Pet sitter captures heartbreaking face of adorable pooch wondering if his owners are coming back

How many of us say goodbye to our dogs and tell them we will be home soon? My own dog, Austen, actually knows when we are going out of town, and he heads over to his pet-sitter. Those eyes – those big brown eyes just staring up at me as if questioning my entire being, and asking why I might be deserting him?

Thanks to Newsweek and TikTok user @comicallyzara, we spotted Milo, a cavapoo, demonstrating his “sad boy energy” while cuddled up in the corner of the couch. It was pretty obvious Milo was missing his mom and was ready for her to come home. It had been two days that his mom had been gone, and his pet-sitter Zara was thrilled to have watched him and happily engaged in the role of what some of us call, the “fun aunt.”

i’ve always loved dogs and, for years, have been wanting to get my own, but haven’t been able to make that commitment quite yet. So in the meantime, i’ve been relying on my friends with dogs to get my fix. Sometimes that means getting to dog-sit when my friends are traveling which is why i was watching milo, who is the sweetest dog ever.

Zara as told to Newsweek

So does your dog really miss you when you’re gone? To begin, researchers acknowledge that dogs have associative memory which means dogs relate certain sounds, smells or visuals with other events in their lives. For instance, doesn’t your dog listen for the rattle of your keys in the front door and know you are either arriving or leaving home?

Here are some of the signs your dog truly misses you:

1. Some dogs will stare out the window and whimper or lie near the door their human last exited obviously waiting for them to return.
2. Some dogs like to vocalize and may cry, howl or bark hoping that will lead you back home.
3. Dogs have an excellent sense of smell and will often snuggle with their human’s stuff, lying on their bed or even cuddle up near those smelly socks or by the dirty laundry in the basket.
4. Many of us are familiar with the “shoe” chewing thing which apparently gives them comfort inhaling their owner’s scent while staying busy having a bit of oral stimulation.
5. And how does you dog react when you come home? Some dogs just go ballistic by jumping, licking or engaging in happy zoomies. Their excitement is definitely related to their happiness upon your return.
6. There are some dogs who engage in bad behavior when their owners leave. Bad and destructive behaviors are often associated with separation anxiety, and it is suggested you consult with your veterinarian or trainer to help your dog learn how to cope.

We humans do love our dogs, and we do try to do the best we can for them. Know that you and your pooch aren’t alone. In this instance, Milo has it all figured out, and the moment his mom leaves, he’s already in drama mode, but Zara has lots of tricks up her sleeves and is able to distract Milo with some of his favorite activities. You know …. “fun aunt”!

The two will go on long walks, learn new tricks and enjoy lots of mutual cuddles on the couch. Zara is convinced Milo knows his mom is coming back for him, but he is just so much in love with her, he doesn’t want to be separated too long.

The adorable TikTok clip has garnered more than 253,000 views, and I’m betting 250,000+ of us have felt the same way about our dogs.

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