Shutting the door on your beloved dog tugs at the heart-strings, and now an expert has revealed exactly the emotions our dogs feel after your departure.
Every dog owner knows the heartache of leaving their pet behind while they head out to work, especially when faced with those pleading puppy eyes. But sadly, we have to earn a living to keep our furry friends fed and entertained.
Dogs, not understanding the concept of work, often spend hours wondering where their owners have disappeared to. Adrienne Carson, the vice president of behaviour and training at St Hubert’s Animal Welfare, told The Dog People that dogs miss their owners because they associate them with positive experiences. According to The Dog People: “If you’ve been gone for a long time, your dog might be super excited when you come home. Research shows that the longer you’re away, the happier your dog is when you return. Dogs are social animals, so they may feel sad when their favourite person is gone. This can happen with all dogs, not just those with separation anxiety.”
Fortunately, Carson reassures us that dogs do well with routines and familiar surroundings. They might initially feel sad when you leave for work, but they soon settle into doing ‘dog stuff’, like sleeping, chewing toys, or listening out for sounds. Thankfully, a lot of a dog’s alone time is spent sleeping, which helps pass the hours until you return.
Professor emeritus of Psychology at the University of British Columbia, Stanley Coren, is convinced that dogs dream about their ‘favourite things’ – and this likely includes their owners. He explained: “What we’ve basically found is that dogs dream doggy things. So, pointers will dream birds, and Dobermans will chase dream burglars. The dream pattern in dogs seems to be very similar to the dream pattern in humans.”
His findings are supported by Dr Deirdre Barrett, a clinical and evolutionary psychologist at Harvard Medical School, who argues that dogs, much like humans, dream about their daily experiences – suggesting they probably dream about their owners too.
A recent TikTok video uploaded by Animals Studio highlighted these insights, remarking: “They think about their owners. Canines don’t just love their owners back. They actually consider them to be family as it turns out man’s best friends get more protection and affection from human beings than their kind.”
It also touched on how being alone isn’t a natural state for most dogs, leading many to express their unease about separation through barking and whining. However, some dogs may exhibit this through sickness, accidents in the house, or destroying objects within their reach.
According to the video, “They reflect or dream about their day. When you leave after spending quality time with your canine companion, they’ll linger, reminiscing about the eventful day you’ve shared together.”
Commenting on the video, one user agreed: “That’s right.” Another user shared: “My dachshund remembers everything.” A third user simply added: “I love dogs.”
