I certainly felt the energy of my cat around the apartment for several weeks after he died, and I don't think it's a stretch to think they might linger for a while, making sure we can handle ourselves. The bond between a good owner and their pet is pretty strong -- not hard to imagine it stretches for a long time before it breaks!

On the other hand, maybe the other dog was barking because he was not there, where he was supposed to be, and she missed his energy.

You'll know what explanation is true to you! (And I'm sorry for your loss.)

First, I am sorry for your loss. Take your time to grieve and be open to the things you are experiencing.

Secondly, I am still "hearing" my old gal's nails on the hardwood. I "hear" her on the steps that she once had so much trouble doing in the last few months of her life. I find myself listening for her to start up the steps, and I have actually walked to the landing once or twice to make sure she had assistance?

We all feel her presence in a way where you look to give her a piece of your banana, or watch where you are stepping so as to sort of step over her or not trip and fall:)).

I picked up her ashes from the vet last Monday, and the "feeling and hearing" has gotten stronger since then. I don't believe in spirits in the scary sort of way. I do believe that her spirit is still with me and will be until I am ready to let it go. I am also very open to the notion that she may be "around" in spirit.

My other 2 dogs act oddly at times. Who knows? I find it comforting - it doesn't upset me the way it did the first week after I had to put her down.

I almost don't want to scatter her ashes for fear she will be totally gone - no sounds, no feelings.

There was recently a thread about this very topic here on pet forum, you may want to check it out.

It's actually a very common phenomena to dream about, "feel" or even "see" a person or pet after they have died. My personal interpretation: we see what we want to see. Our feelings create in us a need to experience what isn't really there. I would call it a pyschological "ghost".

I agree with the other two posts. I have felt, heard and seen my dog Tara who I lost last January many times. It gives me a huge amount of comfort to know she is still with me.

One thing that I find interesting is the behavior my pup has who replaced Tara. There are many things that she does the same as Tara did. I have talked to others who have replaced a lost pet and they say the same thing so it's not just my imagination.

On a similar subject, I also have entities visit me, just to be mischievous. One day the dishwasher door flew open and shut while I was standing next to it. Another day, a picture flew off the wall. When I am in potential danger, I hear a voice to tell me to go another way when driving or walking, I always do. The list goes on and on.

SG

We lost my 'soul cat' in August 4 years ago, it tore my heart in two. Timmy had a favorite toy, we called him worm, that he kept with him nearly all the time, he loved carrying worm around and often deposited him in the food bowl and near the water bowl. After Tim died I looked for Worm, intending to bury him with his best buddy. I could not find him anywhere.

Last April we added 2 kittens to our home, we had a one year old kitten and an 18 year old who was ill so we wanted the kitten to have some playmates. A few months after bringing them home I awoke one morning and put my foot on something familiar as I got out of bed....it was worm. Since then there have been too many things that Bob (the kitten) does that mimic Timmy, a cat he never met...and then there are the eyes, they look directly into my soul, just as Tim's did.

A dear friend of mine moved into a senior apartment house and was unable to take her beloved Spooky with her, we adopted him when he was 15, he lived for another 5 years with us. A few years after Spooky's passing I was talking to her on the phone when she told me that she had seen him on 3 occassions. Lying on a kitchen chair, walking thru the living room and finally sitting on the foot of her bed. She felt that he had come for her......she died a few days later.

labmomma, (and anyone else interested), when I had to put my sweet Taco to sleep, I had her cremated and got a memorial necklace. Some people think it is weird, but I have not taken it off since I got it. Having just a bit of her ashes with me all the time is comforting somehow. Link from a post mentioning it, with a place to purchase is below.

Here is a link that might be useful: clicky

weed - Thanks for the link. I am debating. In 2001 when my first lab passed we had him cremated and ashes put into an urn by a family member who is a funeral director. We kept some of the ashes aside to spread in the places he loved most. The ashes to be spread are still sitting in the stereo cabinet. We talk about doing it, but never actually get up and do it.

I think with my old gal I am going to scatter them this week. Her favorite thing in the hot weather was to sneak off to the creek for a swim. She'd stay in for hours. Last summer she would get in and just stand in the running water. Believe me, it took her alot of effort for her to even get into the creek. I've decided that's where I want her remains to go.(at least most of her ashes). I think it will help me to set her free in a place she loved most.

I will check out the link for the bit of ashes I plan to keep.

A friend of mine just had to put his dog down a few days ago. He and his daughter blew up two regular balloons and wrote the dog's nicknames on them, just as a little memorial to him.

The next morning the two balloons were sitting on the floor in one of the two favorite spots the dog liked to sit in. The following morning they were in the other favorite spot.

I've been away from the boards for a little while - Labmomma sorry to hear about old gal. I'm sure scattering her ashes in her favorite stream will be very fitting.

Sher

I am sorry for your loss. I belive they are as close as the air you breath, you can't see air. I know both animal and human friends have communicated with me after passing. It gives me great comfort to know nothing is gone just changed.

I'm not sure I believe, but I would like to . For more stories and support, I suggest you visit a website called "Petloss". You'll find many other people there who love animals.

I know what you are feeling. I too had an experience. We had a Lhasa Apso named Tidbit for 16 years. We had to put him down due to kidney failure.
After he passed, I would still hear him barking, or scratching on the door to come in.
The kids got me a Lhasa puppy that looks just like Tidbit, and we call him Tibby. He acts and does things just like Tidbit!!!
Also we had a cat adopt us when we first moved to the country and my son named him Cletus. Cletus was the coolest cat! He would ride around on your shoulders, and loved to ride on the tractor. Well, sadly, he got run over. A couple weeks later, a kitten that looks just like him kept coming around. This kitten was just like Cletus! We only had him a few weeks, as he got very sick and died.
I know that my pets were letting me know that all was well.

We got two kittens 18 years ago,a brother and sister.
The male (Dusty) was my baby. My husband joked that the cat really thought that I was his Mother. He was constantly in my lap and crawling up as close to my face as he could anytime I was sitting down. His sister was the "aloof" one and never wanted to be petted except at bedtime.
The day after Dusty left us his sister climbed up in my lap and got as close as she could to my face just as Dusty always did. She has continued this for over a year now.
Coincidence? I don't think so.