Help Worried about my dogs sensing my dead body

[xLosthopex]

I live in my house with both my parents and two dogs, recently I heard someone talking about how dogs can react badly when they sense a dead body and I'm really worried about traumatizing my dogs when I ctb in my home(which is where I plan to do it), they will be well loved and taken care of by my parents post-ctb so that's not the issue, but they are probably most attached to me as I spend the most time with them, obviously I will be away from them in another room but I know dogs have a much stronger sense of smell/heightened senses in general to humans so I'm afraid they will smell my corpse and it could cause them psychological stress or something??
I already feel immense guilt for leaving them…
Does anyone else worry about this or know more about this topic?

 

[greencondo]

when my grandmother died in her chair, her little dog was at her feet and frozen with fear. Then angry at anyone approaching. I have no idea if that is common and how that would vary if it's in another room. He ended up fine after he was adopted by my gradnmother's sister in law. (my great aunt)
It would be shocked if your dogs didn't at least know that something was up. They will also smell the hormones and what not and see the body language from your upset parents.

I worry about my dog also.

I'm very sorry for the suffering you must be in to have to think about this and feel this way.

 

[GentlyFading]

One of my dogs definitely reacted poorly to another dog dying in the house. I can definitely imagine this happening when their owner dies. Dogs are very intelligent and can figure out if their owner dies, especially if the humans in the house are distressed.

What's good is at least they will loved and supported after you leave, so they will likely heal. They will miss you though. I'm sorry you have to make this decision and I wish the best for you and your dogs <3

 

[WilNord]

if your bathroom has a lock you can just go into the bathroom and do whatever in there, maybe stuff towels in any airholes at the door since they might be able to smell your corpse

 

[thethethethethethe]

in the end, i think the truth of the matter is that your pets will likely figure it out themselves. dogs are smart, as GentlyFading said.. my dogs certainly understood when my sister took her own life, and it was not in the house or where they would've known.
your best option would most likely be? time it well. if you are only dead for a short while before you are found, then your dogs shouldn't sense your passing.

 

[GentleJerk]

Yes, who will be exposed... these things are a part of the many concerns I have, to do with when/where I will ctb.

Everybody is different and has their preferences. Personally I would not want to die around grieving friends and family members simply because dying is a deeply personal experience that I want to make as peaceful as possible, and I'd be worried that their emotions would make it more difficult to let go. Also possibly mentally scarring for them.

But I know having family around would be a huge comfort for others and I think that's fine also.

If you are fixed on ctb at home where your family and pets live, I think it's pretty unavoidable that they will be affected...

...And I would be lying if I said the animals won't pick up on that. They are far more intelligent and aware than people give them credit for and highly sensitive to the feelings of humans.

But they are so in tune and will provide huge comfort to those who are mourning. My family and I have bred dogs all our lives, If your pets will still be with your parent's after you pass away, then as a 'pack instinct' they will channel their grief into giving love and comfort to your parents, as opposed to breaking down and being traumatized by your passing as a single dog owned by a solitary person might do. They will give all the love they have for you to your family and do everything they can to ease their suffering. They are amazing.

 

[*Psyche*]

I already feel immense guilt for leaving them…

I can completely relate to your feelings of guilt & fear about traumatizing you fur babies. It was those very same feelings that stopped me about 8 or 9 years ago when I was within days to weeks of ctb. It was just her & me & I was living with family in their basement after my divorce. At first, I wanted to take her with me, but I realized I couldn't do that to her. Then I decided I couldn't hurt her by leaving her. I now have two more dogs (she passed away a few years ago), but they have each other & my S.O. who I live with that they are extremely attached to.
As for your situation, is there any chance for you to ctb someplace other than at home? If not, then they will likely be affected by your passing. However, the degree of how negatively it will affect them is unknown. I'm sure your parents, who will find you, will physically keep your dogs away from you. Yes, they will sense your death, even from a distance, but they may just be confused as to what is going on depending on where your parents put them. Once you're removed, I'm sure they will be depressed. However, they will rebound when they are shown love & kindness by their caretakers. Plus, as you said, they do have each other. One will bring comfort to the other.
I hope this helps & I wish you peace ❤

 

[xLosthopex]

I can completely relate to your feelings of guilt & fear about traumatizing you fur babies. It was those very same feelings that stopped me about 8 or 9 years ago when I was within days to weeks of ctb. It was just her & me & I was living with family in their basement after my divorce. At first, I wanted to take her with me, but I realized I couldn't do that to her. Then I decided I couldn't hurt her by leaving her. I now have two more dogs (she passed away a few years ago), but they have each other & my S.O. who I live with that they are extremely attached to.
As for your situation, is there any chance for you to ctb someplace other than at home? If not, then they will likely be affected by your passing. However, the degree of how negatively it will affect them is unknown. I'm sure your parents, who will find you, will physically keep your dogs away from you. Yes, they will sense your death, even from a distance, but they may just be confused as to what is going on depending on where your parents put them. Once you're removed, I'm sure they will be depressed. However, they will rebound when they are shown love & kindness by their caretakers. Plus, as you said, they do have each other. One will bring comfort to the other.
I hope this helps & I wish you peace ❤

Thank you for this
If I ctb at home(which I personally think is the best decision) it will be upstairs away from my dogs(they can't get up the stairs and our house is pretty big)
And I've no doubt my parents will take great care of them, the dogs are very attached to all 3 of us, I just worry about them becoming depressed and grieving my loss, I've also expressed to my parents many times that if I was to die to please take good care of them and they assured me they would(I've been suicidal and had Anorexia Nervosa for many years so they've known for quite a while this was a possibility)

 

[prbreese01]

I worry about this too. I live with my mom and she can financially take care of my dog but she wouldn't be able to walk him or give him the attention he needs. I once asked on Facebook who would be willing to take care of my dog if anything were ever to happen to me and I received a few responses. One was from an old neighbor of mine and I know they would take really really good care of him. I just have to figure out how I can get my dog to them because they live on an island and my dog is snubbed nosed. I've been looking in different ways to get him there without me.

 

[just_wanna_die]

One of the things I have thought about regarding a dog in the house when one decides to cbt is will a dog somehow sense that you are dying (even behind a locked door) and start to bark, alerting anyone else in the house who will then come to your rescue, thus interfering with your cbt resulting in a failed cbt? Has this happened to anyone? Or has anyone heard of this happening?

 

[greencondo]

One of the things I have thought about regarding a dog in the house when one decides to cbt is will a dog somehow sense that you are dying (even behind a locked door) and start to bark, alerting anyone else in the house who will then come to your rescue, thus interfering with your cbt resulting in a failed cbt? Has this happened to anyone? Or has anyone heard of this happening?

There was a night that I was honestly sick, confused and feverish . Early in the AM hours. When I tried to walk everything would go black, I'd fall and not even know where I was. When I finally fell where I was down for the count, the dog barked at my roommate's door to wake her up and come find me. He was not a barky type of a dog, so it would of been out of character otherwise. Other dogs maybe different tho.


I've read several times that once death happens..the body immediately starts to change, The dogs can smell that. They dont have to wait to see everyone body language.

They smell changes in the body.

(if I have missed a rule about these types of links, I apologize. Just do a basic google search on dogs smelling fear, emotions, etc)

Dogs really can smell your fear, and then they get scared too

There is an urban myth that dogs can smell human emotions, now it seems to be true: dogs can sense a person’s emotional state just by sniffing a sample of their sweat

www.newscientist.com

Can Dogs Really Smell Fear? Here's The Science Behind It | PawTracks

Here's the scoop on whether dogs can actually smell fear or not.

www.pawtracks.com

That being said, different dogs seem to act differently to their own feelings about it. Some may bark and cause a scene, others may hide and anything in between.

As always for me, please don't take this as me telling you what to think, do your own research and decide :)

To anyone reading this, I am sorry you are suffering.

 

[LingeringUnreal]

Weirdly relevant video I just watched recently. Tl;dr sometimes dogs react so badly to seeing an actual death they start panic-eating the corpse, like a human so stressed they start binge eating. But depends on the dog's disposition.

...Really fun channel, haha.

 

[1Mazda16]

Animals are very resilient so I wouldn't worry too much about it.

 

[*Psyche*]

I just worry about them becoming depressed and grieving my loss, I've also expressed to my parents many times that if I was to die to please take good care of them and they assured me they would(I've been suicidal and had Anorexia Nervosa for many years so they've known for quite a while this was a possibility)

I'm so sorry you've been going through this for so long. I'm glad that you've already got assurances from your parents that they will take good care of your babies ❤ I am sure they will be ok. It will just take time. (Hugs)