Dogs have remarkable emotional intelligence, which helps them to see and react to loss in very affecting ways. Their capacity for mourning for departed friends is as real and intense as human loss.
One moving illustration of this came from a dog reacting poignantly to a picture of her dead closest mate. Two beloved dogs belonged to Alli Trent: Lacy, her devoted friend since 2007, and Lola, a beagle she welcomed in 2017.
One bright afternoon, Buster the cheeky terrier brought joy and unanticipated surprises to his family’s garden in the tranquil suburbs of a small town. Buster was renowned for delight in the most basic of things—from chasing butterflies to studying enigmatic shadows—thanks in part for his wiry coat and limitless curiosity.
That day the sun cast golden light on the garden, Buster’s eye caught the coiled garden hose laying peacefully among the flower beds. Eyes wide with expectancy, his sharp nose twitched with inquiry and his tail wagged excitedly as he neared the foreign thing.
Unbeknownst to Buster, his humans had left the hose neatly coiled and attached to the exterior faucet busy tending to the garden earlier that morning. Their expectations were not for Buster’s natural sense of adventure or his inclination to find entertainment in commonplace stuff.
Buster raced for the yard hose with a joyous bark and a rapid pounce, hissinging the hose to life. Startled but curious, Buster cautiously retreated, staring at the hose with a mixture of wonder and doubt. Water drizzled from the nozzle, and his ears sharpened to form a tiny pool underfoot.
Fascinated by the soft spray, Buster gingerly sniffed at the cool drops dancing in the sunlight. Suddenly bursting with energy, he pawed at the stream of water to send it whirling in a joyful arc into the air. Barking delightfully at the newly discovered pastime, his tail whipped fiercely as he pursued the elusive droplets.
His humans, who had been amusedly observing from the kitchen window, knew about his shenanigans. Choosing to savour the humorous show playing out before them, they knew better than to disturb Buster’s period of discovery.
Inspired by his achievement, Buster resolved to elevate his game going forward. Glinting mischievers, he jumped on the hose with the force of a seasoned hunter trying to get the elusive stream of water in his mouth. To the delight of his audience, though, his efforts produced more splashes and sputters than effective catches.
Buster grudgingly gave up his game as the afternoon sun started to descend, panting contentedly and covered with water droplets glistening like diamonds in the last light. His people came out of the house praising his lighthearted antics and giving him loving pats.
Buster yawned contentedly and trotted over to his humans with a tail wagging. Apart from providing great entertainment, his journey with the garden hose had reminded everyone of the delight hidden in the most ordinary events.
Buster snuggled up on his preferred patch of grass as the darkness descended over the backyard, his eyelids heavy with the good tiredness of a day well-spaced. Grateful for the laughter and affection Buster brought into their life with every humorous canine moment, his family kept close eye on him.
Lacy and Lola first bonded slowly. Sometimes the older dog, Lacy, hissed at the new puppy. But Lola loved Lacy from the beginning and finally persuaded her over as she considered Lacy as a big sister. Lacy’s health dropped, hence Lola became the carer. Lacy sadly became worse on Christmas Eve and died at 14. The family suffered much, and Lola especially grieved the death of her close friend.
Alli set a picture of Lacy on a shelf in their house to honour her. Amazingly, Lola exhibited interest in the picture right away, as though she knew an old friend. Alli said on Instagram, “Lola found it so fascinating. Her knowledge of it being Lacy astounded me. I change our decorations quite a bit, but Lola never gives them any thought. Still, Lola kept going back to the picture, tail-wagging and trying to reach it.
This poignant behaviour brought Lola’s depth of loss to life. Lola raced to the couch, leaped atop the armrest, and nuzzled the picture of Lacy, wagging her tail when Alli asked if she missed Lacy.
Such times highlight the close emotional ties dogs create with their friends. Dogs have shown their ability for loyalty and empathy even in the face of loss by visiting their owner’s graves or identifying loved ones in artworks. These tales remind us of the great depth of canine affection and the strong bonds dogs create with people they treasure.