loss of a pet.

ragesoss, Flickr Amy D. Shojai is a certified animal behavior consultant and the award-winning author of 23 pet care books, including "Complete Kitten Care" and "Complete Care for Your Aging Dog." We love to talk about our cats and dogs, show off cute pictures and brag how smart and clever our pets are. Even when we complain about stepping barefoot on nasty hairballs or cleaning up puppy potty accidents, we do so with affection. But unless friends share our furry passion, dog and cat conversations often raise eyebrows or spark disbelief about our pet devotion. Here are eight things friends often don't "get" about our relationship with our cats and dogs. 1. No matter what, dogs have to ...

Gilles Bensimon/Cesar's Way Magazine The "Dog Whisperer" Cesar Millan is mourning the death of his cherished pit bull, Daddy, who passed away on Feb. 19 at the age of 16. He died peacefully surrounded by the family that loved him: Millan, his wife Ilusion and their young sons, Andre and Calvin. Daddy was a familiar face on Millan's show, "The Dog Whisperer" on the National Geographic Channel, where his calm-submissive presence set an example for troubled canines and their owners seeking help. Daddy, the gentlest of pit bulls, was "one of the most loyal, trusting, well-balanced, and influential pit bull ambassadors the world has ever known," states a memorial on Millan's Web ...

Flickr/nicholaskennedy Saying goodbye to a beloved pet can be difficult. Many of those who have experienced the death of a pet compare it to losing a family member. Animals provide emotional support, companionship, and unconditional love to their owners, so when they pass away, feelings of sorrow and expressions of grief are normal and should be expected. Accept your feelings People often feel that the death of a pet is somehow insignificant or less important than the death of a loved one. Comments such as, "Oh, he just lost his dog" are common. When coping with a pet's death, however, you must acknowledge the deep grief and profound sense off loss that you feel. Coming home to a quiet ...