In November, we got a 2 year old rescue mutt who has gone from a deeply depressed dog to a sweet, silly pup... when my wife and I are both in the house. When it's just one of us - either one - she suddenly becomes something of a standoffish loner.
At first I thought it was me; our dog would hang out with us, being lovable and having fun, but when my wife would leave for work or an errand, the dog would leave the room and go lay somewhere by herself. I could call her for a walk and she'd come, but other than that, she wouldn't want to have much to do with me. However, the second my wife came back, the dog would suddenly run back and be my best friend.
I thought the dog was afraid of being with me alone, but it turns out it wasn't me specifically - this same behavior apparently happens when I'm gone and my wife is at home alone, too. I'll come home, the dog will be hanging around and playing, but it's because she heard me start to come in the door. I'll walk in and my wife will say "This is the most I've seen of the dog since you left."
When she's being a loner, she doesn't seem afraid or nervous, just introverted. "Oh, you came into the room... I'm going to go somewhere else." When we're both in the house, the dog will go nuts for treats, but when it's just me, she doesn't seem to care.
The dog is engaged with both of us when we're both at home and in different rooms of the house, and will go back and forth to see us, or lay in a middle place where she can see both of us. We don't have to be in the same room for her to go back to being playful, just both in the house.
Any thoughts? She's not in distress, and she still behaves (no accidents or chewed up things) when she goes off on her own, but it's a little worrying seeing such a radical change in her personality when one of us leaves or comes home. |
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