I would say that Monty and Bok loved each other with a passion; they were inseparable.
They met when they were still 6 month old pups, and remained faithful to each other until Monty's sad demise.
Then suddenly, when Monty was no longer with us, Bok seemed to act as if he'd never existed. Previously when I mentioned Monty's name, Bok would immediately sit up and look for him; after his death it was almost as if he'd never heard the name, or knew to whom it had belonged.
We'd made a point of showing Bok Monty's lifeless body, and he attended his funeral (at Haddock's), so I imagine that he understood. But to suddenly behave as if he'd never existed took us by surprise.
No doubt Dogs understand death, and perhaps they simply draw a line. Bok's reaction was to block-out his memory, and instantly take over as Top Dog in his stead.
No howling at the moon, or tears over his vacant bed; just total disinterest. Very strange.
It's Monty's birthday today, he would have been 7. We miss him.
37 comments:
Sounds a lot like our cats. We got Kath and Kim together from the S.P.C.A. To start with they curled up together most of the time but as they got older and bigger they slept separately.
When Kath died I expected Kim to miss her but it was as though she had never been there and Kim was Top (or Sole) cat.
Strange isn't it. One minute they are inseparable, the next they are indifferent.
Children some times act in the same way when some one close to them dies.
I know how painful it is to loose a dog.
And yet you hear tales of dogs keeping vigil over their masters graves and mourning humans.
Yes, I've heard of children doing that. Strange. I suppose it's one way of coping.
That's what I was expecting. Howling at least.
In the 1950's my dad's sister and her husband had a dog called Monty. She had no children of her own. All its hair fell out as it got older. She was very sad when it died. They never got another one,
I've never been keen on bald dogs.
Perhaps it was Bok's way of coping with his grief. You must miss Monty so much.
I came down one morning and found one cat dead on the kitchen floor. The other cats stepped over her with nothing more than a casual sniff and had breakfast.
Maybe Monty is there and Bok sees him :)
I love the photo.
Greetings Maria
If Bok had been a cat, I expect he would have done the same.
Might seem strange, but some people have the ability to behave in the same manner; I suppose everybody copes with the loss of a loved one in their own way.
His ghost lives on; we think of him often in places where he did certain idiosyncratic things.
He does look at Lab's on TV.
Very true. I have know people at funerals behave very badly towards someone who, just a few days earlier, had been a best friend.
Maybe that is the way in the animal world ..... a way of dealing with it and also, they become top dog. We have had animals over the years but, I can't have anymore .... I can't bear it when they die. Monty seemed a lovely dog ... you and Lady M must miss him so much. As time has passed now, do you ever think of getting another dog Cro ? XXXX
You forget Bok has a pack to look after. Only one member of the group went, the others ( you and the lady) give him the stability he needs to carry on normally
No, I think we'll stick with just the one, although I can't be sure that Lady M won't turn-up with more some day!
I suppose that must be it. He is now pack leader, and mourning would look like weakness.
My mother could receive a telegram of a death of a close one and put it in her pocket and not say anything and act as if nothing had happened.
Gosh, that is a young dog age to die. Dogs do often mourn and fret, but it passes quickly.
He was only four.
One of step daughter's cats died recently. The other has changed completely since the death of her sworn enemy. They hated each other in life, but the survivor seems to be upset by the other going. It reminds me of the two old ladies in Cider With Rosie.
I know the pain of missing them. Your feeling of loss is proof that Monty was loved. A very lucky dog for that reason alone. Sending a hug
That's a good picture if the two of them. When Our leader lab died I thought our younger one seemed indifferent, until I found the dog biscuits buried in the garden for Maverick. Rudi would always steal Maverick's treats and bury them. He was still doing that with his own. I cried my eyes out.
I remember Monty. He was a good boy and I know how much you miss him.
That sounds like the complete opposite of Bok and Monty. Animals are weirdos.
He was a lovely dog; Lady M's baby!
Goodness. They surprise us, don't they. Bok doesn't seem to have any such idiosyncrasies.
He is still missed, and not forgotten. He was a handsome chap.
Tess, who adored my darling farmer, has never shown any sign of missing him. As you say, probably they have got death totally within their understanding.
I remember Monty he was such a good dog and lovely friend.
I understand how much you must still miss him. When Watson died, thehamish's touchstone to the world, he sniffed his body and was OK for about a week. Both of them had been in and out of hospital so many times but after about a week we saw a big change. He knew Watson was not coming back and missed him so much. He died about a year later.
cheers, parsnip and mandibles
That's just lovely, the way you still remember Monty. He died much too soon, but what a lucky dog to have been loved so well.
I would have thought they'd miss humans, more than fellow dogs.
They all react so differently, there seems to be no standard reactions.
He was a very well loved, and naughty, boy. Lab's have such character!
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