This may be an unpopular answer, but I don’t think dogs miss us a whole lot when we’re not home.

My canine is rarely home alone during the average day. When he is, he just sleeps.

I don’t believe he thinks much about me at all. I don’t believe he sits and pines over me or wonders “When is she coming back?” Or, “What am I going to do?”

He knows I’m coming back, and that is the routine. like me, my canine finds comfort in routine.

But when the routine is different, my canine does seem to feel anxious.

Packing for a trip … loading the automobile …

And in some cases (usually), he whines in these situations because, I assume, he doesn’t know if he gets to go along. He doesn’t know what the routine is.

What about when we leave our animals with a sitter or at a boarding kennel?

I’ve worked in the pet boarding/pet sitting/dog walking industry because 1999, and I have not seen much evidence of dogs missing their owners. (This doesn’t imply they don’t miss their owners. They just don’t show it.)

Most dogs adapt within a few hours, especially if they’re put on a routine – walking at this time, eating at this time – and given calm affection and rules.

I’ve had the opportunity to see this from numerous angles – dogs getting dropped off at a large boarding kennel where I worked, dogs getting dropped off at my house and owners leaving their dogs at their own homes for me (the pet sitter) to látogatás.

Routine and calm consistency are essential in all these situations.

Still, just because a canine accepts the current situation and is having a terrific time playing with other dogs or even just lunging around in a kennel, it doesn’t imply he’s not thinking about his owners. It doesn’t imply he does not miss his owners.

Why wouldn’t he be thinking about them? and missing them?

Don’t we miss our homes and routines when we go on vacation, even while having a terrific time? I do.

But, my point of view as a petcare company is that dogs typically don’t fret about us too much, especially if the pet sitter gives them treats or if the boarding kennel has a cute cocker spaniel to play with.

Sure, our dogs might miss us a bit while we’re gone. We like to think they do, at least, but we typically beat ourselves up too much about leaving in the first place. This isn’t necessary.

Find a terrific kennel. find a terrific pet sitter. Your canine will be OK.

What do the rest of you think?

Does your canine seem to miss you when you travel?

*Photo of Ace by Tawna.

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