In a pack of dogs that live with humans, the dog who’s been in the family the longest is often the alpha—the most beloved by both dogs and humans. After all, they’ve been there longer and have shared more experiences with the other members of their multi-species family.
When that dog is nearing the end of their life, the other dogs can have mixed emotions. They’re afraid of what life will be like without their pack leader. They’re wondering where they’ll fit in once their leader is gone. They’re worried about what the future will hold.
Whenever I’m asked to speak with a dog that’s nearing the end of their life, I always ask to speak with the other animals in the family too. Here’s part of my conversation with a beta dog whose older sister (not by birth but by their place in the pack) is the alpha:
Tell my person that I’m a good dog too. Tell her that I know my sister is sick, and I know that everyone will be sad when she dies. Sister and I have already talked about it. She is teaching me how to be more like her, quieter and less jumpy. I play with her in the mornings to help her wake up, but I understand that she is sick, and I always remember to be gentle.
I love my sister, and I used to be jealous, but now I’m just worried about her. I know that I’ll be the only dog soon, and I’m not looking forward to it. I would like her to stay, but she says that her body is dying, and she won’t be able to stay for very much longer. She says that our person will get me a puppy to play with, but I’d rather have my sister.
I know it won’t be easy to let go, but we have to do it whether we want to or not. Please tell my human that I will take care of her when my sister can’t do it anymore. I never wanted to be the alpha dog; I only wanted to be loved as much as my sister was loved. Now, I know that there are different kinds of love. I realize now that I didn’t have to be the alpha to be loved.
I won’t be as good at being the alpha as my sister was. But I’ll do my best. I know that she’ll help me from the spirit world, and I know that even when I fail, my humans will still love me. I’m happy to understand that my place in the pack has nothing to do with how much I am loved. I will do my best to teach the new puppy that. It’s a sad time for all of us, but my sister would want us to take care of each other, and that’s what we’ll do, no matter how hard it is.
Our animal companions have a depth of emotion and understanding that we often don’t see. We stay so tangled up in our own experience that we fail to recognize theirs. If one of your animal family members is nearing the end of their life, I encourage you to contact an animal communicator you can trust and give everyone in your multi-species family the opportunity to share their thoughts and feelings.
To help you find a reputable animal communicator, I’ve included a page on my website of animal communicators I trust, along with links to their websites. It will give everyone in your multi-species family the understanding and closure they need.
