Hi folks, I have just been reading a report into the possibility that dogs can be "pessimistic".

For some reason it brought to mind hearing a conversation between Ricky Gervais and his mates Steve and Karl about experiments liquidising leeches in order to convince their sponsors that they were carrying out scientific work, to justify more money...

The simplified version is that the research was based on whether a dog went up to a bowl when it was put down, to see if it contained food.  In my mind, dogs who don't go up to the food bowls are not neccessarily pessimistic, but perhaps the ones who have realised it is not worth wasting their energy. Clever dogs.

The main thrust of the article seems to be that dogs with "pessimistic" qualities are more likely to display separation anxiety behaviours that are obvious, such as barking and destroying the house.

Check the full report out here.

So here's an intriguing question - why is it that it's much easier for most human beings to have many negative thoughts, yet consistently maintaining a positive thought for more than 15 seconds takes effort?

Try this little exercise - make a list of the things you don't like about yourself, then one with the things you do like, and see which one is easier and longer...
I have though about this for a long time, and recently I wondered if I was over-complicating the whole thing by looking at the nurture/society we experience.

Once again, if we look to our Nature it is obvious. Our instincts are still very much with us, and if we were still living in the wild we would know that at any moment we could be in danger, therefore it is a very good survival trait to be ready for it in a heartbeat, and to expect SUDDEN DEATH. We see it in the rest of Nature, so why pretend that we do not fit into that world too?

For me, the more worrying part of the research was some of the other findings:

"Up to five million pet dogs in the UK (∼50% of the population) may, at some stage of their lives, perform undesirable separation-related behaviour (SRB) when left home alone, including vocalising, destruction and toileting.

Some owners perceive their dog to be ‘fine’ or even ‘happy’ when performing SRB, a few seek professional help and others relinquish the dog."

The report goes on to explain the need for the research "given the magnitude of the issue and the varied perceptions and behaviour of owners".

Taking a practical approach to the whole issue as a Dog Listener, another question is, what difference does it make to the owner even if their dog is 'pessimistic' by nature? They still have the same behaviour problems to deal with.

Of course, when it comes to dealing with Separation Anxiety, the solution is simple to understand and to put into practice. Show the dog that it is not responsible for the safety of the owners.

Find out how by clicking on the link to get your FREE report on the 7 signs of Dog Separation Anxiety and learn how to help your dog to relax... and see the glass is half full (!).

Cheers, Tony
PS We often think dogs act just like little people... as the clip here shows (and just check out how many hits this film has received!). http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qXo3NFqkaRM