The Queen’s beloved corgis will feel the loss of the monarch, and may even display signs of depression following her death, according to a dog expert.
John Smith, dog expert and founder of pet personalisation product website Yappy, said while dogs do not understand the concept of death, the canines could still feel the loss of their owner being gone.
Though dogs don’t grieve death in the sense that human do, they can suffer feelings of loss and emotional despair which can be seen in abandoned dogs, according to the expert.
‘These feelings can lend themselves to common and often devastating symptoms, such as whining, pacing, howling, loss of appetite, fidgeting, broken sleep patterns, anxiety, and lethargy,’ said Mr. Smith.
‘The corgis won’t fully understand the extent of the Queen’s death, but they are very intuitive and will understand the emotion of missing someone that’s no longer there,’ he explained.
‘Just like humans, some dogs can become depressed’.
It was announced that the Duke of York and Sarah, Duchess of York are to look after the Queen’s beloved corgis, Muick and Sandy, who even made an appearance at the Windsor Castle quadrangle during her funeral on Monday.
Mr. Smith recommended implementing a similar routine to the one they were in with the Queen as it gives them a sense of familiarity ‘in a time when everything around them is uncertain’ and to give them extra attention and distracts them as much as possible with walks, games or cuddles.
He added: ‘Due to their independent nature, it may take some time for them to adapt to their new life with Prince Andrew.
‘It will be a very unsettling time for the corgis, and they may become anxious and find it difficult to trust those around them.
‘However, although they can be a little territorial in the home, they will eventually start to feel at ease with their new surroundings.’
