What you might see
- Searching the house, or waiting in the place the other one used to be
- Reduced appetite, more sleep, or lower interest in walks and play
- Increased clinginess, or unusual reactivity and restlessness
- Changes in the pecking order if there are other animals
What helps them
- Hold the routine steady. Predictability does most of the work.
- Keep feeding and walking at the same times, even when you don't feel like it.
- Add short bursts of engagement — sniffing walks, food puzzles, gentle training.
- Don't rush to bring in a new companion to fix it.
When to see a vet
If eating stops, weight drops, toileting changes, or the behaviour hasn't settled after a few weeks, get them checked. Physical illness and grief can look very similar from the outside.
Where to go next
Three things that people find useful at this point — all free to start.
Free guide
The First Fourteen Days
A day-by-day companion for the first two weeks after your pet dies: what to expect, what to lower the bar on, and small anchors to hold onto. Enter your email and I'll send it straight over.
Free quiz
Find your grief type
Two minutes, free, and it tells you which of the four areas to work on first.
Take the quizOnline programme
The GENTLE Path
Self-paced written lessons and audio practices that take the four areas one at a time — stop and return to it whenever you need.
Explore the programme