Dog Years

Ben, a dog born in the summer months of 1996 - so that makes him 39, he tells us - narrates a bit of his life as we watch him at the shore with his owner, playing fetch, running in the water, sand, and mud. He was neutered at 13, and this is still a bone of contention with his owner. Worse, Ben tells us that his owner disappears for days at a time, leaving Ben bored and depressed. What should a dog in that situation do?