It’s a romantic notion to think of a dog so devoted to their owners that they literally can’t live without them. Research has shown that our canine companions recognize our emotions,1 which is the first step toward forging strong bonds with our pets. It’s not surprising when you think about it. After all, we have been companions for over 20,000 years.
Thanks to thousands of years of domestication, dogs have become our guardians, hunting companions, and farm hands. But something unexpected happened along this path: we became emotionally attached to them, creating a reciprocal bond. You might have heard of humans dying from broken hearts, but can the same happen to a dog? There is currently no solid evidence that a dog can die from a broken heart specifically, like if they were to lose their owner, but emotional stress can certainly have severe consequences.
The Emotional Capacity of Dogs
While dogs initially served functional roles for humans, their interactions with people soon changed. After we bonded with friendly canids, they eventually became part of our homes. Today’s dogs evolved to the point that they have the emotional capacity of a 2.5-year-old child.
Dogs can experience excitement and joy, as well as sadness, anger, fear, love, and distress, which sets them up for a broken heart. They have the emotions to understand what it feels like to be connected to someone and then the loss that comes when that someone dies.
The Evidence of the Bond Between Dogs and Humans
A bond with our pets is beneficial for both sides. From a dog’s standpoint, bonding with humans provides them with the essentials in life, including food, water, and shelter. On the human side, forming a bond with a dog brings companionship, socialization and responsibility.
Evidence of the relationship between humans and dogs is the latter’s loyalty. Anecdotal accounts abound about the strides canines will take to protect their owners. Their courage and tenaciousness are well on display. We see it in guardian dogs protecting their flocks and the bravery of military and law enforcement K9s. However, does that mean they form an emotional attachment?
We could easily list many videos of emotional reunions of dogs and their owners that would bring us all to tears. The visual evidence exists. However, breeds vary in their attachment to humans. Some dogs are lovey-dovey, whereas other canids keep a respectful distance. Physical contact doesn’t necessarily indicate the emotional attachment and whether a dog experiences a broken heart, though; that’s subjective.
Dying of a Broken Heart
It’s challenging to qualify what a dog experiences if they lose their owner. We can certainly understand the stress from a change in the routine. Canines, like their feline counterparts, like things to stay just so. Change is often a source of stress, which can lead to a myriad of problems, with cascading effects that could ultimately endanger the animal’s life if not remedied. While we don’t know for sure what a dog is feeling when they lose an owner, their reactions can be similar to those that we are familiar with.
Signs of Grieving
Separation anxiety provides the most compelling evidence of a broken heart in dogs. These animals become so attached to their owners that time away from them is distressing. Of course, the death of an owner can lead to the ultimate in separation anxiety as well as other signs.
Signs of a dog in mourning include the following:
- Lethargy
- Loss of appetite
- Hiding
- Excessive vocalization
- Weight loss
- Destructive behavior
Several of these signs can lead to health complications if left untreated. If you have a pet that is already unwell, that could push them over the edge, although it wouldn’t necessarily be the cause of death. It’s challenging to manage these cases, which makes them even more difficult to treat. The stress of their broken heart can certainly have negative health effects on them.
