I agree totally with pink - just go dark give him the space (and you ) take it so slow that the snails move faster than you.
Let him drop the dog in the door and leave don't react I totally think he would love to come back and is frightened to death that very soon everything would go back to exactly as it was.
hang in there DB for all it is worth I truly think you might be getting somewhere and though 'asking' probably wasn't the best thing it seemed to get you somewhere
and I think he must have been shocked to realise you wanted to take it slower than him - then you call back because you feel sad and he sees this as moving back to where to you have been in the past.
Go dark for all you are worth be busy - it worked before and now you have just worked out a what doesn't work I wish had your guts - you try and then you try again
