What is the difference between separation anxiety and fomo in dogs?

Dog separation anxiety is a condition characterized by extreme distress when a dog is separated from its owner or left alone. It goes beyond mere dislike of solitude; it’s a panic disorder. FOMO, or Fear of Missing Out, refers to the anxiety stemming from the fear of missing enjoyable experiences that others are having. This feeling often arises from a strong desire to be included and a fear of exclusion. Whether your dog is struggling with separation anxiety or FOMO, the emotional distress they experience is the same. Symptoms of separation anxiety can vary but often include destructive behaviors, excessive barking or howling, escape attempts to reach their owner, pacing or restlessness, house soiling in an otherwise housetrained dog, and excessive drooling or panting. In the case of FOMO, a dog's initial excitement can morph into disappointment as they pace and whine, gazing out the window in hopes of getting to tag along on the outing. With each separation, their distress can escalate, leading to longer bouts of barking and even howling, turning into bona fide fear over time.

Dogs suffering from separation anxiety display signs of panic when left for longer than they can handle. These dogs get anxious on their own, but they are fine as long as someone – anyone – is with them. Take the FOMO dog—the “fear of missing out” dog—who can’t bear to think there’s something exciting going on without it. As soon as you leave, the dog starts to bark. Chewing and vocalizing were particularly prevalent in non-anxious dogs. This can be confusing. But the behaviours are often more intense and last longer in anxious dogs. FOMO dogs keep going until they realize the barking isn’t working. Then they give up and slumber through the rest of your absence. Contrast that with the separation anxiety dog who is so worried that the barking continues to escalate for the entire time.