anthropomorphism. Behavioral changes including reduced appetite, decreased activity, increased vocalization and seeking behavior for the absent individual reflect genuine distress that requires sensitive management. The welfare response to companion loss includes maintaining routine, providing additional social contact, allowing the dog to work through behavioral changes at their own pace, and considering professional support if bereavement responses are prolonged or severe. The bidirectional nature of grief — where owner emotional state affects the grieving dog — requires attending to human wellbeing as part of dog welfare management.