No Children, But I Have a Scout

I have no children so I talk about my dog, a lot. The other day I referenced him as an "only dog" instead of usual term "only child". He is so happy when I walk through the door that it warms my heart. Sometimes he'll follow me around the house just so he doesn't have to be alone. He is a great friend to me. He truly is a member of our family. My parents swore no dog would ever live inside the house. Scout does. No other dog was given weekly baths. Scout gets them. No dog has ever dictated to our family. We all listen to Scout. For over seven years he has been a part of our family. I really don't know what I would do without him. He is so smart and so loving. So, when I see him sad, it's breaks my heart. My brothers are his most favorite people. He loves the boys, probably because they wrestle with him, take him running, and let him play in the front yard. Mathew and Andrew left after being home for the holiday weekend. Last night Scout laid in Mathew's room waiting for his return. When they weren't home by midnight, Scout moved to the front room, where he laid by the front door awaiting the boys. At some point in the night he gave up and probably realized they weren't coming home, especially since they packed their suitcases and loaded up their cars. (Scout knows what the suitcase means.) This morning I found Scout on his bed like this:He looked so sad curled up with his paw covering his face. He misses his friends. I'm sure he will be so excited come Christmas. The house will be busy and full again.