So... I got back to Hawaii from 2 weeks of travel in Japan. To be brutally honest, I did not miss Rex as much as I did Pepe before. I feel sorry for all the 2nd dogs in the world. But first dog is always special. Especially for me, because we were always together and we went through some tough shit together. With Rex, it has only just begun. I think as we spend more time together, I will miss him more while I am gone.
Okay, and today mama and Papa are fighting. Fighting like inmature adults. Pepe always came in between us to fix us. He was mostly with me though and would lick my tears (boy he was such a gentleman) but he was always found in the middle of our space, looking all sad with his tail all the way down. I felt bad for him. And we would always make up. Pepe loved me so much as much as I loved him. After me and my ex split, Pepe apparently would not come out of my underwear bag. He was apparently looking all over the house to look for me and his behavior apparently got too much for my ex. So he took Pepe to his friend's family which was much safer place to be for him at that time. I remember he cried when I came back to Hawaii after being away for 2 months. I miss him so much.
Today, Rex is doing something similar but I don't think he quite understand what's going on. He is not crazy hyper like he usually is so he thinks something's up. He would come lick my face in case I am crying. He would go back and forth between mama and Papa... to fill the gap between. But I don't think he is sad, or bummed by all means because he probably is confused. He is only 9 months. This is too much emotion for him to understand.
Canine empathy is real though. They care. and they really know what's going on.