A little personal note.
I have recently had some fairly significant surgery so, much of the dog walking has fallen to my dear wife. She is also my official carer. The dog, and we've had him just a few months, is the unofficial carer.
Yesterday, I had a particularly bad day. I slept a lot and the dog kept an eye on me. Is a sixth sense or is he just thinking that the old boy is not behaving normally. Whatever, he is there.
Today, I was over that and walked the dog five times. He was a happy chappy. We have parks and woods and he can run around off the lead. And comes back upon request. "lead". He come trotting up, and sits down ready.
So we got to the park and, as usual, I let him off the lead. OK. I laid down. I expected him to run about and find one of his pee trees. No. He just laid right beside me and licked my hand and waited for me to move.
Certainly Mr Unofficial Carer in my book.