Althouse: You see how happy your dog is to see you when you get home.

December 31, 2014

You see how happy your dog is to see you when you get home.

But you don't see how sad he is when you are away.

36 comments:

Anonymous said...: Sad video, but obviously this is not the norm...at least with a dog that has been through some level of training.; 12/31/14, 1:25 PM
Michael K said...: My labrador would chew holes in the walls when left alone. That is a very common reaction to being left alone. Especially big dogs.

When it was just me and Winston, my basset hound, he would stay alone sometimes for 12 hours in a small condo without chewing or going potty. Bassets are very phlegmatic dogs.; 12/31/14, 1:53 PM
Anonymous said...: Get another dog, or at least dog door.; 12/31/14, 1:58 PM
Original Mike said...: If you want to be happy, you've got to be sad too. That's the way it works (don't know why, but it is).; 12/31/14, 2:01 PM
furious_a said...: Best part of the day is the circling, wiggling Happy Dance my beagles perform when I come home from work.; 12/31/14, 2:02 PM
I Callahan said...: Get another dog

Yeah, just dump him instead of actually fixing the issue. Anyone wonder why shelters around the country are full? It's that attitude.; 12/31/14, 2:08 PM
traditionalguy said...: That's nothing. Did you hear of Greyfriars Bobby?; 12/31/14, 2:12 PM
Paco Wové said...: I assume SOJO meant "get an additional dog".; 12/31/14, 2:21 PM
Charlie Currie said...: He's pissed and broken hearted at once again being left to fold a put away the laundry and make the bed on his own.; 12/31/14, 2:22 PM
AmPowerBlog said...: No one likes to be left alone.; 12/31/14, 2:33 PM
rhhardin said...: Mostly they sleep.; 12/31/14, 2:39 PM
traditionalguy said...: A Loner's got to be alone.; 12/31/14, 2:40 PM
mikee said...: Our first dog was a Lab mix. We thought he wasn't quite right in his head for his first two years with us. He was manic all the time. No amount of exercise calmed him.

We were debating sending him off to the big backyard in the sky, when we got our second dog, a rather hyper mini Aussie.

She immediately asserted dominance over our Lab, despite his outweighing her by 3 to 1. Then she led him a merry chase all over our yard. All day, every day.

At night he would gladly run inside to sleep alone and quietly in the laundry room.

We got a 3rd dog the next year. Pack dynamics became complex and continue to this day to evolve and change. Very interesting and very different from having one or two dogs. Now the alpha female competes for attention from me versus my wife, the ultra alpha female in our home.

Get another dog if yours is unhappy. Better yet, get two.; 12/31/14, 2:44 PM
Meade said...: My first suggestion would be to get a crate — the right size with a comfortable bed in it — cover the crate with sheets to create a closed den-like space with an open door. Most dogs feel safer in the "cave" with one opening than on a sofa in a big open room with lots of windows and doors into other rooms with windows.

In families with teenagers, everyone benefits from the kid having a room of his own — a safe place for retreat. Similarly, a crate can serve as a safe private space for a dog.

If the dog in the video truly has separation anxiety, there are a couple of simple techniques that will retrain the owner out of his bad contributing habits restoring the dog's emotional balance and sense of security. Adding another dog might help. But without some changes in the owners habits, it might also only mean that he then has two dogs with separation anxiety instead of just one.; 12/31/14, 3:17 PM
jimbino said...: It would be much better to own a woman. In my experience, no matter how much she misses me, she won't pee on the carpet. I admit, however, that I haven't yet hung a camera on her.; 12/31/14, 3:17 PM
Anonymous said...: @paco

Yes, yes I did, thank you. Dog needs a buddy.; 12/31/14, 3:21 PM
Anonymous said...: You don't tend to have this problem when you just eat your dog.; 12/31/14, 3:24 PM
Gahrie said...: Yeah, just dump him instead of actually fixing the issue. Anyone wonder why shelters around the country are full? It's that attitude.

I believe he was saying get the first dog a companion, not ditch the first dog.; 12/31/14, 3:30 PM
Carol said...: My ex shut his sheltie up in a kennel when he left every day, and Dobie cried like that. I heard him but the ex did not want to know about it.; 12/31/14, 3:35 PM
Greg Hlatky said...: My wife can leave Dutch at the set-up at a dog show without any problem. His sister Aida will scream the place down the second my wife is out of sight there.; 12/31/14, 3:46 PM
Curious George said...: My cat cries when I leave the house. I work from home so he's used to me here. I'm sure it lasts just a minute or so and then he's off doing what cats do best...nap.; 12/31/14, 3:53 PM
m stone said...: Meade is actually right about the crate from my experience. Not sure about covering it to create a cave though. Lots of air and a view, even sounds for stimulus.

It is best to introduce your dog to the crate at the beginning and keep him there at night unless you absolutely like saliva on your face when you wake up. We had two whippets in one large crate and a German short-hair pointer in a second next to them.
Depends on the breed and temperament too.; 12/31/14, 4:28 PM
CStanley said...: But without some changes in the owners habits,

And usually the hardest change for people to make is to STOP encouraging the dog to jump up and down with excitement when owner arrives home. People understand that they should be low key when leaving, but they have a hard time accepting that the manic reactions when they come home also reinforce separation anxiety. People also hate to give up the positive reinforcement that THEY receive when they come home, but if you want to do what is best for the dog you should give up the emotional gratification of a jubilant greeting.; 12/31/14, 5:10 PM
Fandor said...: Just one more life to feel guilty about, right?

They are not "pets".

Dogs and cats are creatures with feelings.
They're part of the family.

We have a responsibility to them once they're "adopted".; 12/31/14, 6:22 PM
David said...: Depends on the dog. And how it is socialized, although some seem to have trouble with being left alone no matter what you do. My dog does not, fortunately. A good bit of it does have to do with how YOU act when you leave and when you come home. If the dog is panicked or unhappy when you are gone, you do have a responsibility to find a way to resolve the problem.; 12/31/14, 9:08 PM
Guildofcannonballs said...: Barnett stops when the ball goes into the road. I had to stop play and admonish him numerous times, always adamant and genuine.

"DON'T GO IN THE ROAD. DO NOT GO INTO THE ROAD BARNETT!"

Good boys don't go in the road Barnett I would think and exude so often he picked it up.

Now, I wonder whether he gets tired and nudges the ball into the road so as so get a break from the Chuck-It action...; 12/31/14, 9:44 PM
Guildofcannonballs said...: "so as so" is better, as per usual regarding my "mistakes," but what was intended was "so as to."

I am finding my way, Finding Way O' Mine.; 12/31/14, 9:49 PM
Guildofcannonballs said...: More on track, I think I just saw in Scary Movie 2, the best line to ever have been a line in all (American) film; I am fine I had me as a {pay the Wayons to see}.; 12/31/14, 9:59 PM
Guildofcannonballs said...: FWOM we can register properly and prohibit further thought; sure.

No more hours billable in law terms (aka legalese aka paymebitch) but FWOM has staying power far beyond its critics.

There is that.

To them, indeed, there will always be that.

Finding Way O' Mine.; 12/31/14, 11:01 PM
Guildofcannonballs said...: Okay okay $662 M is cool.

But what do in-the-know insiders need to murder to make their kill regret being born so FUCKING weak.

MORE.

$663 M.

Or..... Perhaps how about ceterus parabis we declaim $664 M or even........ By God even $665 M We'll give up....

How about that?; 1/1/15, 12:09 AM
Guildofcannonballs said...: There, and I am talking about humanity's history here, lacks words for how unBuckleyesquness we are, and sadly, apparently shall remain so.

So.

So.; 1/1/15, 12:29 AM
Coconuss Network said...: I usually leave the pup no more than 3-4 hours if it's an absolute necessity that I be gone. Otherwise the lil pup goes to the neighbor to play with their pup. Generally speaking, I'm not away from home more than say 2 hours at a time. And yep, she's over the moon to see me back home. Not good for a pet to be alone more than 4 hours. They can get very anxious.; 1/1/15, 12:37 AM
tim maguire said...: That dog looks very sad. Can't the government do something about this?; 1/1/15, 6:06 AM
Ann Althouse said...: Is the dog that sad? The man slips out quietly, then the dog has to do his own investigation to figure out that he is indeed alone in the house. This is a rather frenzied search of the premises, but once it is done, a couple minutes later, he gets on the bed and (presumably) sleeps through the day.; 1/1/15, 7:13 AM
Meade said...: LOL @ tim maguire.; 1/1/15, 9:12 AM
CStanley said...: @Tim and Meade: now we know the subject of the Julia sequel!; 1/1/15, 11:17 AM