Like kissing your significant other or children goodbye as you leave for work, dogs respond positively to last minute petting before being separated from their owners.
. . . after gentle petting, they were calmer during their owners’ absence, with lower heart rates afterward.
Source: Dogster, January 28, 2019. Link. Findings from a pilot study published in the Journal of Veterinary Behavior <link> suggest that petting a dog before a brief separation from the owner may have a positive effect, making the dog calmer during the separation itself. Further study on effectiveness may help dogs suffering with separation anxiety.
INSIGHTS: It seems this petting behavior would be a normal pet relational skill. Spending a minute or two with petting and assuring our Morky before leaving has worked well in our household.