Cooper

I can't tell if Cooper misses Corey or Pickle. Corey came over with Pickle on Sunday and while Cooper was excited to see Corey (he loves everyone who walks through the door so this isn't that big of a deal) he didn't seem to care much for Pickle. Or even recognize him for that matter. They just sniffed each other and Cooper wanted to play but Pickle was too freaked out by new surroundings to want to do anything.

My brother thinks Cooper is the most expressive dog and I think so, too. You can almost read his mind based on his facial expression. I like having an expressive dog but sometimes when he's just lying there watching tv or drifting off the sleep, I can't tell if he's content. I'd like to think that he is but how can I know for sure?

He's been barking a lot when I leave the house and the neighbors have complained. I don't want to get him an anti-barking collar because they're super pricey and I don't think they'd work anyway. He usually doesn't bark in the house when I'm home but he'll woof at the door when people are being loud in the hallways. I think he might be bored or lonely so I'm going to buy him more of those Kong toys and randomly fill them with treats and his dog food so he doesn't gain too much weight. I hope that'll keep him occupied long enough that he doesn't care when I leave because then he'll get Kong filled treats.

It makes me feel guilty in some ways when I go out after work or on the weekends. I feel like I should take care of him or do something with the dog but I can't take him everywhere with me and I don't want him to be more co-dependent. I have a problem of worrying about everything around me and I worry that Cooper feels like he's being abandoned or I worry that he's lonely. He's not really human so he might not even feel or think that way. I guess it's that mother/nurturer in me that's worrying about those things.

Anyway, he seems happy. He likes his own space and not having to share the attention and treats.