Turn that Frown Upside Down

We know that attitude can have a serious impact on everything, from enjoying things to dreading them to getting through them. A positive attitude is often beneficial in most endeavors.

Turns out, that the same thing applies to dogs. A recent study, reported in the New York Times, found that dogs can either be optimistic or pessimistic and those that see the glass half empty may, in fact, need treatment.

This downward turn of the smile may not be so easy to spot in dog, since many of them seem perfectly happy to run around or learn tricks. The time that it is most apparent is when you leave them. And it turns out that those with separation anxiety may be prone to seeing the world through less than rose colored glasses.

Scientists tested twenty four shelter dogs in Britain by placing them in isolation and observing them. As predicted, some were not too thrilled: they ran around, barked, scratched. You know the drill. Then they placed feeding bowls in two rooms. Some were full and some were empty and they were placed in different locations each time they were introduced.

The dogs that raced to the locations where the bowls were placed were seen as optimistic. They never knew if the bowls would be full or empty, but they were hopeful. The others who took their times finding the bowls, probably figuring they would be empty anyway, were deemed pessimistic.

And here's the rub: the more separation anxiety a dog exhibited, the more likely he was to be pessimistic.

Moral of the story: if your dog exhibits separation anxiety, seek professional treatment. He may truly be one unhappy camper in more ways than one.