Home Again with Dogs

I was out of town for a few days last week.

I had a good trip, partly writing-related... of course.

We left our dogs Lexie and Mystie in the care of our long-time, excellent pet-sitter.  She checked in with me often, and we also peeked in on them via our CavCam (short for Cavalier Camera, of course) now and then.  They were mostly sleeping when their sitter wasn’t around.

And then I got home.  You’d have thought I’d been gone for a month, not just days.  Both pups stayed right beside me, nuzzling and hugging me.  Lying beside me on the sofa.  And then, that first night, they awakened me at least half a dozen times.  I put them outside twice, in case that was what they were asking.  I helped them reorganize themselves in their bed, which is a standing obligation since Lexie won’t always obey Mystie when she wants to snuggle.  But there were a few other times that they just woke me up by pawing at my arm, apparently to make sure I was really there.

Since then, they haven’t been awakening me as much, but they’re nearly always beside me.  Hanging out while I’m at the computer writing--as they nearly always do.  Making sure I’m at their bark and call--telling me they need to go outside every hour or so, mostly because they want attention.  I know, when I’m gone for a while and the sitter says how good they’ve been, that they can hold what they need to do for much longer than they do when I’m around.

Am I complaining?  Heck, no.  I missed them, too.  They’re like my babies, and I don’t begrudge them any attention.

So, Lex and Myst, here are some more virtual hugs for you... and I’ll give you some real ones as soon as you wake up and tell me you want attention again.

Do your pets miss you when you’re gone?  How do they show it when you return?