Home » Posts tagged "destructive"

Separation Anxiety in Dogs: How to Deal with It

If you have ever come home to a completely destroyed house, a ripped-up couch, a table in shambles, clothing and shoes torn to pieces, you know what it’s like to have a dog with separation anxiety. While it might not always manifest in that extreme manner, dogs with separation anxiety are prone to destruction. Underlying Causes Dogs are just like wolves, they feel an inherent need to be with their pack. Unlike wolves, they are domesticated, and you have become their pack. Even if it is just you and Rover, he recognizes that you are the sole member of his group, and when you go away, it can be very stressful. Separation anxiety can develop the moment you first leave your dog home alone. It may also be a result of having been abandoned at a shelter (if you adopt a shelter dog), or a stressful boarding experience. Most notably,...
Continue reading »

A Tired Dog is a Happy Dog

Not unlike humans, if dogs have too much time on their hands (paws) they are likely to get into trouble. Large breeds are especially likely to grow restless, bored, and anxious when they do not have enough physical activity throughout the day—that’s not to say you won’t find a smaller breed chewing on the leg of your favorite chair if she hasn’t had a walk. Of course, not all behavioral problems can be solved simply by adding more exercise into your dog’s routine, but all of the issues caused by boredom will be. It may be cliché, but tired dogs are happy dogs. They crave activity, and when they don’t get enough, our dogs will start to act out. It can even be more sophisticated than that. When you take the time to exercise your dog, they feel loved and content, having plenty of attention from their owner. How can...
Continue reading »

So Your Dog Chews Everything, Ways to Stop it

If you’ve ever come home from work and found the legs of your chairs and table torn to pieces, you know how frustrating it is to have a dog who chews. You leave him alone for an hour and when you return, he has destroyed three pairs of shoes. We love our dogs, but a dog with a chewing habit can be a menace. Some people will simply give up and drop their hound off at the nearest shelter, citing that he is just too troublesome to keep around the house. This isn’t fair to your dog, however, who probably doesn’t even understand that he’s doing something wrong. Whatever your dog chews on, from wooden furniture, to pillows, to clothes, to shoes, to your children’s toys, you can correct these behaviors once you understand the underlying cause and how to encourage your dog not to chew on your prize possession,...
Continue reading »