Why do we cry? Simplistic and logical explanations veer toward the obvious. A member of your family or friend circle are taken from you, you feel a sense of loss.
Grief is the physical manifestation of loss. Tears are a physical representation of the act of grieving. But we grieve for dogs in an all consumingly. The sense of loss is incomparable and legions of dog owners past, present and future will tell you the only negative aspect of having a dog in your life – is loosing them.
How did dogs achieve this status?
By loving us is the simple answer. Social media is where we live our lives – out loud or quietly. Whether you are a silent observer or a ‘sharer’ dog videos and representations are the most engaging. Dogs are so magical that we form relationships with dogs on a screen, continents away and grieve their loss as if they were our own.
Dogs meet this human need to be unconditionally accepted. Don’t believe us? Watch a couple of videos and interactions of children and adults receiving puppies or adult dogs as new members of their family. There is a cathartic relief – a home coming to a soul they know they will be their non judgemental refuge and safety.
Why we loose a part of ourselves
We loose a part of ourselves when we loose a dog, because we know the safety and love that animal provided we do not find in human connections. Human beings are essentially selfish creatures. Maybe it is a survival mechanism which resides deep in our reptilian brains. Dogs have find our weak spot – if you will- and they do not exploit it. They heal it.
Do we loose a part of ourselves when our dogs die?
When we loose them- we are incomplete. And that is why we loose a part of our soul when our dogs die. We loose that part of ourselves which relies on support verbal and non verbal (any dog family will attest to the intense and productive conversations we have with our dogs)
We loose a sounding board, friend, playmate and guardian by our side. Parents, friends, spouses, family are a part of our physical existence. They demand a pre set notion of manners, actions and behaviour, most of which are transactional.
Dogs are our soulmates. And to recognise them as dogs- no more no less is where we find our solace.
To athropormorph them is to do this unique canine human bond a disservice.