advice for Nanook

[chowkidz]

Ok we have never been in this situation before so i need to ask for help. We aren't sure what to do to help Nanook. Most of the time he was Jade's shadow. I always said he would follow her to the edge of the earth and then she would step aside and push him. I know she loved him but he was till the pain in the butt lil bro. Two days after we lost Jade we had to leave Nook for a few hours. When we came home he was howling, he has never done that before. So daddy took him to work on Monday. I was home on Tuesday. He was by himself on Wednesday. Yesterday and today he went to work w/ daddy again. Then for the next two weeks we will be in a strange house but with family he knows. So needless to say after 3 weeks of total confusion and insanity i am not sure what would be best to do when we get home. I posted another subject asking about fostering (too soon)
Nanook has never been alone until that Wednesday. For the last 6 years he has had Jade by his side. Should we sit back and wait to see what happens? My fear is he will become withdrawn. Has anyone gone thru this? I know not all chows are alike and i don't expect Nanook to do what I think he is going to do. I just thought i could get to hear what others have experienced with this so we kinda know what to watch for.

Thanks

[ChowLady]

I did just answer the other post. I do think that Nanook is missing Jade and also is lonely being by himself as he has had Jade before for company. Maybe a new female chow would be some company for him. My big boy Koysta missed Catbalou when she got her wings. When we got Tiara and he was happy and then we got Quoncha and he gets on well with them all.
Kathy

[Victory]

You might not want to hear this; but like Kathy said you might need to look for a new female soon. When Darkwind crossed the bridge I thought I would have more time before considering getting a new boy, Firesong's behavior put the nip in that, she is a hyper girl always very alert and aware; but Darkwind helped her calm down, in the month between his passing and Dreamdancer's arrival she just grew worse and worse, to the point that she lunged at someone when we were walking, (normally she ignores humans) Dreamdancer came and she reverted back to the sweet, silly, hyper girl she is.

Unless you or hubby plan on being with Nanook 24/7 forever, he needs a new companion. Chows are actually quite family oriented and need the companionship of either a furred partner or a human to keep them from developing some very bad habits; howling is the first one, destroying things can quickly follow, and then it gets worse after that.

[jacqui]

oh Michelle,I remember when my Jade died at 7 years old.she was in surgery with stomach cancer and we had to let her go because it was all through her body.
Tiko was my male and he was 6 years old and he was Jades shadow.Jade protected him from everything as she was his boss.my poor Tiko was lost without his Jade.so after a few weeks the search was on. I was lucky to find my Chyna (from a breeder).
well,Tiko was not happy with me for about a week but he really fell in love with Chyna.I think they were soulmates.they had 4 very happy years together until my Tiko passed at 10 years old.I believe Chyna morns Tiko to this day.
sorry this is long but my point is I think Nanook would love a sister.

[Lisa_D]

I am so sorry for your loss of Jade.
I think you should get an friend for Nanook. Bear lost his best friend Taz and he got very upset. I know he mourned Taz. He knew he was ill and spent the whole day close to him the day before he passed. Bear was depressed I believe. Just laid around. He didn't want to play. I then got him a new friend and it wasn't very long after Taz passed that I did this because of how sad Bear was at the time. I believe they like to have a buddy around especially if they were used to having that company with them. I don't think Bear has the same type of relationship as he had with Taz as he does with Bluto because Taz was older than Bear and Bluto is younger but after the initial adjustment period Bear was back to his old self again. Even now if I mention Taz's name, his ears will perk up.
My thoughts are with you.

[Mia]

Getting a new companion for Nanook will also give your whole family something to concentrate on - making a new chow baby part of the family.

It would probably be good for all of you and help heal your hearts by giving so much of yourselves to save another chow baby and give him/her a new family to love.

[kingalls]

I think that getting a companion for Nanook would help heal your heart and Nanook's. It's never too soon to bring in another Chow to love.

[Chow Chow Mama]

We had the opposite at our house. Holden did not seem to mourn Tucker. He obviously noticed when I did not bring him home, but after the first day it was life as usual for Holden. I think the main reason he was like that was because Tucker was never with Holden, he was always off on his own somewhere. If you went into the room with him, he would usually leave. They never spent much time together and they never ever played together. I was fine with not getting another furkid for a while, but DH was just devastated. And he stayed that way until I brought Hannah home. Hannah has healed DH's heart in a way that I couldn't. And she's even squirmed her way into Holden's but he would never admit it I think you should get another sister for Nanook if he is behaving this way. It will heal his heart and both of yours.