Most dogs go crazy when you reappear after a day at work or a vacation, jumping up and down and licking your face. If that’s what Homer the Newfoundland’s mom was expecting, she was sorely mistaken when Homer greeted her with complete apathy as she returned home after 10 days away.
In the video posted by @homerthenewf, which has been viewed over 320,000 times, Homer the Newfoundland can be seen lying on the kitchen floor with a forlorn look on his face, barely looking at his owner. She can be heard saying, “I just got back from 10 days away from home, and Homer is overjoyed. Look at him, he can hardly contain his excitement. Hey, buddy, you happy to have mom back? Yay!”
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As big as a bear but as gentle as anything, Newfoundlands are an incredible breed of dog with a sweet disposition and a love of water. They are ranked No. 42 on the American Kennel Club’s most popular breeds of 2022 list.
Do Our Dogs Miss Us When We Leave?
Like Homer’s human, dog owners usually get one of two reactions when they reunite with their dog after a vacation, excitement or sulking, suggesting that they do miss their people when they leave.
The length of time a dog is left alone can have an impact on its well-being, according to a study from 2011 by Therese Rehn and Linda J. Keeling. The pair found that, after two hours, dogs greeted their owners with more intensity that 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 is inconclusive.
Whether your dog thinks you’ve abandoned them when you go on vacation is difficult to know, but signs that your dog missed you are not. If your dog follows you around the house for a while when you get in from work or a vacation, that could a sign that they’ve missed you, and now don’t want to let you out of their sight in case you disappear again. Similarly, if your dog really hates being left alone, they might voice their displeasure through destructive behavior while you’re gone, such as chewing shoes or furniture.
Pet advice site The Dog People even says that, if your dog has no reaction to you leaving or coming back, it could be that they are so confident in your bond that it doesn’t worry them.
Users on TikTok loved Homer’s dramatic reaction, with one commenting: “Newfies are so dramatic. As soon as they see the suitcase come out, they get so upset and won’t look at you.”
“Oo the look…You are going to have to give him multiple treats for him to be happy again,” wrote one user.
“Once mine protested against me leaving by lying against the outside of my front door so I couldn’t open it,” posted another.
Newsweek reached out to @homerthenewf via Instagram for comment.
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