Hachiko – a grieving dog

Hachiko

If you’ve been asking yourself the question: “Do dogs mourn?”, then you ought to check out the movie about the dog Hachiko, who waited 10 years for the return of his deceased master (in the movie from 2009 played by Richard Gere).

Based on a true story

As you might know, the movie is actually based on a true story, and here’s what happened:

Professor Hidesaburo Ueno from the University of Tokyo took in the dog Hachiko, a golden brown Akita, as a pet in 1924. The professor would go to work every day, taking the train, and the dog would come and meet him at the end of each day at the station. But then one day in May 1925, the professor didn’t return – he had died. But every day for the next 10 years  Hachiko waited at the station for his deceased master to return. The grieving dog continued waiting until March 1935, where he was found dead on a street. Recently, scientist found out that the cause of death was terminal cancer and worm infection.

Hachiko became a sensation and a national symbol of loyalty, and people were impressed with his faithfulness to his master’s memory. His stuffed remains are now kept in a museum in Tokyo, and a statue has been made of him.

Check out this clip from the movie:

While Hachiko loyalty to his deceased master is remarkable, and I can certainly understand why he’s called a hero, I find his story very sad and heartbreaking. If the dog had been mine, I would of course feel honored by the devotion the dog was showing me, but I would never wish that life for my dog. I would want him to be happy again in a new home with loving people. And then, when the time for his death comes, we could still reunite in the afterlife. But the main thing for me would be for him to have a happy life.

Did Hachiko have to spend 10 years mourning?

Most likely, no. Whereas most humans and animals get through the grieving in their own time, some can’t get through the grief and get stuck in prolonged grief. Both humans and animals. And they need help. The good news is that in most cases humans and animals can be helped. So if you have a pet who is stuck in the grief after the loss of a companion, you can get help for your grieving pet, and there are several things you can do yourself.

Tips for helping a grieving pet

If you have just lost a pet, and the surviving pet is behaving out of the ordinary, such as not eating, being depressed, lethargic, restless, etc., then there are several things you can do yourself to help your grieving pet. Here are some suggestions:

• Keep the grieving pet’s routines as close to normal as possible
• You might have your pet checked by a vet to rule out medical issues
• Realize your pet is grieving just like you are, so allow him or her to grieve, but be there for your pet and give extra care and attention
• Often it’s best to avoid getting a new pet right away. Instead wait a while and allow yourselves to grieve your deceased pet
• Take care of yourself and get help if needed. Getting help for your own grief will make it easier for you to really be there for your grieving pet.
• There might be times when the grieving pet seems to be unable to move through the grief by himself. In that case your pet might benefit from animal healing, reiki, or shamanic journeying.

Have you had experiences with grieving pet? Feel free to share in the comments below.