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My Boston Terrier is sad after pet loss. How do I help him cope?

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Dog | Boston Terrier | Female | spayed | 16 years and 9 months old | 13 lbs

Thank you for taking the time to speak with me...problem is my 16 yr old Boston, Sami, passed away December 16, 2018....She was totally blind and I had to care for her 24/7, but I have another Boston, Junior who is 8 1/2 yrs old. Well, Junior is really having a hard time dealing with our loss, Sami raised Junior...any advice would be greatly appreciated, God Bless and look forward to hearing from you. I'm falling apart as I type this ...

1 Answer

Most Helpful Answer

Dr. Elizabeth

Answered By Dr. Elizabeth

Veterinarian

Published on December 30th, 2018

I am saddened to hear about the passing of Sami. It's so hard to lose them. Pets do mourn the loss of their pack. Things you can do to help Junior get through this are giving him daily exercise, focus on training and give him lots of attention. Exercise will help to physically tire him out and this will decrease anxiety and help to maintain his appetite. Training will mentally stimulate him and help him to bond closer to you. The attention will help him to be comforted. You really want to focus on decreasing anxiety and keeping him on a routine. This dark cloud will eventually pass usually within a few weeks to a few months but each pet is different. I hope this helps and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.
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