# What do dogs think of exactly when their owner comes home? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [July 20, 2008, 7:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-dogs-think-of-exactly-when-their-owner-comes-home/457141 "2008-07-20T07:30:11Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![scrambledeggs](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/898d66/32.png) [@scrambledeggs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/scrambledeggs)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2008, 7:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-dogs-think-of-exactly-when-their-owner-comes-home/457141/1 "2008-07-20T07:30:11Z")
My little puppy seems excited when I see her after an absence, she jumps up and ‘high fives’ me by tapping her front pawns on me. But what is a dog like her actually thinking? Does she have any internal dialogue or is it all instinct? Is she relieved that I survived or happy? Seems like she would be happy, but why and how does she think? ---
**Author:** ![Sigmagirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c89c15/32.png) [@Sigmagirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sigmagirl)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2008, 1:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-dogs-think-of-exactly-when-their-owner-comes-home/457141/2 "2008-07-20T13:36:30Z")
“Life has started again.” ---
**Author:** ![chacoguy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/50afbb/32.png) [@chacoguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chacoguy)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2008, 2:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-dogs-think-of-exactly-when-their-owner-comes-home/457141/3 "2008-07-20T14:58:49Z")
Food guy’s here! ---
**Author:** ![elfkin477](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2008, 2:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-dogs-think-of-exactly-when-their-owner-comes-home/457141/4 "2008-07-20T14:59:31Z")
“Yay! The odds I’ll be fed and let out to pee tonight have just increased significantly!” ---
**Author:** ![glee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/b5a626/32.png) [@glee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/glee)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2008, 3:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-dogs-think-of-exactly-when-their-owner-comes-home/457141/5 "2008-07-20T15:08:31Z")
My pack leader has returned. ---
**Author:** ![NinetyWt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/cc9497/32.png) [@NinetyWt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NinetyWt)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2008, 3:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-dogs-think-of-exactly-when-their-owner-comes-home/457141/6 "2008-07-20T15:28:38Z")
Checkmate? [QUOTE=scrambledeggs] tapping her front pawns on me. [/QUOTE] ---
**Author:** ![Lanzy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/74df32/32.png) [@Lanzy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lanzy)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2008, 3:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-dogs-think-of-exactly-when-their-owner-comes-home/457141/7 "2008-07-20T15:29:44Z")
He didn’t die! ---
**Author:** ![Revtim](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/revtim/32/1042_2.png) [@Revtim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revtim)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2008, 3:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-dogs-think-of-exactly-when-their-owner-comes-home/457141/8 "2008-07-20T15:31:58Z")
Dogs get excited when the pack leader returns, because they expect it to regurgitate food from its hunt for the pack. Hork something up for the pup, fer Christ’s sake, don’t make her beg. ---
**Author:** ![Attack\_from\_the\_3rd\_dimension](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b38774/32.png) [@Attack\_from\_the\_3rd\_dimension](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Attack_from_the_3rd_dimension)\ **Post date:** [July 20, 2008, 3:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-dogs-think-of-exactly-when-their-owner-comes-home/457141/9 "2008-07-20T15:46:21Z")
**Kador of Trask** (via mind link): “Well sure, **Zartog** , if the field constant were, in fact, not constant, then we would have a situation in which we’d have two variables interacting. However, it would have to approximate a constant under most conditions. What’s your evidence that it may not function as a const…Crap, gotta go, wozzitsname is here” **Kador of Trask** (via meatspeak, directed at door): “Woof” **scrambledeggs** (via meatspeak, entering): “Hello Ginger, who’s a good girl, who’s a good girl, didja miss me?” **Kador of Trask** (via meatspeak): “Woof” **scrambledeggs** (via meatspeak): “Walkies? Walkies?” \*\*Kador of Trask \*\* (via meatspeak): “Woof” **Zartog of the Red Veil** via (mind link) “Are you done or what?” **Kador of Trask** (via mind link):“Yeah, yeah, its time for a break. I’ll touch base soon, I’ve gotta go pee anyway, and wozzitsname will tire out soon” ---
**Author:** ![Wargamer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/df705f/32.png) [@Wargamer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wargamer)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2008, 12:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-dogs-think-of-exactly-when-their-owner-comes-home/457141/10 "2008-07-21T00:41:06Z")
What are they thinking? “Bacon! Bacon, bacon, bacon! Bacon! Bacon Bacon BACON!” And don’t try and tell me they aren’t. ---
**Author:** ![Moirai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/96bed5/32.png) [@Moirai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Moirai)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2008, 1:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-dogs-think-of-exactly-when-their-owner-comes-home/457141/11 "2008-07-21T01:06:32Z")
Dogs can be just as ecstatic when you come back from a 2 month trek in Tibet (“He made it! He’s here!”) as they are when you come back from the mailbox (“He made it! He’s here!”). Love a dog greeting. Nothing like it. ---
**Author:** ![hlanelee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/3bc359/32.png) [@hlanelee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hlanelee)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2008, 1:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-dogs-think-of-exactly-when-their-owner-comes-home/457141/12 "2008-07-21T01:20:28Z")
[QUOTE=EJsGirl] Dogs can be just as ecstatic when you come back from a 2 month trek in Tibet (“He made it! He’s here!”) as they are when you come back from the mailbox (“He made it! He’s here!”). Love a dog greeting. Nothing like it. [/QUOTE] Odysseus’s faithful dog, Argos, was the first to recognize him when he got home from the Trojan War. ---
**Author:** ![JThunder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e95f7d/32.png) [@JThunder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JThunder)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2008, 1:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-dogs-think-of-exactly-when-their-owner-comes-home/457141/13 "2008-07-21T01:50:34Z")
[QUOTE=hlanelee] Odysseus’s faithful dog, Argos, was the first to recognize him when he got home from the Trojan War. [/QUOTE] “He didn’t die!” ---
**Author:** ![Cyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a88e4f/32.png) [@Cyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cyn)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2008, 3:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-dogs-think-of-exactly-when-their-owner-comes-home/457141/14 "2008-07-21T03:35:18Z")
“SHE is here! It is HER! Touch me, pet me, love me, I lick you, I love you, I squeal with delight;happy happy joy joy, you smell divine, like the whole world!” Or some such. ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2008, 12:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-dogs-think-of-exactly-when-their-owner-comes-home/457141/15 "2008-07-21T12:19:23Z")
My Boss leaves her two Yorkies in the office when she goes out on appointments. When they start going in circles and bouncing, I start saying “Mommy’s coming. Mommy’s coming.” When she walks in it changes to “Mommy’s here! Mommy’s here!” ---
**Author:** ![don\_t\_ask](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@don\_t\_ask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_t_ask)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2008, 12:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-dogs-think-of-exactly-when-their-owner-comes-home/457141/16 "2008-07-21T12:24:38Z")
Oh here we go again. Focus. Focus. Now smile. Do the “so happy to see you routine.” Keep going. Shit, keep it up… the fuckwit will respond soon. Smile. Bounce around. Jesus, thank you. Took your fucking time… now make with the food. ---
**Author:** ![An\_Arky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/87869e/32.png) [@An\_Arky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/An_Arky)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2008, 1:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-dogs-think-of-exactly-when-their-owner-comes-home/457141/17 "2008-07-21T13:11:02Z")
“About time you got here…I’ve got to piss so bad my back teeth are floating! Oh, yeah, any chance you’re gonna give me some of that pizza?” ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2008, 1:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-dogs-think-of-exactly-when-their-owner-comes-home/457141/18 "2008-07-21T13:38:52Z")
[QUOTE=scrambledeggs] My little puppy seems excited when I see her after an absence, she jumps up and ‘high fives’ me by tapping her front pawns on me. But what is a dog like her actually thinking? Does she have any internal dialogue or is it all instinct? Is she relieved that I survived or happy? Seems like she would be happy, but why and how does she think? [/QUOTE] Are you looking for a factual answer or an opinion based on blind conjecture? If the former-there is no answer. If the latter-My best guess is “Playpal with food! Yay!” What do _you_ think your puppy is saying to you, **scrambledeggs**? ---
**Author:** ![TroubleAgain](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e480ec/32.png) [@TroubleAgain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TroubleAgain)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2008, 1:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-dogs-think-of-exactly-when-their-owner-comes-home/457141/19 "2008-07-21T13:43:00Z")
[QUOTE=Wargamer] What are they thinking? “Bacon! Bacon, bacon, bacon! Bacon! Bacon Bacon BACON!” And don’t try and tell me they aren’t. [/QUOTE] This! ---
**Author:** ![Madd\_Maxx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Madd\_Maxx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Madd_Maxx)\ **Post date:** [July 21, 2008, 2:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-dogs-think-of-exactly-when-their-owner-comes-home/457141/20 "2008-07-21T14:28:27Z")
Bet you can’t find the mystery stain! [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-do-dogs-think-of-exactly-when-their-owner-comes-home/457141.md?page=2)