Poor Frigga

Before anyone is too alarmed I should say that physically she's fine. Emotionally, however, she's been through a rough few weeks.

Odin has many times seen me go away for weeks at a time, once for over a year and another time for nearly a year (cut short by being wounded) on my two deployments to Iraq. He knows the drill. It will be sad times but dad will return eventually. I shouldn't lighten the effect those deployments had on him either - especially the first one. Even so I think his profound connection to me somehow made him aware that I was alive somewhere even if I couldn't be with him. He was not as deeply affected as poor Frigga was by my sudden and protracted absence.

Odin was certainly extremely happy to see me come home after 24 days away. He jumped and vocalized how delighted he was to see dad come home. Frigga was quite different. At first she didn't seem to recognize me and reacted with alarm and protectiveness to see a "stranger" suddenly come in the door. Then as recognition set in I saw her heart break. Her face fell, her ears crushed to the back of her head, her hackles partially raised as waves of shaking quivers racked her entire body. She hit the floor like she'd been shot and uttered sounds I'd never heard a GSD make in over 40 years with them. It sounded almost human - like a woman who saw her relative die and return from the dead perhaps. It was a wail I will never forget. She huddled and withdrew so into herself that at first she flinched from my touch. It took several minutes but eventually she settled down enough to tentatively lick my hand and as I stroked her and soothed her she calmed down and became almost limp from being worn out by the emotion of it all.

No question of it, of course, her bond to me runs deep. Odin's heart is big enough and his devotion wide enough that he could find solace in my absence with DW, his charge and his self-appointed mission of guardian. Frigga certainly cares for DW and minds her well but her world revolves around me. DW told me that there were days she barely moved from one spot in the house (my side of the bed) as she mourned me. Only Odin could prod her into much activity outside.

I feel about 2 inches tall for the grief I caused her though I know there is no way I could've averted it. The knowledge that it will come again makes me very sad for her and I pray that she will, as Odin has, come to realize that dad will come home.