Canine separation-related problems: Part 4: first steps in resolving owner absent problems

Studies have found that 22–55% of the domestic dog population display behaviours that are problematic for their owners during owner absence (Bradshaw et al, 2002; Mills and Mills, 2003; Marques Soares...

Canine separation-related problems: part 3: identifying the emotional component

Hyper-attachment is no longer described in literature about human separation; instead, such literature focuses on different forms of attachment (Ainsworth, 1979), focusing less on specific ‘disorders’...

Separation-related problems part 2: owner absence, learning and pain

Not only can owner behaviour (such as inappropriate introductions to separation or inadequate preparation of dogs to experience a sense of safety whilst alone) predispose dogs towards...

Canine separation–related problem behaviours – part 1: social living and owner absence

Sociality and social connectedness are considered to be adaptive (McMillan, 2016), bringing benefits such as safety, parental care, improved food acquisition and mate procurement. For social species,...