Hi! I’m Gracie Ann Gurley, prancy golden retriever and top dog when it comes to making humans feel good. 

This is my second Gracie’s Tales. The first was about why walking your dog is so important. Everyone loved it. A lot of momma’s and daddy’s friends thought I was really smart.

This week’s Tale is about why we dogs are always so excited when our human parents come home. And for pet parents, why that moment is so important for us dogs.

My daddy says he feels like Mick Jagger when me, Norman and Ellie meet him at the door. We are all so excited to see him. Sometimes he’s only gone to the mailbox. 

Who’s Mick Jagger?

Like most dogs, I live for smiles, whether it’s from momma and daddy or my neighborhood friends we see on walks. My friends Jon and Janet get so excited when they see me walking down the street with daddy. And then I get so excited. And then daddy lets me go see them. I run as fast as I can. 

Or like when momma and daddy come home. They know exactly what they are going to get from us. 

Nutty, nutty dogs. 

YOU’RE BACK!

It’s a big deal.

We leap. We spin. We bark. We grab a toy, drop it, grab it again. We might even tinkle on accident. Norman head-butts everyone. Ellie, my niece, does her silly growl. I try to act more mature but my tail is uncontrollable. 

We know you were out doing something important. Or you wouldn’t have left us at home. And we know you really want to come in and put your stuff away. Or maybe you have to tinkle real bad. 

All we want right then is for you to be as happy to see us as we are to see you. We slept the whole time you were gone. No fights. No mistakes. Only dreams of when you return. 

For all you human pet parents, promise me the next time you go back home you’ll do a quick spin and maybe a woo-hoo when you open the door to that pair of eyes devoted to only you. Eyes that live for your return.

If you can do that, even just one time, one more dog is having a great day. 

One more thing: My daddy says sharing is a good thing. I try to share my chew toy with Ellie, but it’s hard. Daddy says if you liked this, maybe share it with someone else who loves their dog as much as you love yours.

More from Gracie’s Tales

Tale #3: When a new dog changes everything
Ellie arrives, and Gracie’s world turns upside down.
Read this Tale →

Tale #5: Why some dogs never feel full
Dog hunger, wolf instincts, and why “just one more bite” is a way of life.
Read this Tale →