Losing a loved one is hard for everyone, including our dogs, especially if it’s a close friend of theirs. The internet was left in tears after a dog owner revealed that her pet has picked up a strange habit since his sister passed away.
In a post shared on TikTok in March under the username bowserthemastiff, the pup can be seen being spoonfed homemade meals of ground beef, black beans and brown rice, while sitting at the table just like a human.
The caption reads: “For the past 3 weeks since his sister, Sasha, passed, Bowser refuses to eat out of his bowl.” His owner says in a voiceover: “This dog thinks he’s human. I think he’s offended that we make him eat out of a bowl.”
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Dogs have feelings and can form incredibly strong bonds with each other and with their owners. But this also means that they can experience grief when they lose their loved ones.
The American Kennel Club states that based on their behavior, experts believe that dogs are capable of experiencing grief. When someone close to them dies, they may react with behavioral changes.
Sings that your dog is grieving include withdrawal from people and other pets; a lack of appetite; lethargic behavior and sleeping more than usual; unusually aggressive or destructive behaviors; inappropriate elimination within the home; unusual vocalizations; excessive clinginess; and searching for the companion dog within the home and other places frequented by the other dog.
The video quickly went viral on social media, bringing viewers from across TikTok. It has so far received over 252,200 views and 10,100 likes on the platform.
One user, Tweety53559, commented: “I had to buy all new bowls and beds when this happened with my dogs.” Teri Berry said: “I think the picky eater is a mastiff thing. My dog is picky with bowls and will only eat when we eat. She’s a mastiff as well.”
Myshell wrote: “May I ask did they eat together? Did they eat out of separate bowls. Have u tried putting his bowl still out with a bit of food? It could be separation anxiety.” Amy Lochala Cantley said: “Bless his heart. He is grieving.”
Lisa Peri Schnell added: “I have Saint Bernard like that we tried every single kind of ball different colors different shapes plates. We try feeding them on the floor and nothing will work. He refuse to eat, unless I hand feed.”
Newsweek reached out to bowserthemastiff for comment via email. We could not verify the details of the case.
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
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Newsweek is committed to challenging conventional wisdom and finding connections in the search for common ground.