Domestication is probably the reason that dogs are attached to people, affectionate and have retained some juvenile characteristics into adulthood. Yet these tendencies may contribute to the development of separation distress when they are separated from humans. The genesis of separation anxiety is not clear but several factors have been postulated. Some behaviorists speculate that the separation distress is a remnant of the separation distress noted when puppies are separated from their mother withsome dogs forming dysfunctional attachment to people. Other studies have identified a wide variety of factors associated with the expression of separation anxiety. These include being a stray dog or obtained from a shelter1, living with a single adult2,showing excessive attachment behaviors2, being obtained from a pet store3, and showing other noise or anxiety disorders4. Finally, dogs with separation distress may actually fall into three categories, dogs with a primary hyper-attachment usually beginning in young dogs, dogs with a secondary hyper-attachment that develop attachments to certain individuals and those that occur at any age due to a fearful or unpleasant event when home alone5.
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