Leaving our pets behind, whether it be for four hours, four days, or a month, is incredibly difficult—the way they look sadly out of the window as you drive away, the idea that they’re sitting there, missing you.
In a video filmed by her brother, TikTok user Soph (@sghindle) shows the heartbreaking reaction of her black boxer Labrador cross when she left home for a three-month placement.
The pooch can be seen standing outside Soph’s bedroom door, with her back to the camera, tail wagging. As she attempts to open the door with her paw and realizes no one is there to let her in, her tail stops wagging and she steps back.
In the comments, Soph states that while she was away for her three-month placement, “[the dog] stayed at home with my dad and brother because she struggles with new places and I’m back now.”
Do Dogs Grieve Their Owners?
Three months is long enough for a dog to think its owner would not return, but if and how a dog grieves the loss of a person is difficult to quantify.
“While dogs might not understand the full extent of human absence, dogs do understand the feeling of missing a human or dog who’s no longer a part of their daily lives,” reports the American Kennel Club. “Because we can’t explain to our dogs exactly what loss means, certain indicators — such as a change in routine, or the absence of their owner’s sensations (sight, sound, or smell) — will indicate to them that something is different.”
VCA Animal Hospitals agree that dogs certainly mourn the loss of their owners, and indeed other dogs.
“When a dog loses a companion, two- or four-legged, he grieves and reacts to the changes in his life,” the hospital website states, adding, “Dogs alter their behavior when they mourn, much like people do:
- They may become depressed and listless.
- They may have a decreased appetite and decline to play.
- They may sleep more than usual and move more slowly, sulking around
Some observers would argue that what some see as ‘grief’ others see as simply behavioral changes due to an altered routine.”
Eva Blanco/Getty Images
“In other words, the dog is ‘upset’ because his schedule is off,” according to VCA Animal Hospitals. “With the loss of a companion dog, perhaps the surviving dog misses canine interaction and playtime. With the loss of a human companion, perhaps feeding and walking schedules are changed as the new caregiver takes charge. Since they may not actually understand death as something permanent, sometimes a dog will wait patiently, believing that the deceased caregiver will return. Others believe that the dog may just be reacting to the grief exhibited by humans in the house as they deal with the death of a household member.”
Users on TikTok were heartbroken by the video.
“I can’t be crying at 5:30 am to this I have things to do today,” commented one user. “Oh my god I cannot COPE with this,” wrote another.
Newsweek has reached out to @sghindle via TikTok for comment.
Do you have funny and adorable videos or pictures of your pet you want to share? Send them to [email protected] with some details about your best friend and they could appear in our Pet of the Week lineup.
Uncommon Knowledge
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.
Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.