I recently lost my Australian Shepherd, "Sizzle" to cancer.  She died at 9 years, it was a devastating loss of my only dog.  I decided to discuss the grief process of pet loss today. 

How To Deal With Pet Loss And Grief Is A Part San Antonio Dog Training

The 5 Stages Of Grief

Stage 1. DENIAL/ SHOCK:  

How could this be true?!   My dog has three to five days to live?!  She was fine yesterday!  I got a referral to the specialty clinic…as I couldn’t accept this diagnosis.  After many tests..the oncologist said that my dog was going to die.

I was in shock!! I’m going to lose my perfect dog….I just couldn’t  believe it.

Stage 2. GUILT:

If only…this is guilt talking.  Maybe if I had fed Sizzle a raw diet….maybe if I had noticed something health wise and taken her to the doctor early…chemo may have been an option.  Maybe she would have lived. If I would have stayed in contact with my breeder…maybe she would have told me that cancer was appearing in other dogs in my litter.

Stage 3. ANGER/ BLAME:

I was angry!!  How could this happen to me?!  I’m a good person, I pay taxes, I volunteer in my community, I work hard, I’m good to others.  I do not deserve to lose my dog!  She is a therapy dog, she helps people…why does she need to die?

I even pulled over to the side of the road and screamed…"It’s not Fair!"

Stage 4. DEPRESSION:

In this stage there is sadness, a feeling of being helpless and hopeless.  This stage happened for me as the days went by…it was the thinking..is today going to be the day she dies?  Ultimately  Sizzle lived for three and a half weeks after being diagnosed.

Stage 5. ACCEPTANCE:

This is the final stage.  It is accepting the loss and coming to terms with the great life you had with this wonderful dog.

Every person deals with the loss of their pet in a different way. Not everyone goes through all these stages.  Just about the time you think you are in the acceptance stage, you may flow back into one of the other stages…this is all normal.

One of the greatest healers of grief is time.  But you must allow yourself to grieve. It’s okay to feel how you feel…cry, scream, yell, get angry, be depressed and be sad.

A SUPPORT SYSTEM:  As a San Antonio dog trainer I have a wonderful support system.  I have friends and clients that have been there and understand.  If you don’t have a support system, find one.  You can talk to your veterinarian, an understanding friend,  a pet loss support group, or get one-on-one therapy.  You can even call me…I get it!

Rituals can help during the grief process.  Memorial Services, Burials, or placing the ashes in a certain place, donations in your pet’s name.  My ritual is that I write a tribute about my dog and include the information on that dog’s death.  I will be uploading my tribute on this website if you would like to read it, so please stay tuned.   It is personal, but I feel that this is a subject that needs to be shared with others not only to aid you with your loss, but as part of my grieving process and coming to terms with the loss of my angel Sizzle.

In Loving Memory

"Sizzle"