And Then the Dog Died

Abstract

Childhood grief and mourning of family and friends may have immediate and long-lasting consequences including depression, anxiety, social withdrawal, behavioral disturbances, and school underachievement. Childhood pet bereavement is no less important, because the pet is often considered a member of the family by the child. However, society does not always acknowledge the significance of pet bereavement, which can result in unresolved grief. This article, a case analysis with literature review, addresses childhood pet bereavement in the context of multiple prior losses (K. R. Kaufman & N. D. Kaufman, 2005). This case mirrors both old and new findings in grief research and therapy: (a) beneficial response to emotional expression of grief in context of search for meaning; (b) beneficial response to cognitive approach toward grief with ability to prevent development of complicated grief even in the face of multiple losses; (c) beneficial effects associated with supportive family and with positive self-concept; (d) intensity of grief magnified by the child's degree of attachment to the pet, the suddenness of the pet's death, the multiple prior losses, and the role of the pet in the child's life; and (e) resiliency. This case further emphasizes the need for parents not to trivialize death of pets, to appreciate the role pets have in children's lives, and to assist the child in multiple approaches toward expression (be it verbal, written, or artistic). Finally, this case reinforces the ability of the child to assist in family bereavement and to serve as teacher.

Mapping grief. A conceptual framework for understanding the spatial dimensions of bereavement, mourning and remembrance

“…Whilst emotional responses to bereavement can be visceral, they are relational to wider external factors such as prior relationship with the deceased, whether the death was expected or not, and the bereaved person's social and cultural context (see Kaufman & Kaufman, 2006); they also relate to an individual's internal world view and baseline psychological state prior to bereavement and how they approach 'sense-making' of a death, which is central to the grieving process (Davies, 2002;Walter, 1996aWalter, , 1996b.…”

“…Here the focus is on human bereavement through death and consequent grief and mourning, but with an awareness of other forms of loss, such as the loss of home, nation, job or partner, and numerous embodied health-related losses such as mobility, fertility and sight. Grief and mourning may also occur as a result of cross-species bereavement between humans and pets, which can have profound effects on both parties (Kaufman & Kaufman, 2006).…”

Grief and loss and children: a guide for caregivers and educators

“…A child can only understand as much as he or she has the capacity to at a certain developmental level. Limited personal experience can make the first loss in a child's life profound (Kaufman & Kaufman, 2006). For a child, moving for the first time may invoke a grief reaction similar to what may be experienced with the first death in a family.…”

“…Helping them to understand and normalize their experiences is key to future mental health. Resolution of childhood grief, of any kind, is critical to adult psychological wellness (Field, 2006;Kaufman & Kaufman, 2006). Worden (2003) has suggested that there are tasks of mourning that one must complete.…”

“…For many children, this is their first experience with death of any kind as the life span of a pet is significantly shorter than a human. It can create a profound grief experience (Kaufman & Kaufman, 2006). The companionship and constancy of a family pet are the bonds of a meaningful relationship.…”