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

Abstract

Members of the veterinary profession will have noticed the demise of the term ‘separation anxiety’, along with the previous assumption that all canine separation problems boil down to an excessive intensity of the human-canine bond. A range of replacement terms for separation anxiety have materialised: ‘separation disorder’, ‘separation syndrome’, ‘separation-related problems’ and ‘separation-related behaviours’ are just some, all of which are now regularly used to replace the term ‘separation anxiety’. This article produces a summary of the profession's current understanding of the issues associated with owner absence-related problems in dogs. Further articles will consider options for behavioural modification to support the needs of dogs whilst owners are absent.