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Helping Your Child Cope With The Loss of His Dog
It is very hard as a parent to have your child experience and cope with a loss. Often, a child's first experience with death happens to be the passing of a pet. If your family dog has gotten old or sick and you know you must have your pet down, it is best to be as gently honest with your child as possible. Their understanding of death is at this point very minimal so making sure they fully understand is the best thing for them. Help your child not to be afraid of this loss, but to instead, heal from the pain and trauma of it.
One thing you should never do is tell your child that you took your family dog and had it put to sleep. While this might seem like an easy and gentle way to explain death to a child, you could inevitably be causing more traumatic fear. A young child understands sleep to be something that they do every night at bedtime. They may then become instilled with the fear that if they fall asleep, they will never again wake up. Explain that the dog has died and has moved on from this life but avoid gritty detail. Being honest will help your child cope better.
Another mistake that parents often make is by telling their child that the dog died because of old age. Depending upon the age of the child, the concept of time is not fully understood. Children do not understand the difference between dog years and human years. They do not understand that a thirteen year old dog is actually quite old. If you are going to tell your child that the dog was old, it is important that you explain the difference in these years so that they do not go through the worry of losing others who are actually quite young. They will be convinced that thirteen years old is old period.
Remember that each child will react differently but all of them will feel the pain of the loss. They might not fully understand that loss until they notice the absence of their pet. Comfort your child as best as they can. Have them draw pictures in order to convey how they feel or release a balloon in remembrance. Let your child express their emotions and help them sort through those feelings. Letting them express the sadness of their loss by crying is quite normal and all you can do is hold your child in order to quiet the storm within. In time, your child will come to an understanding and be able to cope with the loss. Never try and replace a pet with a new pet. This may anger your child. Wait for your child to come to terms with the loss of their dog before even considering a new one.
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