BLACK LABRADOR

Coping With The Death Of Your Labrador Retriever

A Labrador Retriever can generally live for up to 13 years or a few years longer as long as good medical care exists. Most of us consider our pets as friends, as loyal companions who are always there to share our happiness and laughters or be with us in our darkest hour, listening and understanding us in their own little way. With the innocence and playfulness reflected in their eyes, some pets are considered as a child, a playmate or a sibling.

The death of a pet can affect us like or even more than the death of a relative or friend. Some may not share your grief of losing a dear friend and some may not even understand your grieving for losing just a pet. But you must realize that you do not need anyone's approval to mourn the loss of your pet, nor you do not have to explain yourself to anyone. You and your pet spent countless days and nights together in each other's company making your bond so strong. It is just normal to express grief when he's already gone.

The first thing that you should do is to talk about your feelings. Talk to people who will understand you. If your family or friends love pets, they will understand what you are going through. You can seek help from pet bereavement counseling services, pet-loss support hotlines, local or online bereavement groups, books, videos and magazine articles. Talk about your feelings! Don't try to avoid your grief by not thinking or trying not to think about your pet. Look at his photos, reminisce the good times, and talk to others about your loss. Express your feelings, write it in a journal or a poem or a blog.

If there are children in the home, be careful and be honest in telling them the real situation. Make sure that they can handle the information about death and the loss of the pet. Never say that the pet was "put to sleep" or "went away" because your child may wait for the pet's return. Make it clear to your child that the pet will not return but he is happy wherever he is now. Just like you, it is normal for the child to grieve over the lost pet.

A Labrador Retriever can truly provide years of companionship and love but his death doesn't mean the end of everything, that you will also live in grief and pain. Remember, your pet doesn't want to see you sad...