Andy and I adjusted to our new living arrangements after Abby moved back in with my mom. When I arrived home from work, Andy was still happy to see me but he did act a little different. Before, he would trot alongside Abby as she greeted me at the door. After, Andy would grab a toy and put it in his mouth, then greet me. He was so excited with his tail wagging and body twisting. He would also let out a few snorts because he was breathing hard out of his nose. I would bend over to pet him and then grab his leash and ask him if he wanted to go walking. He would go but only after taking a detour to the food bowl. During the day while I was gone, Andy would not eat even though food was available so by early evening he had quite an appetite. It was hard getting him to eat at times, so when the urge hit him to eat, I let him eat.
Our walks in the park were about the same. We took the same route. I’d talk to him and sometimes sing to him. I don’t know if Andy understood me but hearing my voice probably soothed him much like hearing a cat purr soothes me. And yes, I’m aware of how eccentric this sounds.
In the evenings, Andy would spend more time on the couch with me. Before, he would lie on the rug close to Abby. After, he would cuddle beside me, especially in the winter.
The biggest change in Andy’s behavior was during sleeping. When Abby was with us, Andy had to sleep at the head of the bed beside me, and he would stay there the whole night. It was sort of like a game of “King of the Mountain” for him, and he was the king. He positioned himself there so Abby wouldn’t grab that place.
After Abby moved away, Andy would climb off the bed soon after I fell asleep and stay on the rug. If it was warm, he would stay on the hardwood floor. The way I knew he got off the bed soon after I fell asleep is because I caught him doing so many times. Sometimes when I was falling asleep, my snoring would awake me. It was then I’d see Andy tip-toeing off the bed in a furtive manner. Now that Abby wasn’t around, Andy didn’t have to worry about playing pecking-order games. No longer did his comfort have to take a backseat to his territoriality.
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