Do you ever wonder if dogs miss and grieve their owners after they’re gone? For dogs, the feelings of loss and sadness when their owners aren’t around for a long time aren’t unusual. Loyal dogs are all about a forever friendship with their humans; once they’ve built a deeper connection, they don’t forget their owner in a breeze.
You might’ve read the viral story of Capitan, the dog that reportedly guarded its master’s grave. After Miguel Guzman passed away, his family one day visited the cemetery and found the black dog at Guzman’s grave, where it had been mourning its owner, as reported by PolitiFact.
Another such story is about a Border Collie, Ruswarp, who went missing with its owner, Mr Nuttall. Search party swept the whole area and finally found Nuttall’s body near a mountain stream, and a weakened Ruswarp by his side, who had protected the body for 11 weeks, as mentioned by the BBC.
The AKC quotes Russel Hartstein, a dog trainer and behaviorist: “When an owner passes away before her pet, it can be a confusing, sad, and difficult period, even if arrangements have been made for the animal to be taken care of by someone else.”
Dogs that are dedicated to a fault when it comes to their owners are companions that make us feel that we matter. Here are 7 loyal dog breeds that remember their owners even after they’ve passed away.
Dog Breeds That Sit At Owners’ Graves For Days
1. Akita
Akitas are intelligent Spitz-type dogs that take their connection to their human family members seriously. Despite being independent doggos with a stubborn streak, these wolf-like pups are full of love for their owners.
This working dog has been one of Japan’s favorite breeds for centuries and has been used to guard and hunt. Their instincts are inclined towards helping their human companions and getting their jobs done. Their ability to set their roots deep in their forever home is just as impressive as their thick, furred coat.
These woofers enjoy the company of experienced owners who can handle their moods and their need for a lot of physical exercise. Akita is a faithful dog that notices the absence of its owner, and its loving heart can break once it realizes its human isn’t going to return.
2. Labrador Retriever
Labs are made of all the good stuff: loyalty, gentleness, smartness, and lots of fun and smiles. Labrador Retrievers are gun dogs and have worked closely with humans for ages; nowadays, they’re one of the most loved family pets.
Labs are focused as police, military, and therapy dogs; all their roles are about forming deeper partnerships with humans and understanding their cues and needs. Britannica shares an interesting story about a Lab Endal who saved his owner’s life after he was knocked over by a car.
Endal reportedly helped by dragging him into a recovery position, covering his owner with a blanket, and rushing to a nearby hotel to find help.
As companions, your Lab will adore you beyond your imagination; from becoming cuddle companions to hiking partners, your Lab is dedicated, head to toe. All these traits are what make them experience grief when separated from their owners.
3. German Shepherd
German Shepherds look serious and tough, but they’re loving dogs who form really profound connections with their humans. These beautiful dogs boast a thick coat with tan markings and black masks that make you want to take them seriously.
German Shepherds were originally bred to herd livestock, so it’s no wonder they have splendid instincts and learn to follow commands and cues with ease. Their intelligence and ability to recall will nudge them when their owner stops turning up for daily walks or some other routine activity.
From feeling confused and disoriented to spending hours on its owner’s grave, this dog might express its sense of loss depending on the context it understands the situation to be.
It’s important to make arrangements for your loving mutts and make sure someone out there will take care of them in case something happens to you.
4. Beagle
Beagles are medium to small-sized dogs, but when it comes to energy, they can romp around outdoors or play indoors for hours. Known for their scenting talents, they were used to track prey like foxes, etc. As pets, they’re all about sharing love and cherishing a lasting companionship with their owners.
A well-socialized Beagle is a perfect addition to a socially active family with other pets as well. These carefree and cheerful dogs have lived in packs; this background not only helps them put up with other dogs and cats, but also connect closely with their humans.
Long-term separation from its owner can break this pooch’s heart, and it will look for its deceased human for days.
5. Australian Shepherd
Australian Shepherd is a strong, stunningly beautiful, and super-smart dog; a pet worth cherishing in every sense. It’s originally a herding dog made for farm life to help farmers with their day-to-day livestock-related dilemmas.
As pets, Australian Shepherds are intelligent and empathetic. From understanding the distress cues of anxious owners as therapy dogs to offering a protective partnership, they’re made for human companionship.
Aussies form a deep bond with one person, but as pack animals, they’ll have their dynamics with the whole family. Which means while losing their owner will distress them a lot, other family members can step in and look after this pup in a heartbreaking scenario.
6. Doberman Pinscher
This dog was built to be a protector; developed by a German tax collector as a protection dog. Dobermans have strong instincts to look after their humans.
The Doberman Pinscher is the picture of a graceful dog with its balanced stature, gorgeous black coat with rust markings, and perky ears. These fierce-looking dogs possess a dedication to their human that doesn’t fade away with the years, but only gets stronger.
The ideal pet for owners who love a life full of outdoor adventures and activity, Dobies thrive on regular exercise. According to PetMD, your Dobie will enjoy activities like agility, obedience, and tasks like fetching objects for you.
These dogs need a sense of purpose and can feel disoriented and at a loss when suddenly separated from their humans. From walking alongside their owner’s funeral to sitting on their grave for days, a Doberman can express its grief in its own way, but it will miss its deceased human.
7. Collie
Collies are one of the impressively intelligent herding dogs known for their amazing instincts and work ethic. As eager to please pups, they center their lives around their humans once they’ve adjusted to a household.
As brainy dogs, Collies don’t just learn complex commands amazingly; it’s also not beyond them to understand when their owner is gone for good. They won’t just miss the daily walks, the game sessions together, they’ll miss their owner’s mere presence in the home.
If they’ve witnessed where their owner has been put to rest, these smart dogs might try to guard the grave or sit there for hours.
Conclusion
There are many stories about dogs guarding their humans’ final resting place and showing symptoms of separation anxiety and grief. Loyal dogs search endlessly for their dead owners and wait for their return day and night.
It’s important to make sure your dog has been trained to spend some time independently, and there are other people who can help it cope. There should be some other family member or a close friend who should look after the dog when the owner faces some tragedy.
