The unconditional joy your dog shows you every single night, even after those long 11pm days, speaks to a bond that goes deeper than schedules or perfect timing. That guilt you're carrying shows how much you actually care - and dogs have an incredible ability to sense love and intention, not just hours on a clock. Maybe his enthusiastic welcome isn't about what you think you're failing at, but about him recognizing the person who always comes home to him, no matter how late.