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By Jack Beresford
Senior Reporter
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When a New Jersey woman set up a camera to see what her dogs did while she was out, she didn’t expect the resulting footage to leave her so emotional.
Married mother of one Suzanne Siegler doesn’t spend much time away from her dogs Munchkin and Biscotti. "I work full time remotely, so I get to spend a lot of time with my pups as they keep me company, working from home," Siegler told Newsweek.
Not that Siegler is complaining. Pups have always been a part of her family’s life. "I had two dogs for 18 years and, when my oldest passed away, I was devastated. I lasted about two weeks with one remaining at home before I went to get my nails done one day and came home with Munchkin," Siegler said.
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"About a year later, my other older dog passed at 18, and my husband took me to get Biscotti as a Mother’s Day gift—we thought Munchkin needed a sibling."
Munchkin and Biscotti are more than just pets; they are family. That is a sentiment shared by many pet owners. A 2023 Pew Research Center survey found 97 percent of U.S. pet owners consider their companion animals to be part of the family.
There is certainly never a dull moment with Munchkin and Biscotti around. "They are incredibly funny; they enjoy playing with one another. but Munchkin is known to steal objects from around the house to trade for treats, and Biscotti has major anxiety and doesn’t like to leave the house even for walks. She’s terrified of everything," Siegler said.
"Biscotti is in love with my husband, and Munchkin is my girl—she refuses to go anywhere without me. They both randomly sleep in a metal tray we have on our ottoman—always the center of attention!"
Despite their closeness, Siegler said that there are times when she has to go out for errands without the dogs, though she tries not to leave them for more than a few hours.
However, she might think twice about doing that again after what happened after she set up a camera to see what they did when she left them home alone.
"I decided to video them because, when I leave and my husband is home, he told me Munchkin waits at the back door for me to come back," Siegler said. "He often will send me pictures of her waiting for me so I wanted to see what they actually do when no one is home."
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Studies have shown how dogs miss us when we are gone. In 2011, a study published in the journal Applied Animal Behaviour Science documented an experiment where 12 dogs with no prior separation-related behavior issues where their owners left alone for 30 minutes, two hours and four hours.
Researchers documented the dogs’ behavior before their owner's departure and then just after their return. They found the canines demonstrated more-intense greeting behaviors and signs of stress upon their owner's return the longer they were apart from their owner.
Siegler’s dogs certainly had a big reaction. The footage, which Siegler later shared to their TikTok page, @munchkin_and_biscotti, revealed how the two pups ended up spending much of the time Siegler was away camped out by the door, desperately awaiting her return.
While Munchkin was glued to the spot by the door, Biscotti appeared happier to explore a little more, though she made frequent trips back to the door to check on things.
Siegler felt a mix of emotions when she watched the footage back. "I felt so bad but super loved! Watching Munchkin literally wait for me to get back home with her nose pressed against the door just made me think, ‘Wow! This little being loves me so much.'
"They say dogs are your best friend, and it’s true, they have no judgment—it is unconditional love," Siegler said. "Biscotti’s reaction? She made me laugh because she kept looking at the phone watching herself. She cracks me up with her unintentional awkwardness!"
Siegler said she decided to post the video because it made her smile and she thought others might laugh and relate to the simple joy that having a dog brings.
"Posting it was just to show how lucky we are to have such loyalty and love!" she said. "It’s a crazy world and to realize something as simple as being your dog's entire world—it’s heartwarming."
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