GSDowner Posted November 21, 2010 Share Posted November 21, 2010 Well, this happens every time either of us householders go away. When I come back my dog does not recognise me at first and wags his tail at the person accompanying me. Then it looks like suddenly something clicks in his brain and his eyes look at me seeing me. He tentatively approaches me, than slowly starts wagging his tail before fully recognising me; bit still no enthusiasm. He acts aloof, avoids me for about a week and then goes back to his usual self. The same thing happens with my partner. I don't quite understand what is going on, as I always expect my dog to be full of joy on my return. I must admit I am a bit disappointed as I always think he will be missing me in my absence. Has anybody had that experience? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xKALIx Posted November 21, 2010 Share Posted November 21, 2010 Are you serious? Dogs don't think like people do... All he knows is that his pack are leaving him! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sheridan Posted November 21, 2010 Share Posted November 21, 2010 Indeed, I have learned not to go on holidays. I have staycations instead. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
corvus Posted November 21, 2010 Share Posted November 21, 2010 How long have you had him? I got lukewarm greetings from my Lappie for most of his first year. It took a while for him to really bond with us. Some fires burn slow. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Miss Squish Posted November 21, 2010 Share Posted November 21, 2010 One of my Shar Pei is like this when i go away, no reaction when I return, ignores me for days then all is back to normal. Im currently in NSW and get home tomorrow and I will be very surprised if I get any kind of happy greeting from her. My Pei are currently staying with Doler Ker (Thanks Ker ) and by the sounds of it they both have been very spoilt so I doubt she will even want to come home with me Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aussielover Posted November 21, 2010 Share Posted November 21, 2010 Where does he stay when you're away? I've just finished house-sitting a dog for 10 days. The owners reported the dog sulked and ignored them the day they came home. The dog still wanted to come home with me when we met at the park a day or so later. I think they take a bit of time adjusting to an owner change, even if it has only been for a few days Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Erny Posted November 21, 2010 Share Posted November 21, 2010 (edited) Dog's binocular vision is not as good as ours. They use scent and hearing more to identify us. If you speak to your dog and then once your dog gets the chance to scent you, then your dog more easily and quickly recognises you. Lol .... I have been in the office of the kennels where I do my Boarding/Training, when people have come to collect their dogs who have been kennelled there. The dogs come through to the office and if I'm the first person they get to, often they get all excited, until I say "wrong person" and they hear their owners speak. I cannot answer you as to why your dog isn't over the top excited to see you but I can suggest that what you describe as temporary "aloofness" at home may well be "quietness". It is quite normal for dogs to be very quiet for a couple of days or so, after coming from a stay at the kennels where they have been over stimulated. It is a good time to establish or re-establish your leadership when you have had a break away from your dog and just picked them up. Don't push the 'love' factor - that is more likely to only increase the "aloofness" factor you speak of. Ignore (just do what you need to do for the basic care), be the one to instigate contact, use NILIF principals and then see what happens. And don't worry - unless you beat your dog up your dog still 'loves' you. Edited November 21, 2010 by Erny Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fainty_girl Posted November 21, 2010 Share Posted November 21, 2010 A few years back everyone at my place went away for 5 weeks...at the time I only had Jessie and she had been a complete velcro dog with my mum since the day we adopted her...she has always shadowed my mum 24/7 and her behaviour is different around her too. When my family returned from their trip, Jessie didn't recognise my mum or dad and instead went straight to my brother (who she has always had a soft spot for), and then it clicked that her favourite person was home and she got very excited to see my mum. Since then my mum has gone away for another holiday and after a couple of weeks Jessie started shadowing me. I was always her least favourite family member, despite always feeding her dinner and exercising her the majority of the time, so I completely didn't expect her to shadow me. I will be very interested to see what Jessie will do when my mum returns...I am 100% expecting to be dumped by her immediately after she recognises my mum . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
persephone Posted November 21, 2010 Share Posted November 21, 2010 Sounds normal to me - 3 months is a long time! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wuffles Posted November 21, 2010 Share Posted November 21, 2010 A friend dogsat Satchmo at Christmas last year for a few weeks. She has a dog who Satch gets along really well with. Anyway, when we arrived to pick him up, we heard the dogs barking in the yard... our friend opened the doggie door, both dogs came tearing in and ran straight past us. 10 seconds later, our dog popped his head in the door, looked at us, wagged his tail then ran off again to play with his friend He then sulked for about a week when he got home and readjusted to being by himself during the day. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rastus_froggy Posted November 21, 2010 Share Posted November 21, 2010 Must say I have never experienced this, I have the exact opposite with one of my dogs. If I walk out the front door to go to the wheelie bin (about 6m from my door) then walk back inside she greets me like she hasn't seen me for months . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
corvus Posted November 21, 2010 Share Posted November 21, 2010 Sounds normal to me - 3 months is a long time! I left my corgi for 2 months 4 times a year when I was at uni. She was always over the moon to see me. I then went away for 6 months and she was desperately glad to see me again when I got home. I'm sure she thought I was dead, but she was very pleased to be proven wrong. Believe it or not, even the hare got excited. He kept watching me, quivering, trying to figure out if a person that looks and sounds and smells like someone he remembered was actually the same someone. Took him several days to convince himself enough to come and talk to me, but it was several days of an excited hare. The only time I've ever seen him like that since was recently when I got back from a 3 week holiday. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sheridan Posted November 21, 2010 Share Posted November 21, 2010 When I went overseas for three weeks some years ago, I would ring and ask how my dog was doing. Oh, he's fine! my mum would say. Then I'd get a call from my sister who'd say that he was in a sad decline to the extent where my name was not allowed to be mentioned because he'd go looking for me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Elsha_UK_AU Posted November 21, 2010 Share Posted November 21, 2010 We recently came back from 3 weeks in the UK, our 2 are 2 & 1 (in Dec this year) and we've had them from 1 and 10 weeks. When we came back they ran into our bedroom and then cowered low to the floor, then whined whilst their tails wagged and we picked them up for cuddles. They then slept on our bed but kept waking us up as they were licking our faces... guess they were happy to see us Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mr.mister Posted November 21, 2010 Share Posted November 21, 2010 When a trainer minded our old BC for two weeks, when we came to pick him up, he'd heard and recognised the sound of our car engine and was attempting to force the garage door open. But really, if you consider the difference in timespan for dogs and humans, 3 months is a hell of a long time for a dog. I would say it was just readjusting to its surroundings. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kynta Posted November 21, 2010 Share Posted November 21, 2010 I had a Dobe girl who used to be very aloof whenever I left her but the Dobe boy was the complete opposite and was very excited to see me on my return. My friend had a Staffy X who would always somehow show up at my house (half hour's drive from her house) whenever my friend went away. It didn't matter what her other half did to try to keep the dog home - I figured he was just looking for his master. He was always over the moon when my friend got home. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sas Posted November 21, 2010 Share Posted November 21, 2010 I must admit I am a bit disappointed as I always think he will be missing me in my absence. Don't flatter yourself. Dogs don't think like that - 3 months is a long time, when we re-home dogs they are well and truely settled into their new homes within that time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jacqui835 Posted November 21, 2010 Share Posted November 21, 2010 Sounds normal to me - 3 months is a long time! My dog has only seen my brother a few times in his life (2-3 times, 6+ months apart), but every time he does he's ecstatic. We're always surprised he can even remember him, but on sight/smell/sound he instantly recognises him. He brings a different girl every time and the dog doesn't give her the time of day, but he's always all over my brother. I don't know what's normal, my dog nearly dies when I get home after being away for the day, like I mean shaking, jumping (he knows I won't tolerate being jumped on so he ends up on the walls), I guess like people, dogs are just different. Some are more demonstrative. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
halfthewords Posted November 21, 2010 Share Posted November 21, 2010 I can't go to get petrol without coming home to a welcome like I've been away for YEARS! The Min Pins tended to snub us during our annual holiday to Queensland, but the Bichons were always glad to see us. I haven't been away for longer than 2 days since I got Carl (3 years - due to his fear aggression) and he is hysterical whenever I get in. I hate being away from the dogs anyway! I have a friend visiting from the U.S. for a month while I am housesitting, and I anticipate this will be one person he likes. Apart from my ex-boyfriend, who he absolutely adores. I'm glad we're on a good basis so Carl still gets playdates! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
raz Posted November 21, 2010 Share Posted November 21, 2010 I'm sure she thought I was dead, but she was very pleased to be proven wrong. Errr unlikely. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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