What to say when a dog dies?

What to say when a dog dies?

Are you aware that losing a lovely pet can be one of the most traumatizing moments in someone’s life? Yes, some human beings are deeply connected to their much-loved pets, and when they lose them, maybe from illness or accident, it will require you comfort and encourage then on how to cope up with that sad moment.

Remember comforting an individual after a loss of a pet can help them remain happy even when facing such a hard time which would otherwise make them plunge into great sadness and resentments. Besides, using polite words can help a grieving friend recover from emotional distress associated with a loss of their beloved pet. It is imperative to learn the various polite words for comforting a friend’s facing difficult moments after the death of their dog. It is also crucial to be close and talk to a friend who’s struggling with grief. Below are some simple guidelines on how to help you learn how to be more helpful and sensitive when your friend’s beloved dog dies.

Do the following to comfort your friends, especially after the loss of a pet.

• Be close to your friends since this offers them an opportunity to talk about their concerns and emotions as many as they feel to as it helps them deal with their stress hormone, thus enabling them to feel happier.
• Let them ponder and share some of the most exciting memories they remember and how they could enjoy spending time together with their dog. You can as well tell your stories about anything you remember about the dog.
• Remember, mentioning the pet by its name (even after the demise of pet) can make them believe that you are also deeply concerned and care about them.
• Feel free to hug them, squeeze their hands or a gentle touch on their shoulders as long as it will be comfortable between you and them doing so.
• Always listen and pay more attention to what they are saying than you are talking. Ensure you are listening without judging by allowing moments of silence, particularly during an emotional topic.
• Be emotionally intelligent to realize that anger and depression are part of everyday emotions and can also be a way of expressing grief from the loss of a pet. Show them acceptance and patience rather than considering the negative attitudes about the grieving friend. Remember a grieving person can portray some weird behaviours as a way of expressing their grief, so do not take them personally.
• Let them have enough room to react badly and let them feel that nothing is wrong with them responding in that manner. Don’t expect them to be “perfect “and instead let them know that there is nothing terrible with wrong or right behaviours during grieving. Everyone has their weakness and strengths.
• Try to reflect the mental state they are expressing so that you can help them ponder on them since this can help them accept the reality about the demise of their pet.
• Understand that they may have several emotional issues and that they always feel the loss. Still, grieving should take forever, encourage them to accept it and learn to live an everyday life despite those memories.
• If you are similarly feeling emotionally overwhelmed, better say “Let me say nothing at the moment “, “I am assuring your am with you till the end”, “I wish you can understand how this is a big concern to me”, among others polite responses since this can help you to feel better.
• Always ensure you put into action whatever you say. Please don’t give them false promises. For instance, if you tell them you will be very punctual the following day, please don’t late, be there with them for several days, weeks or even months and years. Politely let them express they are faring on after the demise.
• Join them in what they are doing, establish those physical connections. For instance, you can join them when crying, dancing or singing as long as it feels comfortable with you.
• Join them in celebrating the well-lived of their gone pet. Besides, help them prepare the various grieving rituals such as lighting a candle every month and during the anniversary to celebrate a life well-lived. Similarly, suggest ideals such as clay paw printing, fur clipping, photo displays and also writing memorable love poems and notes to the deceased pet, planting beautiful flowers to mark the beautiful life after their death, constructing a garden stone mosaic with a flower garden, keeping the dogs’ journal from the early life until its demise, developing a photo album and also keeping the dog on its keychain to mimic its real life.
• Sending a condolence note, including your likes about the pet and how you will too be missing the deceased pet is also a great way to show your empathy.
• Call them and let them know that you have been thinking about them “I had a dream with you, how you are faring on?” This helps you get a chance to ask them are they are doing so far, an opportunity to suggest your help and also repeating your offers of assisting them to next time.
• Please send your donation in honour of the deceased by including its name to the organization that caters for the benefits of animals.
• Although it shows kindness to share your support and companion, creating a pet loss support ground where locals can attend, for instance, the National Hotline pet loss support numbers is available for 24/7 for local assistance. The advantage of additional support services is that they enjoy other privileges that aren’t accessible to everyone.
• Note that it is your ethical and moral responsibility to ensure that the grieving person is in safe hands if they start showing suicidal threats. For instance, let them stay close to a mental health professional for mentorship and guidance on how to deal with such a sad moment professionally.

Now that you have all that to say to comfort a grieving friend after a loss of their pet, there are, however, several utterances or things you aren’t supported to say or do. Some actions words may cause more damage than healing. Some of the things not to do and terminologies you should avoid saying include:

• Do NOT give neutral statements such as “I understand your pain, and I know how you are feeling right now because we all experience pain, loss or grief at various moments.
• Do NOT say “You will be well over time” or “Everything happens for a reason and time heals all the broken hearts”.
• Abstain from telling them phrases that do not show concern, H/she is now resting at a better place than you think” or “Just forget about him by thinking only the happy moments you spend together with him/her”
• Refrain from comparing your experience after a loss of your pet in the past by saying “When my dog diet, I didn’t moan him for more than a week” Remember comparing loss or grief to another one won’t take away the loss by forcing the griever to imitate your experience.
• Desist from imposing tome time flame such as it has been three months now you shouldn’t be moaning him/her by now. Remember, grief has no timeline does not dictate the timeline for them feeling better.
• Don’t say, “If it was me, I would have already done it ” or “Why are you doing that” since it gives them a chance to reacting by doing nothing at all to avoid doing things “badly.”
• It is not necessary to question someone’s faith. For instance, Do Not tell them that hard times strengths our faith.
• Desist from trying to fix everything at once. For instance, don’t try to make the grieving person feel better suddenly or scolding, lecturing or pep-talking them since this can further plunge their feelings. Allow them to grieve at that particular time without encouraging any significant changes in their lifestyle. For instance, please do not encourage them to relieve their stress or depression by taking tranquillizing drugs or alcohol since this might lead to future addiction besides not dealing with the actual problem which results to unresolved grief. Do not suggest to them that they will get another dog better than the deceased one or getting a new dog for them immediately. Remember detachment from a beloved pet is an emotional thing that you can’t compare or replace with another pet. Yes, every relationship is unique and that it is impossible to restore the lost relationship by bringing another pet and these means do not suggest getting a similar pet even if of the same breed as a way of preventing your friend to grieve.
• Desist from using phrases that don’t recognize the magnitude of the loss resulting from the loss of a pet. For instance, do not tell them “Everything that occurs has a reason behind it”, “You will be okay with time or time heals everything”, “Life must move on as usual”, only the good ones dies while young”. Remember logic at the time of grieving doesn’t seem sufficient to quench individual emotions. Acknowledging sadness and the extreme sense of loss is very critical in helping an individual recover faster.