Depressed pup

Question
My husband and I recently adopted an 8 month old GS male. He is fixed and has all his shots. I am not experienced with dogs at all, so I worry that he is playing me! He seems depressed a lot and often goes into his "den" behind the armchair and looks like he is sulking. We have never 'sent' him to his den. He is with my husband all day at work (running the acreage and playing with his parents female GS). When he comes home, he chases our two kittens and barks at nothing in particular. Sometimes he doesn't even hear the front door open, so I don't know what he's barking at. We take him almost everywhere, he is fed well, sleeps at the foot of our bed and still seems to be sad. He has only been like this for about a week and nothing out of the ordinary has occured.He use to only do this when my husband went to school on Mon/Wed night, but now it is all the time he is indoors. Is he depressed or bored? Should I lay on the floor and pet him while he is in his den? I worry like a mother hen!!

Answer
If it has only been a week, he needs more time.  Yes, go ahead and give him as much attention as you can. Do what you still can of these:

''Elevation for small puppies: Sit on the floor and gently put your hands around your pup's middle, below his front legs, and lift him up. He is facing you. Hold him for 15 seconds. Repeat until he no longer struggles. If he is past 10-12 weeks, lift his front feet off the ground, but don't pick him up.

Cradling for small puppies: Hold your puppy gently on his back, as you would cradle a small baby. If he struggles, hold him firmly until he quiets for 10-15 seconds. With larger pups, you can do this as your sit on the floor, with your pup between your legs.

Quiet lying down: Place your pup on the floor on his side, with all 4 legs pointing away from you. Use your hands on his neck/shoulder area and middle, to hold him in this position. When he is quiet, praise him. Lengthen the time that you keep him quietly in this position. When he accepts this position well, handle his paws and muzzle, while keeping him quiet.''

The quotes mean this isn't my original work. It is copied from my Puppy Raising Manual. I have long used these or minor variations of them, and they are very effective. You may want to give him a belly rub while he is on his back too. Helps bonding. There is a big difference between him rolling over and demanding a belly rub, and you choosing a time to roll him over and rub his belly. The latter cements your place as pack leader.