This is my handsome little (65 lbs at 6 months) puppy Scout. He's very sweet and loving, playful, smart, and minds very well 95% of the time. He knows numerous tricks, eagerly welcomes everyone to our home, and makes sure to include everyone in a game of fetch or tug-of-war. We adopted him when we was 6 weeks old and he easily adjusted from living in the dirt under some front porch steps in the summer heat to a simple little life of toys, air condition, and crate training.
During the first few weeks I drove back and forth from work 3-4 times a day to let him out of his kennel to run around, eat, and reinforce using the bathroom outside. As soon as B and I got off work Scout spent all evening out with us playing in the house or yard until he crashed at night. Usually B doesn't have to work on Fridays, so Scout had even more free time to roam around then. Gradually my trips home during the day dwindled to just lunchtime and that schedule continues to suite all parties pretty well. That is, until recently...
2.5 weeks ago Scout spent the night at the vet and got fixed. The next day is was a little less rambuncious than normal, but not by much. He recovered like a champ and proudly displayed his stitches to anyone kind enough to rub his belly. When B took him back to the vet last Friday he wasn't scared at all and tried to make friends with all the nervous animals in the waiting room. He's a very social puppy.
Saturday was the first Saturday in at least 7 months I think where B and I didn't have anything we HAD to do. To celebrate we stayed in pajamas all day (I did at least), watched movies and football, and were all around bums for the day. IT. WAS. BEYOND. WONDERFUL. Scout also enjoyed the leisurely schedule of nap, play, eat, nap some more. We were 3 happy campers.
Sunday I went to Sunday School and Brandon thought he was going to be called into work so he hung around the house with Scout for "bachelor time" as he calls it- haha. B's grandmother invited us to lunch at her house, and we decided we should leave Scout at home this time since we wouldn't be gone long. Well, I got him in his kennel and was telling him goodbye and that we'd be back soon (like I do all the time) and he laid his head down in his paws, sighed deeply, and wouldn't even look at me. Honestly the most pitiful thing he's ever done. I got B's attention and we changed our minds about leaving him behind. His pitiful skills worked well on us.
The rest of Sunday he was in his kennel maybe 3 hours from noon until 10pm...that time he didn't make a pitiful face. Pretty normal around our house. Then Monday morning when B tried to leave for work, Scout sat in front of the door and wouldn't move all the while giving the pitiful look. We got him to move enough for B to slip out the door and he immediately went to the window to watch B drove off. So I played fetch with him and we worked on some tricks with treats until it was time for me to go to work. I got the same pitiful look again. It was awful leaving him.
When I came back at lunch he was acting like his usual self again and I put a treat in his Kong before leaving and he didn't even notice I was gone. Last night he was his usual happy and playful self again. Then this morning he let B leave without any pitiful faces and was playing around until I put my boots on. I only did this because my feet were cold but he went crazy jumping all over the place and barking. I stood still and ignored him until he settled down a minute later then told him I wasn't leaving yet and to get his ball so we could play. He seemed to be ok with that and we played probably 15 more minutes then it was time for me to leave for work. He was cooperative but his little ears drooped and he looked like he thought we didn't love him anymore.
Does this seem normal to you?
Do you have any suggestions on how to help him get over this pitiful in the morning phase?
Comments are greatly appreciated!
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