Yea, it's true, dogs really seem to think we make everything happen in their lives and if it's something that caused them any problem, including loud thunder claps or leaving them at the vet and leaving, many of them seem to think everything going on in their lives is a direct result of their human's doing. As far as they can tell, all things they have, be it a warm, safe place to sleep, food, water, peace and quiet, playtime and affection to helping them feel better when sick, all come directly from us. I can see how they might think that we're their end all and be all and no doubt dogs could never understand why we do anything so he likely lost trust and the all-important sense of home and security most dogs need to feel in order to be self-assured, secure and safe in life. His little world was likely rocked.

But thankfully, unless they have a physical brain defect or brain-chemistry changes, once they feel safe and learn they can trust us, all is forgiven and they seek us out once again in that special way they always had with us, even after very long separations.

Like others here have advised, obedience training that you keep to frequent, short and upbeat sessions, happy and always totally rewarding for him, is the quickest way I know to gain the trust, respect and affection of any dog.

If he sees doing what you commands you teach and request he do as always a bigtime win-win for him when he does them correctly and if you make the training sessions highly motivating and rewarding for him, he'll learn and then become first habituated and then positively addicted to the rushes of oxytocin that flood his brain from the rewarding interactions you two will have. Scientists have proven that dogs can feel pleasure and love in the very same areas of the brain and using the same type stimuli as humans.

Dogs feed off close, affectionate, rewarding type of human social interaction, and with the two of you working together to achieve a goal and the bond you will form as a working team, where he learns he can trust you implicitly and so what you ask of him, even when it's scary or uncomfortable(a training benefit that could save his life one day), will be one that can last forever and he'll never break that bond.

I'd Google and read up on positive-reward training techniques, watch You-Tube videos about that method of training and just sit back and watch as your baby becomes your old, faithful, fun-loving guy once again after you are a few days into the training and fun. But if he were my baby, except for the real praise(you have to mean it from your heart and look him right in the eyes when you give it) during training sessions, I'd leave all the overtures of approaching for affection up to him and sooner than you know, he'll be nudging your hand for a loving caress and baiting you for a game of tugowar or fetch, tail wagging madly. :)

yeah he did and yup that's what I was told the vet will have to remove the plaque