Most dogs go crazy when you reappear after a day of work or vacation, jumping up and licking your face. If that was what Homer the Newfoundland’s mother expected, she was sorely mistaken when Homer greeted her with utter apathy when she returned home after a 10-day absence.
In the video posted by @homerthenewf, which has been viewed over 320,000 times, Homer the Newfoundland can be seen sprawled on the kitchen floor with a sad look on his face, barely looking at his owner. He can be heard saying, “I just got back from 10 days away from home and Homer is overjoyed. Look at him, he can barely contain his excitement. Hey dude, are you happy that mommy’s back? Yeah!”
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As big as a bear but as tame as anything, Newfoundlands are an amazing breed of dog with a sweet disposition and a love of water. They are ranked #42 on the American Kennel Club’s 2022 Most Popular Breeds list.
Do our dogs miss us when we leave?
Like Homer’s human, dog owners often have one of two reactions when reunited with their dog after a vacation: excitement or grumpiness, suggesting they miss their people when they leave.
The amount of time a dog is left alone can have an impact on its well-being, according to a 2011 study by Therese Rehn and Linda J. Keeling. The couple found that after two hours, the dogs greeted their owners more intensely than after 30 minutes of being left alone. There was no difference between two hours and four hours. This suggests that dogs can tell the difference between 30 minutes and two hours, but beyond that it is inconclusive.
It’s hard to tell if your dog thinks you’ve abandoned him when you go on vacation, but the signs that your dog missed you aren’t. If your dog follows you around the house for a while when you get home from work or on vacation, that could be a sign that he has missed you and now he wants to keep an eye on you in case you go missing again. . Similarly, if your dog really hates being left alone, he may express his displeasure through destructive behavior while you’re gone, such as chewing on shoes or furniture.
Pet advice site The Dog People even says that if your dog doesn’t react when you leave or return, he may be so confident in your bond that he doesn’t care.
TikTok users loved Homer’s dramatic reaction, with one commenting, “Newbies are so dramatic. As soon as they see the suitcase come out, they get so mad and don’t look at you.”
“Oh what a look… Gonna have to give him several treats to make him happy again,” wrote one user.
“Mine once protested my leaving by laying against the outside of my front door so I couldn’t open it,” another posted.
news week reached out to @homerthenewf via Instagram for comment.
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