The dog stares at the family sleeping all night. Concerned owners go back to shelter to get answers

This dog had just been adopted into the family, and they loved him very much. But they couldn't understand this one habit of his.

Having got him at the shelter, the family wanted to give him all the love he needed and deserved. All seemed well with the pup, except for one strange thing that he would do every night.

As reported by GladWire, their dog fur-baby was happy to endure all the cuddles and affection during the day, but when they went to sleep at night, he would sit next to their bed watching them, and when they woke up he would still be sitting there staring.

The family took him for daily walks, and played with him for most of the day. They could not understand why he would stare at them as they slept all night instead of sleeping as well.

Concerned that something was wrong, the family took him to the vet. There they were told that there was nothing physically wrong with him.

Still intrigued and wanting answers, the family then turned to the shelter where they had adopted him. And it was there that they were told the heartbreaking story of how the dog had ended up in the shelter in the first place.

One night, after sedating him, the dog's previous owner had watched him as he fell asleep. When he did, he drove him down to the shelter where he abandoned him. By the time the dog woke up, he was never to see his owner again.

The dog was clearly worried that his new family might do the same, and so felt he needed to watch them while they slept.

Realizing that the dog was suffering from this fear, the family immediately went home and moved his dog bed next to theirs in the bedroom, hoping that it would reassure him that they had no intention of abandoning him too.

From then on, the dog would sleep through the night next to them, content in the knowledge that he was loved and wanted.