Am I Being a Jerk?

I think 3 days after the death of a pet is too soon to call it "depression." Yes, he is upset, misses the dog and is sad.

One thing I've noticed is that men are not as good at "sucking it up" and continuing to "march along" as women are.

Men are not good at multi-tasking--even with their emotions.

Right now he is "being sad" and while I do agree that missing work for more than one day is a bit extreme, hopefully he will float to the surface and bounce back to normal in another week or so.

Personally, I'd let him take the lead as far as timing for another pet. A new one never "replaces" the old one but it IS a great distraction! When is his birthday? ...........doggie gift?

10 moms found this helpful

Yes, I think you're being a jerk. I think it was pretty crappy of you to share a story with your husband of someone losing a grandchild, It was telling him that he doesn't have a right to be upset so get over it. You can't compare your husband being upset and withdrawn from the family for three days to you being a single parent. Obviously you've never been a single parent. Your husband is grieving, not depressed. My husband has battled depression his whole life. When he starts to get depressed, he lays in bed a lot and reads. I am there for him completely and always check on him to see how he's doing and if he needs anything. Me being supportive and loving is what helps him get through it. It might be a little hard on me for a couple days not having my husband help out with our three kids (and I'm pregnant) but when he hurts, I hurt. I want him to deal with his emotions the way he needs to, not my way.

And I don't know why you can explain to your son that Daddy is sad b/c the dog died. There's a life lesson for your son right there. I'm sure your husband will want a new pet sooner than he's thinking now. Of course he is going to think 72 hours after losing his dog that he won't want a new one for a long time.

I'm not meaning to sound harsh here. It just sounds to me that you have a great husband and you aren't being supportive of him. Some husbands don't help out with the kids at all so if Dad is away for a couple days, it would just be another day to the kids, they wouldn't even notice. Now please go give your husband a hug!! :)

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Yes, you're being a jerk -- it's only been two days, not two months.

For the first three days after the death of my beloved bird this year I was bereft, and it took a good month till I could even bear to visit the aviary. For the first two days I cried uncontrollably. And I am NOT a depressive-type person. Ten months later, I still mourn her. And I didn't feel that bad when we lost our dog a few years ago. My husband was a bit of a jerk about it because he thought the same way you do. It wasn't "depression," it was normal grief for a big loss.

You need to give him more time. Everyone grieves differently. Tell your hubby you're sorry and comfort him. Tell your son daddy is sad because Fido died. That's the explanation. And you are looking to replace the dog too soon. Wait a month. Sorry, but you are really being inconsiderate.

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My husband is like this with animals, too. He mourned his fish dying, for crying out loud. When his dog died, he was bereft. I don't know if it's a man thing, or what.

But I do think you need to cut your husband a break. It's only been a few days, not a few weeks, and you're already talking about getting another pet? It's way too soon! Talk to him seriously about his grief, instead of with the eye-rolling and blame, and if this continues, offer to help him get some grief counseling. Grieving is about the survivors, not the deceased, and remembering this may help you be more understanding. And please don't bring up getting another pet right now. Your husband is in mourning. He may change his mind next year about when he wants another dog, but right now, the thought of it is painful for him.

Hopefully, he will pull himself out of this on his own in a little while. If he doesn't, ask him to get some therapy to help him cope with his loss. Do not make yourself the bad guy, though, because grief is a more difficult emotion to handle than anger, and you don't want him to convert his to anger and then direct that anger at you. Give him a little longer to get himself together. Good luck.

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I lost my 8 yr old sheltie in september and I cried hard for a week and I still get sad and miss him badly at night.
a dog is never just a dog.
I think you need to sit down with him and gently tell him that he's being distant and that you can help him better cope with it if he was less distant to you and the kids.
sorry but he will never just get over it. it will take time and it's only been 3 days give him a break.

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So your husband was with his dog longer than you?

Yes, you are being a little heartless. I understand completely what you are saying, but you are forgetting, each one of us is different from another. Your husband may be a butch manly man, but in his heart, his dog was his first baby. There are lots of memories that the dog represented and that part of his life is now gone forever. He is mourning the loss of his very best friend that has been with him longer than even you have been with him.

Explain to your children that their daddy is very, very sad, because puppy is now gone. they need to be soft and gentle, because dads heart is hurting. NO OTHER pet can just take the place of his dog. Give him time. He will get there.

This is not a rejection of you or the children, it is a mourning for his beloved friend.

He sounds a lot like my husband. He is so terrified that our cat is going to die, she is now 14 years old and when our daughter is up at college he uses the cat as his substitute for our daughter.. Drives me nuts, but that is the way he is.. My husband always says a silent prayer when he sees a dead animal on the road. He just has great empathy for them.

If this continues for more than a week, he needs to see his doctor, just to have a quick check up and the doc can document this episode..

I am sending you patience.

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I think you're mistaking ordinary grief for depression... and it's scaring you because of your experience with PPD.

In my experience debilitating grief usually only lasts a few days, and then can severely impact a person for a couple weeks to several years. The loss of a child, for example, one could expect months to years of normal grief. The loss of a beloved pet, a few weeks of severely impacting grief is *totally* in the normal range.

Many people feel free to grieve over pets in a way that they do not feel free to grieve for people. Happens to soldiers all the time. They get "used" to losing people... but the family dog dies and they fall to pieces.

Give him some time. If, after about 2 weeks he's not coming out of it, take him to the doctor. But kindness kills grief far faster than condemnation.

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Yes, it is a dog, but it was his longest relationship, even longer than you. Don't nag him. Yes, he needs to go back to work and get back into his normal routine. It will serve him better than sitting around thinking about it all the time. I mourned my dog for a long time. Of course, I did get another dog the next month and it did help me get through the memories and make new ones. Guys are different about new... They seem to think it's 'replacing' a friend. So don't try to force a dog on him. He will come around to the idea on his own.

What you can do for now is try to take up the slack this week and not complain. Be a good partner and support him. Try to get him back to work. He doesn't need to lose his job over this. If he is saying he's sick and he has missed a few days of work, tell him you will set up a doctor's appt for him. That normally gets them to go back to work if they aren't really sick.

Good luck with this... Everyone mourns differently.

3 moms found this helpful

I see both of your points of view. Many years ago I had an ex-boyfriend who lost his dog of 12-13 years. He was sad for weeks, crying, withdrawn, the whole thing. He was sadder at the loss of his dog than over our own breakup, and that hurt my feelings back then.

However, I learned to understand that everyone grieves differently, and that it is unfair to judge how a person is grieving since I cannot possibly walk in that person's shoes. You just don't know the nuances of the bond your husband had with his dog, although you had some idea. And, while it is tough on you to have to handle how his feelings are affecting everyone around him, I would try my best to handle the situation as gracefully as you can bear, and let him grieve until he is ready to open up again.

IMO I would not place a time limit on his grief -- I would hope that, after about a month or so, he will come back around. In the meantime, you can help him along by reminding him you are there for him if he needs to talk or just let some emotions out.

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I didn't read ALL of the previous responses you have received, but the ones I did read, did not mention many tangible ways to help your husband through this. Yes, missing this many days of work is a little extreme. But men are funny sometimes about things like this. Most men suck it up and go to work when there is something weighing on their minds or whatever... but losing a faithful friend like his dog of 13 (?) years is another thing altogether.

Our dog (6 yrs old) became REALLY ill this past spring and we thought we would lose her or have to put her down. My husband stayed at home (even skipped church and an after church event) so that she would not be alone at home. Partly he didn't want the kids coming home to find our beloved dog dead, but also he just didn't want to leave her ALONE. He babied and nursed her more than I would EVER have guessed. And this was not his dog from before we were married. This is our dog we got when our daughter was 3 yrs old. He has never been particularly bonded/close to her, not like it's his hunting dog or anything like that at all. He bawled himself to sleep one night during the week we thought we would lose her, and HE was astonished at how deeply he felt her impending loss. This is a man who pooh-poohed other people's stories about losing pets.

Your husband will have to get on with life at some point, hopefully sooner rather than later, but you need to help him get there. Yes support him, give him time and space, etc. But also, ASK him and make suggestions about ways to help him deal with this. Did you guys do anything special as a memorial for the dog? Do you have any photos of the dog with your hubby or the kids that you could frame and put out somewhere? Did you keep her leash/collar so that you could put it in a shadow box or just store it somewhere safe? These are tangible things you could do to move forward. Men aren't known for sentimentality regarding objects... so he might not think of any of these things. So ask him if he would like to put out a picture of the dog (if you have one). Get out old photos that have the dog in them and let him flip through them. Make a dog photo album and ask your husband to help you choose which photos to include and organize them.

Often we just need something to do that will help us process the emotional loss. With a dog, there aren't as many things to do... there is no funeral. There is no choosing funeral attire or photos for the display or family gathering. These are all ways the families process their grief after the loss of a family member. Sounds like your dog qualifies as a family member, so go through the motions (modified to fit your situation) and help him through the grief process.

I don't think he is depressed, just still deep in grief, and perhaps stalled at the first stage.

Very sorry for the loss of your dog.

p.s.
I don't think you taking on the "sole" care of the kids for a few days is too much to ask. One poster said "what would he do if he was a single parent, he would have to suck it up and deal"(or something to that effect)... but that is the beauty of having a loving spouse and NOT being a single parent. He has you. So do what needs doing and let him grieve. Your kids may have to be told a few times that Daddy is still very sad and mourning the dog. They are kids, things have to be repeated. It isn't because they don't get it, it's because they forget or want a different response. How many times do you have to tell them "no" when they ask for ice-cream for dinner or whatever? They want the answer to be different so they ask again... it doesn't mean that they don't understand.

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I think you need to be more understanding. Yes, it was just a dog but it was his family before he married you. Some people react differently to losing a loved one and that can include a pet. Our dog died last January very suddenly and both my husband and I were very distraught over it for at least two weeks probably longer before we started to move on. We still have our moments a year later when we miss her and grieve over her. I think you are being insensitive. We both still managed to take care of our child and he probably will be able to as well. We just were not our happy selves.

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Yeah, I think you are being a jerk. Your husband has lost a living being with whom he has had a relationship for over a decade. He will never be able to see, touch, hug, talk to, receive love from this being ever again. Ever. It is gone. That sometimes takes more than three days to "get over." You shouldn't compare your grieving over your cat with his grieving over his dog...you are different people who react differently. If his grieving is seriously hampering your life in a month's time then you should gently talk to your husband and tell him that he might need some professional help dealing with his feelings of loss.

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No you are not being a jerk. While grief is personal and each person deals in his or her own way, an adult recognizes his/her existing responsibilities and ensures that they carry on despite that grief. A friend lost her son after a short but fierce battle with leukemia. That was 6 months ago. She and the father of her children were out having a family Christmas dinner recently with their surviving child. This family, father, mother and daughter/sister, get that they must be there for each other, despite their incomprehensible loss. Perhaps you can ask your husband to find ways to deal with his grief that include the family so that he can benefit from your loving support and you and the kids can benefit from his. You say he sent emails, made phone calls, wrote an obit (two pages!?!?!). So now maybe he can invite the kids and you to create a memory album of the dog with photos, stories, favorite foods and treats (pix only not the real thing LOL!). He's got to find a way to re-enter the atmosphere of your family. Sit down with him and have a frank talk about HOW to make that happen. Baby steps. I wish you and your family all the best on your journey through this grieving time. (On my own journey too).

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If you were the one grieving over the dog, everyone here would tell you to snap out of it, get over your self and put your family first. BUT.....since it's your husband, everyone thinks you are being a jerk for wanting him to still be involved with his family while dealing with grief.

Yes, he is grieving and that's okay.....but he still has a family that loves him.

You are not being a jerk.

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I don't think you're being a jerk.
I'm a total animal lover too and believe me, we've lost our share of beloved pets. Just within days of each other we lost a dog and cat. We'd had them since way before my son was ever born and he took it pretty hard. It was sad, to say the least. But, this is part of life and pets don't live as long as people do. It doesn't make it any less sad, but I can kind of see where you are coming from.
I have friends whose dog was getting old. They kept saying he wouldn't make it another year and they even got another dog so they'd be prepared.
She even told me she knew in her heart she should have him put down, but she just couldn't bear to do it. Well, the poor thing who couldn't even move around and had quit eating finally passed away and I'd known the dog for years so I was sad about it too for sure.
She took a full week off of work and made her husband take time off too because she just couldn't cope with being home alone. I suggested that maybe going to work would be good for her to get her mind off of things, but she wouldn't hear of it. Everyone grieves in their own way, but I couldn't help feeling that she was going a bit over the top about it. She took a week for "berievement" over her dog. And then she went back to work but they sent her home because she wouldn't stop crying about it in front of customers. She had a really good job at a bank and they offered to pay for counseling because they thought maybe she had depression or something and she was offended and wouldn't take it. They let her go. Over a dog that was old and she knew for a long time was in failing health.
A woman I work with just lost her own mother and other than taking some time during the day here and there to make arrangements hasn't missed a day of work at all. She's broken up and has her moments where she excuses herself to cry in the bathroom or something. She will take Monday off because that's the day of the service.
Going off the deep end over an animal just doesn't make sense to me.
Please, no one send me hate mail about this...it's just my opinion. I swear I understand how much a pet is a part of our lives and that companionship is so important and we grieve. Of course we do! I've been there myself.

You've been sick, your daughter's been sick, your dog just died and your husband can't work. Hmmm. There's a country song in there somewhere.
(No offense! Trying to bring you some levity).
Maybe after a few days off of work and the New Year beginning, he will get back to normal for you. Hopefully you and the kids will be feeling better and things will settle down.
I just wanted to say I don't think you're being a jerk.
I hope things get better soon.

Best wishes!

2 moms found this helpful

You're not being a jerk. Sit down with him and *gently* explain that you know he's upset and you know how it feels, but we have to get on with our lives -especially when small children are in the picture. I had to put my 18 year old cat down -who was my baby and my love my entire single adult life -one week before my first child was born. I was a wreck. However, after a day or so of weeping and crying, I made every effort to change my mindset because I didn't want all that depression and hurt seeping into my baby. He was so close to due, I just felt like he could really feel those vibes, so I kind of made myself snap out of it. Tell your husband that you gave the dog a great life, and that in the back of our minds, unless we're very old or sick ourselves, we know when we get a pet that we're ultimately going to have to deal with its death. Try not to downplay his feelings, but remind him that his job will not understand bereavement absence over a dog and his small child is more important. Don't mention getting another pet right now. He's right to not want to rush into that. Give that one some time and in 6 months or so, he'll probably feel differently. It may take a year though. It took me a good year before I even wanted to be around a cat.

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I would give him so more time. I dont think you are being a jerk, its stressful taking care of everything yourself, but he really does need more time. Give him a couple weeks, I bet in time it will get better. Sorry for your loss. :(

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Gosh, I really don't like to ever call anyone a 'jerk', but you don't seem very emotionally sensitive and a bit self-focused on this. Your husband lost a relationship, a close attachment, of 10 years. NO ONE who is close to anyone or any close pet can skip grieving to 'suck it up' and if they do, it will manifest in ways that are not good. The fact that your husband started grieving before the death demonstrates the meaning of that relationship (thus, 2 page obituary). It doesn't matter who thinks the attachment is legitimate for this response or not because factually speaking, this is a great loss for him. It is only the 3rd day? If you were saying all of this after a month or two, okay. But day 3? A bit selfish.

Also about your son...he's probably very impacted by dads grieving, but has it occurred to you HE might be sad and confused about the loss of the dog? Kids are impacted by grieving too so I might recommend finding a way to have a family ceremony of some kind so everyone can express (age appropriate) feelings around the loss. It will help your son process his feelings and afford him the ability to make sense out of why dad is acting different. This is an opportunity to teach your son about grieving loss...if you do have future pets and your son experiences loss, he'll have this time to draw from on how to lean on others for support and grieve in a healthy way (sucking it up is not healthy). Just thinking this loss has greater meaning and future impact for your son so you have an opportunity to model good things here. Also modeling how to support others in grieving is good for him I think.

This isn't depression...this is grieving and there are many stages that take awhile. It might take your husband a few months to complete the grieving process or longer. I'm not saying he'll miss a ton of work, but for now, he's too sad to work. He's overcome with grief and it probably doesn't help to feel alone in that grief...even if you don't say to him what you expressed here, people generally know when their loved ones understand or don't understand.

If you were going through an extreme heartbreak, wouldn't you want your husband to take over for awhile to give you time to grieve? Would pressure to hurry up in the healing process help you or become a negative thing stacked on top of what you were experiencing? The reason why being supportive emotionally is such a wonderful thing is because it helps the process of recovery and resiliency.

It's okay for you to recognize your limitations so maybe have a friend or family member help you out. This may "just be" a pet, but your family is experiencing the loss of a family member with impact right now, so having help so you aren't overwhelmed while your husband is grieving will help you not feel so tempted to wish him to hurry up or "suck it up".

I feel for your husband and I do understand where you are coming from, but I sort of think you need to suck it up and be the partner to your husband you would want him to be for you. If you don't, this could impact your relationship because your husband will have issues about your ability to be there for him and this will manifest over time. So do your relationship and your husband a favor and, this time, you be the one to suck it up. It doesn't sound like you are as emotionally impacted so it sounds like you are in a better position to do this...but do ask for help from others because no one should be alone to deal with everything.

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Are you being a jerk? I'm sure your husband thinks so, but I'm not sure I agree. I think men handle these things differently than women do. And perhaps you just handle the "circle of life" concept (death) better than your husband does.

I haven't faced this with my husband (although I will soon as we do have an ailing dog) but the guy who teaches across the hall from me went through this at the beginning of the school year. He lost his beloved dog and was in a total funk for two weeks. His students came to me wondering what was wrong and I had to explain things. THAT was fun...not! But, after those two weeks, he snapped out of it and returned to his normal, energetic upbeat self.

I think it's ok to tell him that his funk is affecting the family and he needs to manage it better. He needs to be aware of this. Yes, he's hurting but that's not an excuse or permission to inflict his hurt on the rest of you. He can grieve when your son is away at day care or asleep. As you said, he has to be able to function. A mature adult would recognize this and act accordingly. Sounds to me like he's acting very immaturely.

Oh! Just had this thought...I know he spent lots of time writing an obituary and email family and friends, but perhaps you could suggest that you, he and your son have a family funeral in the backyard for his dog. Plant a flower or a tree or set a memorial stone (something he and your son could make together). This funeral-of-sorts would mark the end of his public grieving. All future grieving would have to be done during won't-impact-the-family time. This would show your son that it's ok to grieve but that life does go on. It would also give your husband a "deadline" for your quiet tolerance of his behavior. Maybe he just needs the ritual? Again, just a thought.

Good luck!

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3 days is a bit soon. JUst go along with his program for a week. If you do not see him getting better in the next few days, then I would address it. Do not look for him just to pop back to routine. Right now just do what you have to do. Pretend he is on a business trip and mommy has to do everything. Slip him a note that says "I too mourn and feel for the lost of Lucy, but when you go back to work in a few days, takd this framed picture with you to know she is still with US in spirit". That way you are helping in a way, supporting in a way and making a point. I do want to say I am a person that feels an animal is an animal and when they reach the end of their life cycle, then that is the circle of the life cycle; BUT I do think I would let him grieve a bit longer. If you "attack" his grief it will just make the anger/grief feelings pair and it turn into something else. Sorry for the lost to your family.

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Well, your hubby has had the dog for a long time, and has had a relationship with it even before he had a relationship with you. It has been his faithful companion and has given him unconditional love and friendship. I have heard of people who are broken when they lose a pet, and perhaps your hubby doesn't really know how to express his sadness, other than to internalize it and perhaps feel sorry for himself because of the loss. Perhaps you can try to show your support for him by being a little more patient and suggesting that he get some help, maybe by calling the Help Line that might be available through your insurance (assuming ...).

That said, although I've had pets myself ranging from cats, snakes, dogs, to turtles, chickens and rabbits, I've never understood how people get so worked up when they lost a pet. My son and I had to make the decision to put one of our dogs down last year and although it was a tough call, and it was hard knowing that she wouldn't be around anymore, it wasn't like I was losing a human friend or relative. Like you said, it's a dog.

And at the risk of raising a hellstorm I'd like to say I don't understand why people are still so ticked off at Michael Vick even now after he's served the time. Seems to me that people get more upset about that than they do about children being abducted, molested and murdered, or just mistreated by some strung out parent. Why is that?

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There is something more emotional going on beside just losing the dog. There is an attachment issue either with the dog or the history behind the dog. The dog provided something that he probably cannot explain and so losing the dog he feels he has lost a part of himself. It is going to take time in any loss to "get over" the attachment. I am sure in time your husband will come around. You are anxious for him to "get over" it because life goes on for your family and you need him to step in and continue living.

I would suggest you give it about a couple weeks since there is a reminder every day that he is not able to connect with the dog he used to have. See if you can as his wife provide more loving and intimacy, communication and support and ask him if there is something you guys can do together that would help him fill the void. I doubt he needs a counselor right now, just some time. If he doesn't bounce back in about a month or so, then I would start considering counseling for what is really beneath his depression.

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Ah see I just read this THEN read the what happened, First thinking maybe a jerk then understanding, No you are not being a jerk you are frustrated you have to leave town you husband is unresponsive TOTally understand now. He needs to snap out of it

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I don't think you are being a jerk at all. I can see him grieving for a while but his level of grief is odd to me, he needs to go to work. I think he needs to snap out of it. He needs to be a father and husband and start living his life again.

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I feel bad for both of you loosing pets. Anyhow its ok that your husband was sad but now he has to pick himself up and get on with life.

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I have to say I'm with you. You may be a little harsh but you have small children. I had to put my dog down a few years ago that I had for 16 years. I bawled like a baby but I also had a small child that needed my attention. I still cried off and on when my son wasn't around but I was still a parent for my child. He's completely checking out. Yes, I agree that everyone grieves differently but what would happen if he was a single parent and was grieving this way. His children would be completely neglected. Maybe you need to sit him down one night and talk with him. Ask him if his dog would want him to neglect his children or would he want him to play with them like the dog enjoyed doing. Tell him it's still ok to grieve but he needs to set aside time to do so AFTER he has helped with the children. It was almost a year before we got another dog and I swear it's the same dog. Same breed, same weight and body build, even same manurism just different color. I'm sure he needs some time on getting another dog and it's ok to grieve the loss of his friend but he also has responsibilities as a father. There are ways of doing both.

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A good, male friend of ours lost his beloved pooch last year. He was a mess for about a full week. I'm sure he'll be fine soon enough. Just try to ignore it and he'll get past it. We are all different when it comes to grieving, that's for sure.
Patience is a virtue.

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I am a huge dog lover too - just adore ours even when he ruins a carpet etc. But I think your husband is pushing it by not even going to work. Fortunately it's New Year's so a holiday. Have you tried a ceremony for the dog at all? Something that maybe can draw a line in the sand that now it's time to go forward? That may help and then I'd give him another 2 days and after that, say enough. Easier said than done but there may be books on this topic too...

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Maybe your husband really was sick since you and your daughter were a few days later. Hope the situation gets better!

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We had a black lab that died while hubby was deployed. For three days I wasn't able to tell him. His grief didn't really hit until after he got home and there was no Brutus to snuggle up with. Yes he loves us and cherished the children but Brutus was his dog before we got married and was his first companion. He was 12.
He still did his daily duties, went to work, we made love, he bathed the children,. But there was a sadness for a while, maybe a couple weeks or so.
My hubby still can't let a black lab go by him without petting it.

Let hubby grieve. GIve him time. It's only been 3 days. Next week you can be hard on him.

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I don't think you are being a jerk. I just think you deal with grief differently then your husband. To him, the dog was part of the family-exactly like a family member-not just a dog as you put it. I think you need to have a heart to heart with him and ask him how you can help him get through his grief and support him. Tell him what you need from him and what the kids need from him. You may not get it, but at least you will have put it out there where he has a chance to respond and see what your talking about. Thats what I would do. As far as another pet, don't get one until you both are completely healed. This was a huge loss and grief takes a while to process. You can't put a limit or a number or time frame to your husband's grief-but you can ask him to help you in other ways so you don't feel like a single parent or that you are doing this all alone. One thing that helped me get through the multiple losses that I have had in my life is to schedule a time each day where I can grieve- I can cry, read, write, yell or whatever I need to do to release that grief. It really helps because when the feelings of sadness come up, I remember that ok, at X time I can deal with this feeling--- then I set the feeling aside til then and process it when X time comes. That way he can be a fully functioning father, husband and provider but still get what he needs too. Good luck to you and your family. I am truely sorry for your loss.

M.

Hello workinmom! Happy New year.

Stress can wreak a lot of havoc on our body. It depletes our cortisol, which is our stress hormone from the adrenal gland that helps us "cope" with life.
You'll notice when people get HIGH, HIGH stress from trauma or death of loved ones they get chronic back pain. That is because a person's cortisol is depleted. Low cortisol will affect the knees, hips and low back. Over-depression can also be caused by low cortisol.
Low cortisol, when it is very low, will give you a feeling of having the flu. (Dizzy, nausea, shakey, low body temp,aches and pains, depression, confusion)
It is possible he already had low functioning adrenals before the death and they are now too low to even function.

Some vitamin b liquid complex under the tounge can help support the nervous system.
LICORICE ROOT can help keep the cortisol he does make in his circulation longer. You can get liquid or powder. I buy the powder and mix in in milk (the high sodium content is benificial). However it should not be used longer than a few weeks without a saliva cortisol test and checking blood pressure. This herb increases blood pressure and should be used with caution. It should be taken as 1/4 t or less disolved in a liquid: at 8am, noon, and 3-4 pm. Do not take later than 4pm or you wont sleep well. Another option is to go get some 1% hydrocortisone cream from the store, the kind for skin rashes. Put a 1/8 t on his skin and rub in. Take note if he feels better after these helps. Again don't take it too late in the day.

Both LOW cortisol and HiGH cortisol can cause depression- they affect the thyroid. If ONGOING depression is an issue in the future, the adrenals and thyroid should be looked at by an endocrinologist.

Good luck and be well,

Gail

I think you need to talk to your husband more about the dog. It sounds like he's going through a mourning process and the more he talks about it, the better off he will be, and the better off you and your family will be. The time to talk about how the pet-owner relationship is different from the parent-child relationship is probably not now. Maybe in a few weeks. Talk to your husband about your happy memories of the dog, tell him "I know how much you loved him. He felt like part of the family." Involve your kids in the discussion if you can. I love my cats, and I would be sad if they died. Yes, we know it's not the same; and yes, we know it's perhaps slightly disproportionate to be this upset about the dog--but it's not like you can get him to change his feelings of sadness. You can, however, help him through what is a tough time. Telling him to snap out of it probably won't help. Talking probably will.

Taking (vacation/sick) days off from work for a dogs death (and it was expected - it's not like it was run over by a car) seems a bit much, but I've heard of some people taking a few days for a pets death so it's not unhead of. The week between Christmas and New Years is usually fairly slow at most work places so it's a great time to take off.
On the other hand, you can't set the time table on someone else grieving process. It's only been a few days.
I think you are both grieving in your own fashion and neither of you are having a lot of empathy over the others feelings.
If you're feeling overwhelmed with the kids, hire a sitter or have a relative have them for a few hours and take a break.

Can you use this as a learning opportunity for your son? Maybe you can do extra little things for your husband in the next few days, like bring him his coffee, give him hugs (group hugs), etc....

I don't think you should tell him he's depressed. As he says, he knows it and there is a reason. He doesn't seem to have the composure a lot of people would in this situation but maybe if his feelings are validated he can snap out of it a bit. From what you've said I might feel like you didn't understand if I were in his shoes.

You son is at the age where he will ask questions and probably repeat them over and over. In a situation like this it makes it extra hard. I hope someone is answering your sons questions, it probably woudl be best coming from your husband but I hope someone is.

His dog may have been his "Snoopy". Oh Boy, can you imagine when that day comes for Charlie Brown? I had a Golden Retriever I got right after my Mom passed away. She was my first dog and when she passed away it seemed like I lost not only the best dog I've ever had, but also a connection to my Mom. That said, I don't think I showed this around my daughter as your husband has and hopefully that will change.

Now isn't a good time to talk about getting another dog. That is a decision for another day unless someone is on the doorstep with a puppy. When the time is right for your family, I think you will know it.