Dealing with a dog’s demise: Only someone who has lost their dog unexpectedly knows what it feels like. To some, dogs are exactly like their children, so you can only imagine the profound grief that it would put one through.
It can take a great deal of time to overcome the loss, however, we may just have the solutions for you to cope with the emotions and get through the loss:
Losing your dog unexpectedly can be very difficult to cope with. It is only natural for you to be upset. The best way for you to deal with it is to accept your feelings. Running away from your emotions will only lead to you feeling them with even more intensity. Be gentle with yourself and have no shame in embracing them. We understand that it can be difficult but the faster you come to terms with it the better it will be for you.
The next step after embracing your emotions is to allow yourself to grieve in whatever way you want. No two people grieve the same way and there is no correct formula when it comes to it. Recognize that you need to do whatever it takes for yourself to feel better right now even if that’s eating a tub of ice cream for a week. Work through your grief at its own pace, be gentle and it will work in your favor.
Don’t underestimate the power of talking about your feelings. Sometimes, all it takes to feel better is to talk it out with a family member or friend. Cherish fond memories of your dog with your loved ones. Pour your heart out to them and see how much lighter it’ll make you feel. Just knowing that they are there for you and that you can talk to them is enough to help you get through it.
Sometimes, your friends and family may not be fully able to understand what you are going through with the loss of a pet. Even though they mean well, they might not be able to offer the support you need because they don’t know how. What would help in this case is if you join a support group and reach out to people who have been in your situation. It will normalize what you are going through and help with the healing process.
Who said funerals were only for humans? Having a funeral is integral in getting the closure you need. Not only will it help you say goodbye to them but it will also help you express the emotions that you need to express. A funeral ceremony is always a great way for loved ones to gather and grieve together. Maybe speak some words about your dog to put your heart at ease.
Honor the death of your pet by doing something that will help to memorialize it. Whether it is as simple as planting a tree in their memory or creating an album with their pictures, it’ll help you remember the good times and celebrate their life. It will also make it easier to move on.
Often when we are upset, we lose touch of reality and are all over the place. Unfortunately, this will not help your condition but only worsen it. You need to have some sort of order in your life to keep yourself from becoming depressed. Maintaining some sort of routine can help you establish control in your life and keeping your emotions balanced.
Of course, you will never be able to replace the pet that you had, but getting a new one can definitely help in coping. You don’t have to get one immediately after losing your pet, you can take your time to grieve and then get one when you are ready. For some that may be a week or some a month and so on. Getting a new one will not only help you keep busy with them but also give you a feeling of fulfillment that’ll help you cope.
If you feel like you are not getting any better, it may be time to get some professional advice. Again, there is no shame in doing so and it’ll help you manage your emotions. A way to know that it’s finally time to talk to someone is if you find yourself unable to function or feel like you are getting depressed and nothing is helping you. A trained professional can offer you guidance on how to deal with the situation and cope with the loss.
This may sound irrelevant at first but it’s an effective method when it comes to coping with grief or loss. Exercise releases endorphins in the body, these are happy chemicals that can help boost your mood. Any form of exercise will suffice; it doesn’t have to be intensive. A simple walk for twenty minutes a day can work wonders! In addition to that, it’ll help release the sadness and anxiety and keep your emotions balanced.
Getting consumed by grief is very normal yet not healthy. While you should take out time to process your emotions, a good idea would be to indulge in something on the side. It can be anything from a hobby to work or even just watching a movie. It’ll help take your mind off the sadness even if it’s for a little while, and that is what is needed to cope. This does not mean to distract yourself every moment; take time out to process your emotions but at the same time, a healthy distraction won’t harm anyone and may be exactly what you need!
Each of these tips is an important part of healing after a pet dies and can help you move forward.
by Bobby J Davidson || You can’t buy love, but you can rescue it™ .
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