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5.03.2012

Mr. Mopey

Tomorrow Huckleberry will be 8 months old! :( I miss my tiny baby pup, but I love watching him grow. I think Golden's are beautiful dogs, and because Huck has the dark gold/red coat rather than the lighter yellow coat -- I think he is the best looking pup on the block! (I may be slightly biased!) It's amusing to watch his personality develop as he gets older as well. Staying true to his retriever DNA, Huck has a happy-go-lucky demeanor and is the furthest thing from a guard dog one can get! However, lately I have noticed that Huck can get a little "mopey" when he doesn't get his way. For example, Monday through Friday he's learned that I get up, get ready, and leave for work. No play time for him. When he was new to my morning routines, he simply ran around the house wagging his tail and nipping my shins in the mornings. Not anymore. Now he sulks. He lays at my feet and lets out loud sighs of disapproval. He gives me the saddest looks and follows me around all morning like he needs to soak up every moment he can by my side before I leave for 8 hours. I take him outside, give him hearty tummy rubs and playful head pats, but all to no avail. He is one sad pup on those mornings. And I have a suspicion that his sulking sessions are manipulative maneuvers designed to ensure that he gets the maximum amount of attention he can from me in the mornings. 

Other than his heart-wrenching sulking on work day mornings, I've also noticed that Huck holds grudges. Never for long periods of time (I'm pretty sure he forgets what he's upset about at the sound of one word: treat.) Here is Huck refusing to look at me after I give him a bath on one of his particularly stinky days.
I said his name again and again but he is deliberately avoiding eye contact with me! After about two minutes of me pestering him, he turns his head and gives me this look...
Do you see that? I'm pretty sure this is his "say my name one more time, Mom. I dare ya" face. Totally moping. I have a manipulative, sulking, moping pup who holds grudges...

Maybe this is just an adolescent phase. Either way, I find it very interesting that he has such a defined personality. Kinda like his momma, he is the happiest, happiest, happiest living organism on the face of the earth...until he doesn't get his way. Then...beware, my friends. Just beware. Because an emotional roller coaster is about to begin :)

How about your fur babies? What are some unique personality traits that define your pets? Any more mopey pups out there?!

25 comments:

Katherine Krieg said...

such a cutie! happy birthday to him!

Zoƫ said...

They grow up so fast! He is a major cutie :)

Cara said...

SO cute! They are such animated dogs. He is totally manipulating you in the morning.

tiff@thecoffeehouse said...

oh Huckleberry. you are too much! happy 8 months tomorrow buddy.

poptartyogini said...

How funny. My family had a dog but we got her at 18 months so she already had a personality. It would have been interesting to watch it develop.

Barb @ Turtles and Tails said...

Our Chloe mopes in the mornings too. She'll even turn her head away from me when I lean down to say goodbye in the morning.

Meanwhile, our younger dog Sasha thinks it's completely normal that we leave each day and follows us to the door to say goodbye.

I love discovering the differences in their personalities.

jessica lynn said...

oh my. sampson is about to turn 1 (where did my baby go!?) and does the same thing in the mornings!!! too funny.

Kate said...

haha my golden does that exact facial expression. she will refuse to turn her head toward me but eventually look at me with those sad eyes. it's hysterical. I also notice that when I'm running around getting ready for work she refuses to "smile" and just lays on the bed looking sad.

Amira said...

He is a total teenager! Dramatic, sulky and pouty! I love the look he's giving you! It's almost a roll of the eyes :-)

Gesci said...

He is adorable, and I love that you're writing all this down- I promise, you WILL come back to it in the years to come! Both of our dogs have distinct personalities, and our cats do/have, too. They each have specific expressions and we know EXACTLY what they mean!
About the mornings- we got our first dog while still in college, and she is LOATH to move before 11 AM. Perfect, except when we're both headed to work and need her to wake up and take a pee before we leave!! Our girl (Sloan) doesn't usually mope- if she wants something, she'll sit in front of you and do a "harumph" sort of noise. If you don't respond, she gets closer and louder... and this continues! I love Huckleberry's face in those shots- great capture!

Laura said...

So precious...he sounds like a child! I am shocked at how human like he acts, really!! And this totally made me night.

Alycia Grayce (Crowley Party) said...

too stinkin' cute!

cynthia said...

OMG yes. Our yellow lab is such a moper. And a whiner! But we love him. :)

Diana said...

Dogs can be total children! My hubby once had a dog that held a grudge for something & decided to take a "number 2" right on his playstation! Can you imagine a collie/shepard mix trying squat over a gaming console?!?

Mrs Independent said...

I swear one of my dogs has that same eff-you lady! face. She hates being woken up and will glare at me sideways like that. And then I feel bad. Gotta love being controlled by 20 lbs of fur. :)

Jamie said...

He is soo cute!! I can't believe my Roxy Pox is 13 months old! I remember the day we brought her home and she fit in our cat carrier! Haha It's amazing how dogs can pick up on so many things that we don't even realize. They are great!

<3 Jamie

Sarah said...

My Floyd is the exact SAME way. He poutts and pouts if he doesnt get his way. Right now he has a cone on (from having eye surgery) and refuses to let us kiss him on the face because he is so mad about it! They sure know how to work those sad puppy dog eyes!

Ashley H said...

Bentley holds grudges too. The first time we boarded him for 3 days while we went to Texas, he was SO mad when we came to get him. He was distant & standoffish to us for about 3 days. I felt horrible. Now my mom keeps him when we go away.

& I have to mention - that toy next to Huck... we got one of those for B. They're supposed to be extra tough or something, right? Because Bentley tore through it in about 4 hours. How has Huck not destroyed that thing?!

Callie {FirstComesLove} said...

You NAILED the golden's personality. They are so happy go lucky but at the same time SOOOO dramamtic! And I swear, they have the most expressive eyes! You know what I mean.

And woo hoo for having copper/reddish golden retrievers. I am a little obsessed and we have the cutest pups around :)

Unknown said...

Haha!! Too funny! My red-golden pup of 4 months old has this "mopey-you're-leaving-for-work-AGAIN?!" behavior mastered!He also gets incredibly grouchy if he's tired, and I am making too much noise. He will literally stop me in my tracks by laying on my feet and "humrumf" at me! Too cute!

Unknown said...

Haha!! Too funny! My red-golden pup of 4 months old has this "mopey-you're-leaving-for-work-AGAIN?!" behavior mastered!He also gets incredibly grouchy if he's tired, and I am making too much noise. He will literally stop me in my tracks by laying on my feet and "humrumf" at me! Too cute!

Celeste @ Our Fabulous Life in the Suburbs said...

Little Huckleberry is just too adorable! My pup mopes when she doesn't get her way and can hold a grudge like no other! If she's especially mad at me she refuses to look at me for long periods of time and/or will go hide under the bed with just her nose poking out. I love how human-like they can be :)

Jess said...

So cute! I have a Yorkie who is about 14 months old and her personality is just like mine also! She is super friendly and fun, but does NOT do anything she doesn't want to do. We're both feisty chicks!

Courtney said...

So stinkin cute! My pup totally has an attitude too, she knows that in the morning I get up, get ready and leave too and so she'll look at me with these eyes like "please don't leave me mama" and then when I start getting dressed she lays on the bed and stares at me and even shakes sometimes :( oh and she's totally done the same thing where she ignores me when I'm calling her haha

PrideinPhotos said...

He sounds SOOO adorable! The problem is its only adorable when it isn't happening to you:) I have a Yorkie who is exactly the same way. POUTS POUTS POUTS when he doesn't get his way...otherwise very happy. They sure do know how to work you don't they?
Laurie