The neighbors were complaining about Pepper whining whenever Pepper's owners were both gone. Her owners found this hard to believe because they had never heard Pepper whine or bark. But they set up a sting operation - a small voice actuated cassette tape recorder on the coffee table. They returned and played the tape. Then they brought Pepper to the vet and played the tape.
Dogs are innately social animals who prefer living in packs.
For our domesticated pets, we take the place of the pack. The instinct to stay with the pack is so strong in some dogs that they will chew up TV remote controls, furniture and clothing when left alone. They may bark, whine, pee or poop in the house, pace the floor, stop eating, and lick excessively - sometimes to the point of causing a type of skin tumor. Dogs with separation anxiety have been known to completely chew through wooden doors and jump through glass windows. If your dog seems obsessive about always being right next to you, or greets you with excessive exuberance and frantic excitement when you return home, he may be suffering from separation anxiety even if there don't seem to be any other symptoms.