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Destructive dog

This is a place to gain some understanding of dog behavior and to assist people in training their dogs and dealing with common behavior problems, regardless of the method(s) used. This can cover the spectrum from non-aversive to traditional methods of dog training. There are many ways to train a dog. Please avoid aggressive responses, and counter ideas and opinions with which you don't agree with friendly and helpful advice. Please refrain from submitting posts that promote off-topic discussions. Keep in mind that you may be receiving advice from other dog owners and lovers... not professionals. If you have a major problem, always seek the advice of a trainer or behaviorist!

  
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Buddy

Throw the ball,- already!		 
 
Barked: Thu Jan 31, '13 6:36am PST 
Buddy, my 9ish month old rescue, is destructive when he's left alone. I don't think it's seperation anxiety, since he almost never scratches at the door or whines when I leave him alone. I'm pretty sure he's just bored. I give him toys, stuffed toys and chew toys mostly, and take him for frequent walks to try and burn off energy. I don't even have to leave him alone that long-A five minute run to the store could lead to me needing a new radio or couch. Any suggestions?
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Isaac

1278829		 
 
Barked: Thu Jan 31, '13 7:33am PST 
Put him in a crate when you leave him alone so he doesn't have the opportunity to destroy things. Every time he destroys something, he strengthens the bad habit, which makes him more likely to do it again in the future.

Does he chew on his toys when you are home? Do you reward him for chewing on his toys instead of the furniture?
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Buddy

Throw the ball,- already!		 
 
Barked: Thu Jan 31, '13 9:15am PST 
When I'm home he doesn't chew on [I]anything[/I]. Toys or otherwise. But I know that he chews his toys, as well as furniture and stuff, when I'm gone because I'll come home to stuffing everywhere and to his toys being completely destroyed.

I could start putting him in the crate when I'm gone for a short amount of time, but what about when I'm gone all day? It's rare for me to be gone all day, I'll admit, but what if my mother or friends wanted to go on a day trip to the city or something? I'd hate to have to put a complete end to my social life because I can't trust my dog alone. Is there anyway to correct the behavior or to keep him entertained when I'm gone?
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Cobain ADC,- SGDC, CGN

More Bored- Collies
 
 
Barked: Thu Jan 31, '13 9:57am PST 
Unfortunately, this one of the many aspects you have to deal with as a part of puppy and dog ownership.

For the time being, he has proved to be rambunctious and destructive while you are gone. Therefore, he is not to be trusted when you are not home.
Crate him when you leave, and let him out when you get back.

Once he matures, he should become more accustomed to "house rules" and be more trustworthy when he is given free range.

You may also try exercising him strenuously before you leave anywhere so that he is tried out while you are gone.
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'Barcoola'- Rogue

Door? What door?		 
 
Barked: Thu Jan 31, '13 1:05pm PST 
I don't have a crate for my pup, but whenever I'm gone I always lock him in the bathroom with his bed, a bone, food, water, toys etc as it's the only room in the house that is dog safe. Add to that a round of fetch as well as a quick training session to wear him out and he generally sleeps the whole time.
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Josie

1284059		 
 
Barked: Thu Jan 31, '13 1:59pm PST 
"what if my mother or friends wanted to go on a day trip to the city or something? I'd hate to have to put a complete end to my social life because I can't trust my dog alone."

Social life changes when you get any dog, that's just how it is! If you're going to be gone all day, you should really have a friend or pet sitter come over even if your dog can be trusted alone.
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Buddy

Throw the ball,- already!		 
 
Barked: Fri Feb 1, '13 3:53am PST 
Thanks, I suppose I'll just have to start crating him when I'm gone. I didn't mean it to sound like I thought my social life was more important, btw-It's not. And as far as trips to the city, those happen like 3x a year, if that.

However, I live in a rural area-no friends or petsitters to be seen.

I've tried excercising him, but being a young lab, he has boundless energy. Multiple walks a day, plus multiple training sessions, plus tossing a ball sporadically throughout the day doesn't work to fully tire him out. I'm thinking of taking up hiking/swimming with him smile

As for leaving him in the bathroom, I'd probably need a new toilet if I did that. I've worked with dogs before, and I've never met one this destructive.

Thanks for your help, though. I'm sure I can figure out a way to expel his excess energy, and knowing I can't trust him alone, I'll just make sure to crate him when I'm gone.
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Angel

Tuff Enuff!		 
 
Barked: Sun Feb 3, '13 5:00am PST 
Crate training has helped me with Angel a lot. Like your dog, she would chew on things (and one time she managed to get on my kitchen table). Don't view it like punishment...you want it to be a place your dog can go that's calm & peaceful. Your social life shouldn't change negatively where you can't do anything...you just adapt. Angel is in her crate a maximum of 8 hours (my shift) and if I am going to be gone longer I'll have someone else she knows go by and check on her. You will figure out what works best for yours.
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Josie

1284059		 
 
Barked: Sun Feb 3, '13 11:28am PST 
Maybe you could install a large outdoor dog run with a top and bottom so he can't escape? Or put him in a completely doggie proofed room with double baby gates at the door so he can see out.
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Lexus

shy girl		 
 
Barked: Sun Feb 3, '13 11:46am PST 
Crate training is for sure the way to go. I thought i could get away with no crate, which I did for one month when I first got my pup, we simply left her in our bedroom whenever we had to leave, and she was fine until one day she tore apart the room, then the next day, the same thing.....so they are right, once the habit begins, it just continues and gets worse.....needless to say, I started crate training, and it is the best thing we could have done. She doesn't mind being in the crate either, because we made it a positive place for her....it is her "bedroom" so to speak.
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