My Dear Old Girl has to go

Lovely poems, Flying Handbag

Glad to read it was peaceful at the end.

Iam64 and Kalu, my young girl is definitely subdued and wouldn’t eat her last meal.
She’s also confused and ‘on edge’, barking at the slightest noise.
She normally comes on my knee in the evening but she won’t do tonight, she’s lying in her big sisters bed.
Poor little girl.....

Ahh Buffybee, so sorry to read about your young dog. It's reassuring though, to know we aren't alone. Our youngster has also been barking at any noise, as though she's gone into guard the house mode. She has also chosen to sleep in her companions bed, ignoring her own. The other thing she is doing, is to carry one of her soft toys in her mouth much of the time, then snuggle up to it when she sleeps.
We took her one of our usual long weekend walks this morning. It's the first time she's been running, swimming etc since her sister left us. Till today, she's seemed tired and on the fields, just wandered close to me.
Dogs and grief x

Their behaviour is very similar, so I’m sure it’s grief.
I thought she might cry last night, sleeping in a room on her own but she was fine.
She’s definitely not her usual bouncy little self.
I’m keeping the old dog beds for a while, if it’s giving her comfort.
Things will settle for us all soon, I’m sure x

Same here Buffybee, our young dog went to bed in the dog room, otherwise known as the big utility with its child safety gate (to protect the dogs and toddlers from each other). She slept all night, didn't howl bark or cry.
She enjoyed her long walk this morning. I took her to our dog training group this afternoon. It's only the second week since it opened after lock down. We are five handlers and dogs, rather than the ten we were, and outside rather than in the hall. this allows for social distancing and less risk as we're out doors. The long walk and familiarity of some training exercises she can do seem to have perked the youngster up. It's good because of course, she's exhausted an sleeping next to me, here on the sofa.
The other positive was the amount of kindness and support offered to me. The trainers have known my other dogs for years and our 12 year old was a popular girl x

Hope you and your girl have had a bit of a better day Buffybee. The scent of her big sister’s bed will be a comfort for her. It takes time but hopefully not too long until she wants back on your knee again.

Buffybee I'm sorry for your loss. Over the years we've had a similar reaction from the dog and cat that's been left behind.

She'll be grieving just as you are and just like you, given time, she'll be OK.

The young girl was definitely looking for her last night, she was scurrying from room to room and door to door, whining and coming back to look up at me.
I took her for a little walk to take her mind of it and she came onto my knee when we got back. She keeps looking right into my eyes all the time, which I know they do but she came close to my face and really stared for quite a while into my eyes. I think she was trying to understand, I kept stroking her and telling her, "it's just me and you now buddy".
She's bound to miss her, when she came here at eight weeks old she snuggled down in the same bed as her big sister any chance she got.
She's quiet this morning and seems tired, like you said Iam.
Funnily enough, the feral cat I rescued as a tiny kitten, who loved the old dog and slept with her quite often but was very stand-offish with the young one, was walking with her in the garden this morning, instead of hissing at her.
The house seems very quiet and empty in a way, which is ridiculous really as the old girl slept most of the day but I miss her constant gentle snore and her tottering into the kitchen as soon as the fridge door opened.............