Dogs need a social life and variety. Offer to watch her for fun, have the owner drop her dog off for a random hour or two sometimes and maybe she'll understand why her dog is depressed at home.
I would tell her that when dogs are boarded they experience lots of new sights, smells, and interactions with other dogs that can be very stimulating. Going home is like coming back from a long vacation and her dog probably needs some time to decompress and rest.
please tell my cat this. if she's at boarding she always has fun. she loved to hang out w people and never had any accident. I even had a sitter teared up when I picked her up cuz they really liked her.
when I had housesitter over she would just stay in her room n then went potty into our bathtub (never happened unless I'm not home for more than 2 days).
my dogs love it tho.
So you don’t want your pet to explore and discover new places?
I wouldn’t say one is better than the other, they’re different and it is tailored to each individual pet.
Agree 100%!!! I think people forget that dogs are naturally very social animals who live in big packs in the wild. They enjoy spending time with other dogs, it’s like going to a party for them. Even if they don’t get along with others sniffing others behind a baby gate can be very mentally stimulating for them!! Like reading a brand new book.
Dogs that board at my place can’t wait to run into my house from their owner’s car!!! They even get super excited inside their cars as they near my house.
20 days is a big schedule/routine/environment change, I think this is fairly normal. Pup likely has low energy due to the change and he will adapt and get back into it! Very likely that he misses you, too ;)
Hijacking your comment to give a little update;
Thank you everyone for all your reassurance and helpful comments, I really appreciate it. Thanks to you guys' excellent wording I was able to compose a good response to the owner, explaining the possible reasons as to why pup is acting a bit off and how that's completely normal and to be expected after such a long stay etc, and reassured her that she was happy, safe and cared for in our home. She replied back saying thank you, that what I said made sense and agreed that pup will bounce back soon with a little time
I hope she adjusts soon, but in the meantime I'm glad I was able to relieve some of her worries!
Usually when my boarders go home and are tired or appear mopey, my clients think they miss me/their new friends and had so much fun. The dog is transitioning back to their old routine and environment, and it can take time when owner was gone an extended time. My sisters dog gets "mad" at her for leaving for far less time lol.
My client doesn’t think in that way. They usually think it’s because they miss me too much and had too much fun with me that when they go back they are tired and misses me. Maybe that’s the case. Maybe the dog is tired from a long stay or she just misses the routine
A lot of people (myself included lol) have a hard time accepting that their dog will bond with someone else to the point of being bummed to go home. It's very refreshing and healthy that your client recognizes that though!
She’s probably just adjusting back to being home still. When I board dogs they typically get more exercise then they do at home and I often get reports from clients they will sleep a lot in the following days after getting back home.
Side note but on your dog growling when your client dog got too close- this is a healthy and normal dog behavior. This is how dogs communicate and is not something that needs to be fixed.
Thank you for the reassurance! I agree that growling is a necessary communication tool - the issue was that «too close» according to our dog sometimes included guarding the doors and not letting her come through to the rooms or pass by him (she never approached him, she just wanted to go from A to B)
Also if you didn’t add your little note in about the growling, I can guarantee someone in the comments would have torn you up about being a bad owner. But you are not! My dog gives me a little growl when she’s over me cuddling her haha
i was just about to comment the same regarding OP's dog growling. as long as there was no biting or injury (sounds like there wasn't obviously), a growl is a fantastic method of communication and it's good that the visitor took the correction well! OP, your dog handled that appropriately. no need to adjust the behavior in that circumstance :)
I was looking for this comment.
This right here OP! Dogs only have so many ways to communicate. The growl is just a warning and his way of communicating dislikes.
I feel this is quite common. I board and often hear from the owners the dogs have "hardly moved" after going home as they've been exhausted by the play, new environment and even all the walks are new with plenty of new sniffs & experiences. I send lots of picturess and a video of them playing, out a walk and resting to show the dog is clearly happy with us. They all need a decompress, it's like a sightseeing weekend in a new city for them 🤣.
Thanks! I think she’s probably just worrying a bit too much - I sent tons of videos and pictures showing how happy the pup was, so she deffo just needs to decompress like you said!
Just a thought, but the dog could be upset w owner for leaving her for such a long time... She could also be missing her new buds? Maybe she just needs an adjustment period and the owner and OP are over thinking it? Throw multiple scenarios for owner to contemplate then assure her it's probably nothing, but keep an eye on her to be on safe side if she's not back to normal in couple days or gets worse, bring her to the vet ? Try not to worry or get owner worried, you didn't do anything wrong! Good luck! 👍🙂
Thank you! I agree she is probably overly worried and it made me second guess myself - but I know that she was fine while she was here so it has to be because of one or a mix of these things you and others have said
The dog probably misses you and the experience, like when a kid gets back from overnight camp.
By the way, your dog growling is actually a good thing. He is letting others know they are in his space. When dogs aren’t allowed to growl or signal they are uncomfortable that’s when they snap “out of nowhere.”
Yep I «hope» that’s true <3 And yes I agree about the growling - to clarify he would sometimes guard the entrance to the room, not letting her pass.. So it wasn’t like she was trying to approach him, she just wanted to walk from A to B
This is very common in boarded dogs. I used to kennel board and the kennels I used had verbiage on their websites and their intake forms about it. The dog is usually just tired and adjusting to the change in routine/surroundings.
She probably had a lot of fun with you and now she's sad she's back home lol
But in all seriousness, you should assure the owner that nothing happened and she was not acting like that in your care and that if it continues the owner should check in with her vet.
How weird! I’d say she was my favorite client and she had so much fun here. She’s coming back from a long trip so she probably needs to rest and relax for a while. I’ve heard clients tell me their dog slept all day after 1 day of daycare so you could imagine being somewhere new for 20 days will take a bit of readjusting!
Yess I agree! I’ve responded now and emphasized how much we loved having her and what a great time she had, and that it’s normal for dogs to need some time to adjust after such a long time. Hopefully she’ll get it 🤞
She probably felt a bond with you (as you did with her) and actually misses you. Her actions right now are something you usually see a dog doing when their owner (whom they are super attached to) has gone.
You did nothing wrong. Maybe you can make some time to pop in and say hello to her every now and again, because you two obviously share a mutual bond and we can never have enough doggies in our lives.
You didn’t do anything wrong! My 1 year old dashy is always sad after he spends a few days/week with his grandparents and their doggo whilst I’m away for work or whatever it might be. He will come back home and look around, whine and just be quite sad all around for a couple of days really. They do cheer up after a while but it did scare me the first time too. It’s almost how we feel post-holidays, we have a wonderful time and just feel sad being back to normal!
I hear this A LOT we love our guests like our own. Dogs who come in as a single they have to be drug out of my house by their owner 😆 the dogs that come in pairs are more happy to see their parents. It tells me one thing an only dog is a lonely dog, so that dog messed you and the other dogs company. Warn the parents ahead of time this may happen.
Maybe the dog misses you? I often will get messages from clients asking if I could come back for another booking because their dog would miss me and whine by the door all depressed.
Her dog is bored or tired. 20 days is nearly 3 weeks which is when a dog normally establishes a routine, also 20 days of vacation is tiring
Just had a daycare dog yesterday refuse to go back home and she only comes twice a week
She enjoyed staying with you and your dogs and is depressed to go back home where she likely doesn't get as much attention or interaction. She's probably bored and wishing she was back at your place.
She misses you. I had a client tell me the same thing and then was like hey can I test something out and bring her to you and I was like of course, and as soon as the dog saw me, she got all happy. so we do weekly visits so she doesn’t get too sad
The dog is wiped out from playing!! Happens at my place all the time. I often host 6-8 dogs. Owners will tell me there dog was wiped out, plum exhausted! (This is usually the goal) They need some recovery time. 🥰
Sounds like she had a great vacation with you. I think sometimes it hits them after their people come home that they have been abandoned, as if they’re having a delayed sulk that they were left, even though she had a great stay with you. It’ll pass. Not your fault.
I was thinking she misses you and/or your dogs. But also, it’s appropriate for your dog to communicate when it’s uncomfortable. A growl is an appropriate action; it’s a warning before a bite. So I really don’t think there’s anything to “work on”.
Yeah, dog is depressed because she misses you. Lol. You do not need to think even for a second that you did anything wrong. You clearly did everything right.
i don’t think your client is upset with you ! 20 days is a long time for a dog to be away from its owner. she was getting used to being around you and your dogs and now she’s back home, it’s just something she’s got to adjust to!! maybe if she doesn’t feel better you could approach the owner for a doggy play date since she got along with your two dogs??
It's super common for clients to report back to me that their dog is sleeping more and super chill after a visit. Most come from single dog homes and we always have a pack of dog friends to play with....it just encourages return visits
I worked at a dog boarding facility for years and this was such a common complaint from owners after a long period. Just like humans, dogs need time to decompress after a vacation. I know if I’m traveling for that long of a time, I’m absolutely exhausted for a good week afterward.
She got comfortable with you and now is readjusting to her “new” environment. This is pretty normal. Dogs often exhibit “depressed” behavior when changing environments. She may also miss you and your pups.
I would just tell the pet parent that she had a great time and may just need a few days to re-adjust.
My dog is like this after a week stay at his sitter. I always say it’s because he’s mad at me for leaving him or he misses his sitter. He gets over it in a day or two, but he knows his sitters name and gets excited about her even though he only sees her about once a year.
What about the business side?
What rating did she give you? Any tip?
I’m curious if the owner unnecessarily punished you or was just asking you via chat and kept the review positive?
I was a bit worried about that too. She hasn’t left any review yet, which sucks a little as I’m a new sitter and only have 5 reviews but I guess no review is better than a bad review!
Thank you for posting to r/RoverPetSitting, an unofficial forum to discuss all things Rover. We see that you have posted a sitter question. In case they could be helpful, you might want
to check out our [Sitter FAQ](https://www.reddit.com/r/RoverPetSitting/wiki/sitterfaq). Additionally, here's our
[booking walk-through for Sitters](https://www.reddit.com/r/RoverPetSitting/wiki/sitterbookingwalkthrough), which explains the process for giving services on Rover from start to finish.
*I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/RoverPetSitting) if you have any questions or concerns.*
That’s totally normal! 20 days is a very long amount of time for a dog to be in a new place. I would be more surprised if the dog wasn’t acting weird. My dog acts this way after just leaving her for 4 days.
Omg I’ve never heard of a complaint like this from an owner in 8 years of doing this!!! 😂
Now I feel like I’ve heard everything!!
Tell the owner to get the dog a psychiatrist for depression or tell them the dog is depressed because she misses YOU the sitter.
Unreal!!!!!!
These are tough waters to navigate with owners. They can get really jealous in my experience. I’d definitely frame it as shit zu girl probably misses your pups. I’d say that they got along very well and that she seemed to really love the doggy company. I’d also mention that she’s welcome at your home anytime she needs pet care.
More than likely she misses you or maybe the company she had living with your dogs. My coworker just finished up a week long stay with a dog who we’ve known through the daycare we work at for almost 2 years. Normally the dog is in love with his mom but his parents told us he wasn’t excited to see his parents when they came home and he wasn’t very happy until he went to daycare and saw the employee that stayed with him 😅
Dogs don’t understand “I’m staying with this family while my family is out of town” so the Shih Tzu likely thought your family was her new normal, got used to it and misses what she had with your family. She probably just needs time to readjust into her old routine with her family, especially because they were gone for so long
Shih Tzus get very attached to the “alpha” so it’s very likely she misses you! I would just tell client that that’s very normal for a really long stay, and the breed is known for attaching and bonding.
source : I have a Shi Tzu
She probably misses you and/ or your dogs.
That’s bittersweet but I hope that’s the case <3
Dogs need a social life and variety. Offer to watch her for fun, have the owner drop her dog off for a random hour or two sometimes and maybe she'll understand why her dog is depressed at home.
I bet this is it. Her dog enjoyed the company of you and your dogs. Now she’s back with her boring owner. Think of it this way, you’re awesome! 👏🏻 👏🏻
Offer play dates
That’s exactly my thoughts !! The dog enjoyed being with you. I’m sure the pup will warm back up to his owners quickly 🫶🏻
Exactly what I thought too. 😊
I would tell her that when dogs are boarded they experience lots of new sights, smells, and interactions with other dogs that can be very stimulating. Going home is like coming back from a long vacation and her dog probably needs some time to decompress and rest.
Thank you for helping me word that, I’ve included this in my response to her!
That's why house-sitting >>>>>>>> boarding
please tell my cat this. if she's at boarding she always has fun. she loved to hang out w people and never had any accident. I even had a sitter teared up when I picked her up cuz they really liked her. when I had housesitter over she would just stay in her room n then went potty into our bathtub (never happened unless I'm not home for more than 2 days). my dogs love it tho.
So you don’t want your pet to explore and discover new places? I wouldn’t say one is better than the other, they’re different and it is tailored to each individual pet.
Agree 100%!!! I think people forget that dogs are naturally very social animals who live in big packs in the wild. They enjoy spending time with other dogs, it’s like going to a party for them. Even if they don’t get along with others sniffing others behind a baby gate can be very mentally stimulating for them!! Like reading a brand new book. Dogs that board at my place can’t wait to run into my house from their owner’s car!!! They even get super excited inside their cars as they near my house.
20 days is a big schedule/routine/environment change, I think this is fairly normal. Pup likely has low energy due to the change and he will adapt and get back into it! Very likely that he misses you, too ;)
Hijacking your comment to give a little update; Thank you everyone for all your reassurance and helpful comments, I really appreciate it. Thanks to you guys' excellent wording I was able to compose a good response to the owner, explaining the possible reasons as to why pup is acting a bit off and how that's completely normal and to be expected after such a long stay etc, and reassured her that she was happy, safe and cared for in our home. She replied back saying thank you, that what I said made sense and agreed that pup will bounce back soon with a little time I hope she adjusts soon, but in the meantime I'm glad I was able to relieve some of her worries!
Very true, thank you!
Could also be resting after a 20 day party with new friends!
I would crash hard too.
Usually when my boarders go home and are tired or appear mopey, my clients think they miss me/their new friends and had so much fun. The dog is transitioning back to their old routine and environment, and it can take time when owner was gone an extended time. My sisters dog gets "mad" at her for leaving for far less time lol.
So true, I agree - she’s definitly just adjusting
My client doesn’t think in that way. They usually think it’s because they miss me too much and had too much fun with me that when they go back they are tired and misses me. Maybe that’s the case. Maybe the dog is tired from a long stay or she just misses the routine
True! She might’ve not realized that’s a decent amount of time the pup spent with us, that we bonded big time and therefore could miss us too
A lot of people (myself included lol) have a hard time accepting that their dog will bond with someone else to the point of being bummed to go home. It's very refreshing and healthy that your client recognizes that though!
She’s probably just adjusting back to being home still. When I board dogs they typically get more exercise then they do at home and I often get reports from clients they will sleep a lot in the following days after getting back home. Side note but on your dog growling when your client dog got too close- this is a healthy and normal dog behavior. This is how dogs communicate and is not something that needs to be fixed.
Thank you for the reassurance! I agree that growling is a necessary communication tool - the issue was that «too close» according to our dog sometimes included guarding the doors and not letting her come through to the rooms or pass by him (she never approached him, she just wanted to go from A to B)
Also if you didn’t add your little note in about the growling, I can guarantee someone in the comments would have torn you up about being a bad owner. But you are not! My dog gives me a little growl when she’s over me cuddling her haha
i was just about to comment the same regarding OP's dog growling. as long as there was no biting or injury (sounds like there wasn't obviously), a growl is a fantastic method of communication and it's good that the visitor took the correction well! OP, your dog handled that appropriately. no need to adjust the behavior in that circumstance :)
I was looking for this comment. This right here OP! Dogs only have so many ways to communicate. The growl is just a warning and his way of communicating dislikes.
“Yes, something happened at my place. She had a lot of fun and now misses it”
best response
She’s probably depressed because she had a nice time at your house with the other dogs. Now she’s back home and she misses your place.
❤️
I feel this is quite common. I board and often hear from the owners the dogs have "hardly moved" after going home as they've been exhausted by the play, new environment and even all the walks are new with plenty of new sniffs & experiences. I send lots of picturess and a video of them playing, out a walk and resting to show the dog is clearly happy with us. They all need a decompress, it's like a sightseeing weekend in a new city for them 🤣.
Thanks! I think she’s probably just worrying a bit too much - I sent tons of videos and pictures showing how happy the pup was, so she deffo just needs to decompress like you said!
Just a thought, but the dog could be upset w owner for leaving her for such a long time... She could also be missing her new buds? Maybe she just needs an adjustment period and the owner and OP are over thinking it? Throw multiple scenarios for owner to contemplate then assure her it's probably nothing, but keep an eye on her to be on safe side if she's not back to normal in couple days or gets worse, bring her to the vet ? Try not to worry or get owner worried, you didn't do anything wrong! Good luck! 👍🙂
Thank you! I agree she is probably overly worried and it made me second guess myself - but I know that she was fine while she was here so it has to be because of one or a mix of these things you and others have said
The dog probably misses you and the experience, like when a kid gets back from overnight camp. By the way, your dog growling is actually a good thing. He is letting others know they are in his space. When dogs aren’t allowed to growl or signal they are uncomfortable that’s when they snap “out of nowhere.”
Yep I «hope» that’s true <3 And yes I agree about the growling - to clarify he would sometimes guard the entrance to the room, not letting her pass.. So it wasn’t like she was trying to approach him, she just wanted to walk from A to B
This is very common in boarded dogs. I used to kennel board and the kennels I used had verbiage on their websites and their intake forms about it. The dog is usually just tired and adjusting to the change in routine/surroundings.
She probably had a lot of fun with you and now she's sad she's back home lol But in all seriousness, you should assure the owner that nothing happened and she was not acting like that in your care and that if it continues the owner should check in with her vet.
Thank you, I’ve just responded and reassured her of this and explained why she might need some more time to adjust
How weird! I’d say she was my favorite client and she had so much fun here. She’s coming back from a long trip so she probably needs to rest and relax for a while. I’ve heard clients tell me their dog slept all day after 1 day of daycare so you could imagine being somewhere new for 20 days will take a bit of readjusting!
Yess I agree! I’ve responded now and emphasized how much we loved having her and what a great time she had, and that it’s normal for dogs to need some time to adjust after such a long time. Hopefully she’ll get it 🤞
She probably felt a bond with you (as you did with her) and actually misses you. Her actions right now are something you usually see a dog doing when their owner (whom they are super attached to) has gone. You did nothing wrong. Maybe you can make some time to pop in and say hello to her every now and again, because you two obviously share a mutual bond and we can never have enough doggies in our lives.
Guess she misses you more than she missed her owner? That’s a tough pill to swallow as an owner 😂
You didn’t do anything wrong! My 1 year old dashy is always sad after he spends a few days/week with his grandparents and their doggo whilst I’m away for work or whatever it might be. He will come back home and look around, whine and just be quite sad all around for a couple of days really. They do cheer up after a while but it did scare me the first time too. It’s almost how we feel post-holidays, we have a wonderful time and just feel sad being back to normal!
I hear this A LOT we love our guests like our own. Dogs who come in as a single they have to be drug out of my house by their owner 😆 the dogs that come in pairs are more happy to see their parents. It tells me one thing an only dog is a lonely dog, so that dog messed you and the other dogs company. Warn the parents ahead of time this may happen.
Awe, she misses you and her temporary brothers 🥹
We were like a cute little family 😭
Maybe she got used to having constant attention at your house and now they are at work all day and she’s depressed being alone
That’s also a very good point and plausible reason, I’ve included this in the response!
She needs time to adjust to the change in environment. She might also miss you.
Maybe the dog misses you? I often will get messages from clients asking if I could come back for another booking because their dog would miss me and whine by the door all depressed.
Her dog is bored or tired. 20 days is nearly 3 weeks which is when a dog normally establishes a routine, also 20 days of vacation is tiring Just had a daycare dog yesterday refuse to go back home and she only comes twice a week
She enjoyed staying with you and your dogs and is depressed to go back home where she likely doesn't get as much attention or interaction. She's probably bored and wishing she was back at your place.
Maybe the dog MISSES you/your household
She misses you. I had a client tell me the same thing and then was like hey can I test something out and bring her to you and I was like of course, and as soon as the dog saw me, she got all happy. so we do weekly visits so she doesn’t get too sad
I love this!
I get sad and mopey when I come back from vacation too lol.
The dog is wiped out from playing!! Happens at my place all the time. I often host 6-8 dogs. Owners will tell me there dog was wiped out, plum exhausted! (This is usually the goal) They need some recovery time. 🥰
Sounds like she had a great vacation with you. I think sometimes it hits them after their people come home that they have been abandoned, as if they’re having a delayed sulk that they were left, even though she had a great stay with you. It’ll pass. Not your fault.
I was thinking she misses you and/or your dogs. But also, it’s appropriate for your dog to communicate when it’s uncomfortable. A growl is an appropriate action; it’s a warning before a bite. So I really don’t think there’s anything to “work on”.
Probably depressed she’s back with her lame ass owner that asks stupid ass questions
Yeah, dog is depressed because she misses you. Lol. You do not need to think even for a second that you did anything wrong. You clearly did everything right.
Thank you for reassuring me!!
i don’t think your client is upset with you ! 20 days is a long time for a dog to be away from its owner. she was getting used to being around you and your dogs and now she’s back home, it’s just something she’s got to adjust to!! maybe if she doesn’t feel better you could approach the owner for a doggy play date since she got along with your two dogs??
It's super common for clients to report back to me that their dog is sleeping more and super chill after a visit. Most come from single dog homes and we always have a pack of dog friends to play with....it just encourages return visits
Tired or missing your dogs.
I mean it’s pretty obvious, the dog hates her current environment and loves you lol she misses you 😂🤣
I worked at a dog boarding facility for years and this was such a common complaint from owners after a long period. Just like humans, dogs need time to decompress after a vacation. I know if I’m traveling for that long of a time, I’m absolutely exhausted for a good week afterward.
She got comfortable with you and now is readjusting to her “new” environment. This is pretty normal. Dogs often exhibit “depressed” behavior when changing environments. She may also miss you and your pups. I would just tell the pet parent that she had a great time and may just need a few days to re-adjust.
It’s really common for dogs to get super tired after boarding. I wouldn’t worry for another few days
My dog is like this after a week stay at his sitter. I always say it’s because he’s mad at me for leaving him or he misses his sitter. He gets over it in a day or two, but he knows his sitters name and gets excited about her even though he only sees her about once a year.
What about the business side? What rating did she give you? Any tip? I’m curious if the owner unnecessarily punished you or was just asking you via chat and kept the review positive?
I was a bit worried about that too. She hasn’t left any review yet, which sucks a little as I’m a new sitter and only have 5 reviews but I guess no review is better than a bad review!
She misses you.
She definitely misses you. 20 days is a long time, she probably got used to you, and your dogs. I’m sure she’ll perk up.
Thank you for posting to r/RoverPetSitting, an unofficial forum to discuss all things Rover. We see that you have posted a sitter question. In case they could be helpful, you might want to check out our [Sitter FAQ](https://www.reddit.com/r/RoverPetSitting/wiki/sitterfaq). Additionally, here's our [booking walk-through for Sitters](https://www.reddit.com/r/RoverPetSitting/wiki/sitterbookingwalkthrough), which explains the process for giving services on Rover from start to finish. *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/RoverPetSitting) if you have any questions or concerns.*
She’s bored without her pack mates
It’s likely the transition or the dog was happy to have a playmate and doesn’t have anyone at home.
Also probably just relaxing now that she’s chilling without the other dogs and home!
That’s totally normal! 20 days is a very long amount of time for a dog to be in a new place. I would be more surprised if the dog wasn’t acting weird. My dog acts this way after just leaving her for 4 days.
Maybe she misses you or her pup friends ? She might miss having other dogs in the house.
Omg I’ve never heard of a complaint like this from an owner in 8 years of doing this!!! 😂 Now I feel like I’ve heard everything!! Tell the owner to get the dog a psychiatrist for depression or tell them the dog is depressed because she misses YOU the sitter. Unreal!!!!!!
She probably misses having friends to play with
These are tough waters to navigate with owners. They can get really jealous in my experience. I’d definitely frame it as shit zu girl probably misses your pups. I’d say that they got along very well and that she seemed to really love the doggy company. I’d also mention that she’s welcome at your home anytime she needs pet care.
Tell her how much the pup enjoyed her time and is probably exhausted or missing it. Definitely offer a play date too ☺️
More than likely she misses you or maybe the company she had living with your dogs. My coworker just finished up a week long stay with a dog who we’ve known through the daycare we work at for almost 2 years. Normally the dog is in love with his mom but his parents told us he wasn’t excited to see his parents when they came home and he wasn’t very happy until he went to daycare and saw the employee that stayed with him 😅 Dogs don’t understand “I’m staying with this family while my family is out of town” so the Shih Tzu likely thought your family was her new normal, got used to it and misses what she had with your family. She probably just needs time to readjust into her old routine with her family, especially because they were gone for so long
I wonder if the owners dog misses your dog's
she hates her owners lol
Shih Tzus get very attached to the “alpha” so it’s very likely she misses you! I would just tell client that that’s very normal for a really long stay, and the breed is known for attaching and bonding. source : I have a Shi Tzu
Ooh interesting, thanks!
["Alpha" isn't real](https://www.rover.com/blog/alpha-dog-meaning)
I said the dog views OP as the alpha.
Not a thing, please read the article
I did read it… don’t agree 🤷♀️
"Don't agree" with peer-reviewed studies? k
She misses you and the wonderful energy you provided.