As Kate happily strolled the 15 blocks home with her new companion, she couldn't imagine how anyone could have given Maggie away. But that was before the neighbors started complaining about Maggie's incessant barking, before Maggie started relieving herself on the oriental carpets, and before Kate started coming home to a ransacked apartment strewn with torn pillows and chewed-up clothes.
Most dogs view their owner's absence as a welcome chance to catch up on some snoozing.
But for others, like Maggie, departure is a time of great angst. Unable to articulate their feelings, these dogs act them out by chronically howling, destroying furniture, and defiling a home they otherwise love. The condition is called separation anxiety. It affects an estimated 14 percent of dogs, and it is often the reason that frustrated owners give their dogs away or put them to sleep. Although no one doubts that something is amiss with these furry and usually very friendly fellas, how to fix the problem is a matter of considerable debate.