Preventing separation anxiety in puppies through early positive experiences with alone time is far more effective and welfare-positive than treating established anxiety in adult dogs.
Separation anxiety prevention represents a welfare investment that costs little but prevents enormous suffering. Puppies that learn gradual independence during their sensitive period develop the emotional resilience to cope with normal household routines. The surge of COVID-19-era separation anxiety cases provides a natural experiment demonstrating the direct causal link between early social environment and adult anxiety outcomes. The welfare imperative is clear: breeders, rescue organizations, and new owners should all prioritize systematic, positive alone-time training from the earliest weeks.