It’s a Dog’s Life – But Is it an Optimistic One?

Do you see your glass as half full or half empty? We may consider ourselves to be more optimistic or pessimistic, but we don’t typically think of our canine friends as having such a philosophical bent. But they do, according to research conducted at the University of Bristol. Dogs don’t care if their glasses are half full – but an optimistic or pessimistic attitude may determine how they respond to stressors, such as being left alone.

The British researchers studied separation anxiety in a sample of 24 dogs. Each dog was treated to 20 minutes of playtime with a researcher in an isolated room. They were then placed into a room by themselves for five minutes. Some dogs behaved well, while others engaged in behaviors such as barking, scratching at the door, or jumping. This is thought to be a clue as to their optimistic or pessimistic personalities.

To study this further, the researchers turned to food. They put a bowl containing food in a certain spot in the room. They put a bowl with no food in another area. They then put the bowls in different locations between the “positive and negative positions.”

Researcher Dr. Mike Mendl says, “Dogs that ran fast to these ambiguous locations as if expecting the positive food reward were classed as making relatively ‘optimistic’ decisions. Interesting, these dogs tended to be the ones who also showed least anxiety-like behavior when left alone for a short time.”
So what if you have a pessimistic dog? Studies have shown that many dogs are given up because of separation anxiety behaviors, such as barking, chewing, whining, scratching, and more. Samantha Gaines, deputy head of the Companion Animal Department at the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, says that the study “suggests that at least some of these dogs may have underlying negative emotional states, and owners are encouraged to seek treatment to enhance the welfare of their dogs and minimize the need to relinquish their pet.”

Treatment for separation anxiety can be as simple as making sure to exercise your dog and give him attention when you are home. Many people advocate crate training, as well, to give your dog a sense of security. You can find great tips online or from your vet – but the important thing is not to ignore anxiety behaviors. Not only do they make you less likely to enjoy having a dog, it makes his glass seem even less full.