Tears As Dog Waits at Door for Mom, But She's Not Home for '8 More Days'

In a heartbreaking video shared to TikTok, a cockapoo can be seen sitting next to the front door, eagerly waiting for his mom.

However, he may be waiting for a while as the onscreen text explains: "When mom goes out of the country for 10 days."

The video recorded by owner Kelsey Saldivar's husband zooms in on the dog who appears to be fixated on the door. The male voice can be heard asking, "are you waiting for mom?" followed by, "eight more days buddy."

At the time of writing, the video shared to @shaketini has amassed 1.3 million views and over 88,000 likes.

In the comment section, the mom told one user that she spoke to her dog daily via a video call but seemingly that wasn't enough. Other owners have explained that their dog acts the same when they are away, which is why some people opt against leaving them.

But traveling with a pet isn't always possible, so some owners are left with no choice. One user commented on the video to explain what she does when she leaves her pet.

She wrote: "Every time I go on vacation I tell whoever is watching my dog not to tell me about these moments because it breaks my heart."

If the footage of the sad cockapoo isn't enough to make you wonder if dogs miss their owners, the comments certainly confirm they can.

Another person said: "My husband says all my dog does is cry when I'm out of the house."

"I met a nice lady on a plane back to Europe. She told me she had to return early because her dog refused to eat since she was gone," wrote a third commenter.

In 2011, a study published in Applied Animal Behavior Science highlighted how dogs act when they are reunited with their owners after a long period of time.

The researchers, Therese Rehn and Linda J. Keeling, observed 12 dogs without prior separation-related behavior problems. The study's design included three durations of separation: 0.5 hours (T0.5), 2 hours (T2), and 4 hours (T4), with video capturing the dogs' behavior before the owner's departure until shortly after their return.

The results revealed that dogs exhibit more intense greeting behaviors and display signs of stress upon their owner's return after being left alone for longer durations, highlighting the impact of separation time on their welfare.

However, it remains unclear whether dogs are aware of the duration of separation or only respond to their owner's return. This research underscores the importance of considering the emotional and physiological needs of dogs when planning periods of separation.

Newsweek has reached out to @shaketini for comment via TikTok.

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