Does your dog seem unhappy? Well, in a new study in Current Biology, researchers say that dogs can become pessimistic in certain situations.
Leaving your already anxious dogs at home alone may leave them in a permanent bad mood.
The Study
Twenty-four shelter dogs were studied. Researchers placed dogs in isolated rooms with furniture. While alone, dogs barked, jumped and scratched. Next, researchers placed bowls in two rooms.
The bowls either did or did not contain food. They trained the dogs to understand that sometimes the bowl contained food and sometimes it didn't. Researchers then placed bowls in random spots in the rooms.
Some dogs raced to the bowls and were said to be optimistic. While other dogs slowly explored the food and were said to be more pessimistic. The more a dog acted out against the furniture, the more likely the dog was to have a pessimistic reaction.
What It Means
Dogs that are left alone for many hours a day and exhibit separation anxiety may need special treatment. They could be unhappy or unstable.