Illustration of a dog looking out a window with text about what dogs go through in the 72 hours after their human passes.

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What Dogs Go Through In The 72 Hours After Their Human Passes, As Revealed By A Viral Video

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We often call dogs our best friends—but to them, we are everything. A recent post by Selftrue.Journey showcases a powerful new perspective on this unshakable bond, revealing what dogs experience in the 72 hours following the death of their human companion. And honestly, it’s impossible to read without feeling a tug at your soul.

According to canine behavior experts, dogs grieve deeply—often waiting by the door, sleeping on their person’s belongings, or refusing to eat. But what’s truly astonishing is how their loyalty doesn’t just remain—it intensifies in their human’s absence. Some dogs have even been known to howl or whimper at the faintest scent of their person, as if still calling out in hope.

Without further ado, scroll down to discover what recent studies reveal and gain deeper insight into how our furry companions mourn, based on behavior observed by scientists.

More info: Instagram | youtube.com | tiktok.com

Illustration of a dog lying down with text about what dogs go through after their human passes away.

Image credits: selftrue.journey

We reached out to the author of the video and asked them to share the inspiration behind it. First, we wanted to know what was the most moving fact they discovered about how dogs grieve during the creation process. Here’s what they shared: “What really struck me was how deeply dogs actually grieve. I’ve seen it in real life before, dogs hiding, refusing to eat, or even disappearing completely after losing their person. At the time, I thought those were just isolated cases or strange coincidences. But when I started to research it more and saw the patterns, the numbers, and the stories… it was overwhelming. It made me realize it’s not rare at all, this grief is real, and it’s powerful.”

Illustration of a dog lying down with shadow of a human figure, highlighting dogs understanding absence after human passes.

Image credits: selftrue.journey

Illustration of a dog lying down with a human shadow, representing what dogs go through after their human passes.

Image credits: selftrue.journey

Next, the viral video creator shared their thoughts on how we, as humans, can begin to grasp the depth of our dogs’ attachment to us: “I think most people feel it emotionally, but we still underestimate it. Their world revolves around us. We are everything to them. And their love, it’s not just loyalty. It’s grief, it’s longing, it’s heartbreak when we’re gone.”

Dog sitting by a window at night, illustrating what dogs go through in the 72 hours after their human passes.

Image credits: selftrue.journey

Silhouette of a dog sitting outside a house with shoes floating above, showing what dogs go through after loss.

Image credits: selftrue.journey

When asked about the role of storytelling and media in shaping empathy toward animals and their emotional lives, the person behind the reel responded: “Stories are how we connect. When we share these emotional truths through videos or posts, it opens people’s hearts. It makes them stop and feel,maybe even understand animals a little better.”

Silhouette of a dog sitting outside a house with floating shoes above, depicting what dogs go through after their human passes.

Image credits: selftrue.journey

Silhouette of a dog sitting outside a blue house at night, surrounded by floating shoes, highlighting dogs after their human passes.

Image credits: selftrue.journey

Finally, we asked whether the creator plans to explore the emotional lives of other animals in future videos—and they shared their thoughts on expanding beyond dogs: “I’ve always been especially drawn to dogs, but my audience has been asking a lot about cats too. They’re different from dogs, more independent, but still incredibly emotional in their own way. I haven’t gone deep into research about cats yet, but it’s something I want to explore. So yes, if there’s interest, I’d be happy to keep going and make this bigger, with more animals and more stories.”

A lone dog sitting in a dim hallway with paw prints, representing what dogs go through after their human passes.

Image credits: selftrue.journey

A small dog sitting alone in a dimly lit hallway with paw prints trailing behind, showing dog emotions after loss.

Image credits: selftrue.journey

Illustration showing a person and a dog on the floor, depicting what dogs go through in the 72 hours after loss.

Image credits: selftrue.journey

Illustration showing a person and a dog with text highlighting what dogs go through after their human passes.

Image credits: selftrue.journey

Illustration showing a person sitting near a lying black dog with text about what dogs go through stages.

Image credits: selftrue.journey

Person sitting quietly next to a black dog, illustrating what dogs go through in the 72 hours after their human passes.

Image credits: selftrue.journey

Sleeping dog alone on a chair in a dark room, symbolizing what dogs go through after their human passes away.

Image credits: selftrue.journey

Sleeping dog on a chair during the first hours illustrating what dogs go through after their human passes

Image credits: selftrue.journey

Illustration of a dog looking up at a starry hand, symbolizing what dogs go through in the 72 hours after their human passes.

Image credits: selftrue.journey

Illustration of a dog reaching toward a hand in a starry night sky, depicting dogs' emotions after their human passes.

Image credits: selftrue.journey

A dog sits quietly in a dark room, facing an open door with light, depicting what dogs go through after their human passes.

Image credits: selftrue.journey

A dog sitting alone in a dim room facing an open door, symbolizing what dogs go through after their human passes.

Image credits: selftrue.journey

Dog sitting alone in a dark room by an open door, representing what dogs go through after their human passes.

Image credits: selftrue.journey

Illustration of a dog tracing the energy of its human in a hallway, depicting what dogs go through after their human passes.

Image credits: selftrue.journey

Animated scene of a dog following a tangled path in a hallway, illustrating what dogs go through after their human passes.

Image credits: selftrue.journey

Silhouette of a dog in a dark hallway with a figure walking away, illustrating what dogs go through after their human passes.

Image credits: selftrue.journey

Animated white dog sitting on a pile of clothes in a blue room, reflecting what dogs go through after their human passes.

Image credits: selftrue.journey

Small dog sitting on a pile of clothing in a blue room depicting what dogs go through after their human passes away.

Image credits: selftrue.journey

Illustration of a dog sitting on a pile of clothes in a blue room, showing what dogs go through after their human passes.

Image credits: selftrue.journey

Illustration of a dog resting on a pile of clothes, symbolizing what dogs experience after their human passes away.

Image credits: selftrue.journey

Illustration of a dog sitting by an open door with clocks on the wall, showing what dogs go through after their human passes.

Image credits: selftrue.journey

A white dog sitting in a dark doorway surrounded by clocks, illustrating what dogs go through after their human passes.

Image credits: selftrue.journey

A dog sitting silently in a dark doorway surrounded by clocks, depicting what dogs go through after their human passes.

Image credits: selftrue.journey

Animated dog sitting indoors looking out a window at a person walking outside during nighttime, illustrating dogs' emotions.

Image credits: selftrue.journey

Dog sitting by a window at night, looking at a human figure in the distance, reflecting what dogs go through after loss.

Image credits: selftrue.journey

Dog sitting by a window at night, looking outside while text shows skin cells left behind after their human passes.

Image credits: selftrue.journey

Silhouette of a dog in a dark forest following paw prints, illustrating what dogs go through after their human passes.

Image credits: selftrue.journey

Silhouette of a dog in a dark forest with glowing paw prints, symbolizing what dogs go through after their human passes.

Image credits: selftrue.journey

Silhouette of a dog walking in a dark forest with glowing paw prints, reflecting what dogs go through after their human passes.

Image credits: selftrue.journey

A dog walking alone in a dark forest leaving glowing paw prints, illustrating what dogs go through after their human passes.

Image credits: selftrue.journey

Illustration of a dog sitting in a house with floating objects, representing what dogs go through after their human passes.

Image credits: selftrue.journey

Animated dog sitting in a house at night, illustrating what dogs go through after their human passes.

Image credits: selftrue.journey

Illustration showing what dogs go through in the 72 hours after their human passes, with a dog standing in a hallway.

Image credits: selftrue.journey

Animated dog standing in a dark hallway with a glowing trail, illustrating what dogs go through after their human passes.

Image credits: selftrue.journey

Illustration of a dog standing in a dark hallway with a glowing trail, depicting what dogs go through after their human passes.

Image credits: selftrue.journey

Illustration of a dog looking out a window, capturing emotions dogs experience in the 72 hours after their human passes.

Image credits: selftrue.journey

Illustration of a dog looking out a window at a human figure, representing what dogs go through after their human passes.

Image credits: selftrue.journey

Illustration of a dog sitting by a window, looking out at a distant figure in the 72 hours after their human passes.

Image credits: selftrue.journey

Illustration of a dog looking out a window with text about what dogs go through in the 72 hours after their human passes.

Image credits: selftrue.journey

Illustration of a dog looking up at a glowing hand in the night sky, depicting what dogs go through after their human passes.

Image credits: selftrue.journey

Illustration of a dog looking up at a glowing hand in the night sky depicting what dogs go through after their human passes.

Image credits: selftrue.journey

Illustration of a dog looking up at a hand labeled favourite chair, depicting what dogs go through after their human passes.

Image credits: selftrue.journey

Illustration of a dog looking up at a glowing hand under a starry night, depicting dogs' emotions after their human passes.

Image credits: selftrue.journey

Sad dog lying on a bed at night illustrating what dogs go through in the 72 hours after their human passes.

Image credits: selftrue.journey

A sad dog lying on a bed at night, illustrating what dogs go through after their human passes away.

Image credits: selftrue.journey

Black dog sitting on a pile of clothes in a blue room, symbolizing what dogs go through after their human passes.

Image credits: selftrue.journey

Illustration of a dog sitting on a pile of clothes with text about dogs 72 hours after their human passes.

Image credits: selftrue.journey

Animated white dog sitting in a dark room with floating objects, illustrating what dogs go through after their human passes.

Image credits: selftrue.journey

Animated white dog sitting alone in a dark room representing what dogs go through after their human passes.

Image credits: selftrue.journey

Animated dog sitting in a dim room with collars hanging, illustrating what dogs go through after their human passes.

Image credits: selftrue.journey

Animated image of a white dog lying down at night near a dark figure, depicting what dogs go through after their human passes.

Image credits: selftrue.journey

Silhouette figure standing near a white dog lying down, illustrating what dogs go through after their human passes.

Image credits: selftrue.journey

Dark scene with a dog lying on a bed and a shadowy figure, depicting dogs’ behavior after their human passes.

Image credits: selftrue.journey

Dog sitting by an open door in a dark room, showing what dogs go through in the 72 hours after their human passes.

Image credits: selftrue.journey

A dog sitting alone in a dark room facing an open door, representing grief dogs experience after their human passes.

Image credits: selftrue.journey

Illustration of a dog sitting on clothes, looking up with text about the third day in the 72 hours after human passes.

Image credits: selftrue.journey

Illustration of a dog sitting on clothes with glowing stars above, representing what dogs go through after their human passes.

Image credits: selftrue.journey

Illustration of a dog sitting on clothes, symbolizing what dogs go through in the 72 hours after their human passes.

Image credits: selftrue.journey

Silhouette of a dog with glowing eyes walking on a path in a dark forest, showing what dogs go through after loss.

Image credits: selftrue.journey

A dog with glowing eyes in a dark forest illustrating protective instincts in the 72 hours after their human passes.

Image credits: selftrue.journey

Animated black dog with glowing eyes standing on a lonely path with paw prints, illustrating what dogs go through after loss.

Image credits: selftrue.journey

Illustration of a dog lying alone on a bed at night, symbolizing what dogs go through after their human passes.

Image credits: selftrue.journey

Sleeping dog beside grieving human on bed, illustrating what dogs go through in the 72 hours after their human passes.

Image credits: selftrue.journey

Illustration of a dog lying on a bed in a dark room, representing what dogs go through after their human passes away.

Image credits: selftrue.journey

Animated scene of a white dog sitting in a room with clocks on the wall symbolizing time after their human passes.

Image credits: selftrue.journey

Illustration of a dog in a room with clocks, symbolizing what dogs go through in the 72 hours after their human passes.

Image credits: selftrue.journey

Animated white dog sitting in a blue room with clocks on the walls, illustrating what dogs go through after their human passes.

Image credits: selftrue.journey

Animated dog sitting in a dim room with multiple clocks on the wall, depicting what dogs go through after their human passes.

Image credits: selftrue.journey

Illustration showing a person sitting quietly with a black dog, capturing what dogs go through after their human passes.

Image credits: selftrue.journey

Illustration of a person sitting on the floor next to a black dog, representing what dogs go through after their human passes.

Image credits: selftrue.journey

Illustration of a dog and a ghostly figure with text about what dogs go through after their human passes.

Image credits: selftrue.journey

A dog sitting on a windowsill at night, looking out as highlighted text shows love that dogs feel after loss.

Image credits: selftrue.journey

Illustration of a dog looking out a window at a ghostly figure, representing what dogs go through after their human passes.

Image credits: selftrue.journey

Illustration of a dog sitting by a window at night, capturing the presence and absence emotions after human loss.

Image credits: selftrue.journey

Illustration of a dog lying on a bed in a dark room, representing what dogs go through after their human passes.

Image credits: selftrue.journey

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I am a Brazilian digital artist who loves transforming imagination into hyper-real visuals. I work with artificial intelligence and image editing to create what I always wondered as a child: how would our favorite characters look in real life? Over time, many of my artworks have gone viral and were featured in international publications. I have recreated realistic versions of cartoon characters such as Disney and The Simpsons, imagined how celebrities who died young would look today, and even gave modern faces to historical figures like Mona Lisa or Shakespeare. Beyond entertainment, I created Para Não Esquecer, a social project that revisits memorable criminal cases in Brazil. My goal is to honor victims, keep memory alive and remind society that justice and empathy matter. I also write for Bored Panda, where I create articles featuring artists, photographers, rescue stories and feel-good moments from around the world. My work aims to highlight creativity, kindness and emotional storytelling. In everything I do, my purpose is the same: to touch hearts, evoke emotion and make people feel something real.

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My name is Gabriela, and I’m a Community Manager at Bored Panda. In real life, it means that every day, together with my team, I ensure that all the posts submitted by our creative pandas display their work in the best possible way. I'm always on the lookout for new artists who would like to join our community and share their content with a wide audience. In addition to that, I keep my finger on the community pulse and supervise its activity, ensuring that any problems our members experience on our website are promptly resolved.Before joining the Bored Panda team, I worked as a freelancer, offering my creative services to people around the world—starting with graphic design, photography, and finally videos. Now, I pursue these activities only as a hobby, capturing moments with my cats and documenting new places I visit during my travels.

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What do you think ?

POST

Tim Richards 9 months ago

Here I am four months after losing my bestest boi, and I don't feel like I've really moved on all that much. 13 and a half years will do that to you.

12points

Annabelle 9 months ago

❤️‍🩹

2points

Load More Replies...

Grumpy old man 4 months ago

It took 5 years to get over a JRT and I still cry for a rescue chihuahua. My current Chi is 14 but still acts 2

0points

Donna Peluda 9 months ago (edited)

Yea I feel for you my friend., my baby left last September, I miss her more then anything. I took her everywhere with me, work, pubs concerts. My best friend. 😢😢💔

0points

ExistentialSoup 9 months ago

I lost my dog in 2002 and I still am not completely over it.

0points

Kitty 🥀 9 months ago

How are we supposed to read this? I gave up halfway.

3points

Crystal M Premium 9 months ago

I didn't even try, I'm at work and just know it will wreck me.

1point

Load More Replies...

Blackmoon The Dragon 9 months ago

Amazing video, very emotional... great job :) The hardest part is the layout

3points

Grumpy old man 4 months ago

😭😭😭😭😭😭 I cant die until Theo does..15 years

0points

Jocelyn Webster 9 months ago

Ngl....I cried. I've watched every single animal I've had die. In my hands, or in my arms. So touching and so heart wrenching.

0points

Richard Ramirez 9 months ago

Beautiful translation, incredibly moving. It goes to say we as humans need to deserve them and their unconditional love, loyalty and dedication.

0points

Phoebe Bean 9 months ago

💔

0points

POST

Tim Richards 9 months ago

Here I am four months after losing my bestest boi, and I don't feel like I've really moved on all that much. 13 and a half years will do that to you.

12points

Annabelle 9 months ago

❤️‍🩹

2points

Load More Replies...

Grumpy old man 4 months ago

It took 5 years to get over a JRT and I still cry for a rescue chihuahua. My current Chi is 14 but still acts 2

0points

Donna Peluda 9 months ago (edited)

Yea I feel for you my friend., my baby left last September, I miss her more then anything. I took her everywhere with me, work, pubs concerts. My best friend. 😢😢💔

0points

ExistentialSoup 9 months ago

I lost my dog in 2002 and I still am not completely over it.

0points

Kitty 🥀 9 months ago

How are we supposed to read this? I gave up halfway.

3points

Crystal M Premium 9 months ago

I didn't even try, I'm at work and just know it will wreck me.

1point

Load More Replies...

Blackmoon The Dragon 9 months ago

Amazing video, very emotional... great job :) The hardest part is the layout

3points

Grumpy old man 4 months ago

😭😭😭😭😭😭 I cant die until Theo does..15 years

0points

Jocelyn Webster 9 months ago

Ngl....I cried. I've watched every single animal I've had die. In my hands, or in my arms. So touching and so heart wrenching.

0points

Richard Ramirez 9 months ago

Beautiful translation, incredibly moving. It goes to say we as humans need to deserve them and their unconditional love, loyalty and dedication.

0points

Phoebe Bean 9 months ago

💔

0points

What Dogs Go Through In The 72 Hours After Their Human Passes, As Revealed By A Viral Video

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