Destructive behavior in dogs is not a normal state of being
– it tends to happen when an adult dog becomes bored or
lacks adequate exercise. Such dogs are likely to develop
nervous or frustrated tendencies, much the same as humans
bite their nails, and an under-stimulated dog will often
resort to chewing, digging, and repetitive behaviors. As
well as ensuring the restoration of adequate exercise and
play in your dog's life, it is also important to provide
some obedience training to instill discipline, exercise, and
affection all in combination. This article will help you
start to sort out your dog's destructive tendencies.
!! Steps !!
Understand what can constitute destructive behavior in dogs. While
what is destructive may depend on what you value and what your dog
has been doing, not all behaviors that destroy human structures and
items are spurred by an intent to destroy! While puppies can be
destructive, their destructive play is about exploring, not about
intentionally destroying things. On the other hand, a destructive
adult dog displaying negative behavior such as chewing, digging
holes in the backyard, or chewing up the shrubbery needs attending
to. Abnormal behaviors in a pet dog include aggression, anxiety,
displacement activities, trying to dominate you, fear and phobias,
frustration, and stereotypical behaviors such as repetitious actions
with little purpose.[1] Leaving aside aggressive behaviors, which
while destructive are not treated in detail in this article, the
most common problems that can be viewed as destructive include:[2]
* Overactivity, or hyperactivity – the dog is always full of
energy, and always active (note that true hyperactivity is rare in
dogs).
* Separation anxiety – the dog panics once left alone and might
bark, pace, eliminate in inappropriate places, and destroy walls,
doors, etc., in an attempt to get back to an owner.
* Attention-seeking behavior – the dog might bark to get
attention, and do other things to get the owner's attention. We
often reward this behavior, thereby reinforcing the dog's
attention-seeking behavior!
* Noise phobia – the dog might respond with fear to such loud
noises as thunder or fireworks by destroying doors, walls, or
objects, in order to try and hide.
* Boredom – boredom is the cause of many a problem behavior, as
the dog seeks an outlet to relieve its frustration and lack of
attention.
Walk your dog regularly. If you have slipped in maintaining a
walking routine with your dog, reinstate it. If you haven't yet
developed a routine, start now. And if you're not free to walk your
dog regularly, find somebody who can. Go for regular walks and try
to include a variety of exercise options during the walk. Some ideas
include:
Take your dog on a walk in an area that is challenging. Try anywhere
that has hills or an incline. Allow him to take breaks once in a
while and bring along water for him to drink as needed (throw in
your own water bottle, too!). Your dog may get in the habit of using
the same trail, so switch it up to challenge him and keep him from
getting bored.
Visit a beach that allows dogs. The sand is excellent exercise for
the dog's muscles, and the sea offers a fabulous opportunity for
swimming and fetching all manner of items you can toss to your dog.
If you don't want to take a ball, use the beach flotsam to play
fetch with your pooch.
Vary the parks you're visiting to walk your dog. Find out which
parks allow dogs and vary your schedule each week to visit different
ones. This will be stimulating for both of you, as you see new
sights and explore new places.
Play with your dog more. Besides walking, play is an important part
of your dog's interaction with you.
* Play catch in the backyard for 15 minutes a day. Try doing this in
the morning when you're more alert and your dog is usually very
hyper. You'll notice that he'll have less energy throughout the
day if you drain him of it earlier on!
* Make a meet-up time for doggy friends. Find out which of your
friends own dogs and plan meet-ups in central locations where your
dogs can play together. Naturally, you'll also need to learn in
advance if they get along with each other!
* Buy a frisbee and help your dog become used to it. Once he is
aware of what a frisbee is for, let him join in the fun.
Deal with digging. Digging is a common behavior because, simply put,
dogs enjoy it! However, it is certainly exacerbated by boredom. The
key to dealing with digging successfully is to find the motivation
and deflect it as best you can. Any of the approaches alone or in
combination might ease the digging ferocity:
* If your dog is digging because she is bored, increase the play and
exercise activities. Don't leave her alone in the yard all day.
* If your dog is digging because she appears to making herself a
nice, cool, soft place to sleep on, create a shaded area for her,
with something comfortable and cool to lie on.[3]
* Give her some digging space. If you can't beat it, join it but at
least direct it to where she can dig without destroying your
garden. Create the space, till it over, and bury some goodies in
it that she'll love finding. Burying items close to the surface at
first, then gradually burying them deeper, can help retain her
interest in the new digging spot. As time goes on, you can lessen
the burying; she should start to treat this digging area as her
own.[4] It also helps if you can temporarily block off her old
digging space.
Avoid overcrowding your dog. If your dog feels overcrowded, either
by living in a confined space or being forced to share his space
with other dogs without having space of his own, abnormal behaviors
can arise. In particular, male dogs will fight over territory if
they feel crowded.[5]
Ensure that your dog is fenced in well. Poor fencing that allows
your dog to slip out can result in destructive behaviors including
car chasing, fighting with other dogs, and potentially attacking
people. In many jurisdictions, you are required by law to ensure
that your dog is properly restrained and you'll be held liable for
your dog's bad behavior.
Remove chaos from your dog's life. Much like children and many adult
humans, dogs like routine. When you change routine or provide none,
it can distress a dog considerably. Things to keep in mind include:
* Feed your dog at regular mealtimes during the day. Try to always
feed in the same place.
* Provide your dog with a calm and peaceful environment. Your dog is
more likely to be annoying and overactive if she's already in a
chaotic environment. Turn the television down lower and close any
doors where sound can impact her negatively.
Do your best not to leave your dog in a kennel. This creates
isolation and causes her to feel less loved. In turn, she'll become
more hyper trying to get your attention. If you do use a kennel,
make sure to spend plenty of time with your dog exercising, playing,
and giving her attention.
Buy a leash that is only a few feet long. The closer your dog is
when he walks with you, the more he'll know that you're the one
who has the authority and is in control. Never let him walk behind
you or ahead of you, but always right by your side. This lets him
know you're in authority and he must submit.
Change the way you greet your dog when you come home. Decrease your
dog's energy when you walk in the door. It's natural for dogs to
become overly active when you get home. She'll wag her tail, stick
out her tongue, and often she'll try to jump on you. To calm her
overactive state, ignore her when you walk in. This will stop any
encouragement of her hyper behavior and will let her know you
don't approve. After a few weeks of practicing this behavior,
you'll notice she'll be excited to see you but won't be likely to
jump or behave in a destructive way anymore.
Entertain your dog while you're away. The most common time of the
day that your dog is likely to be destructive is when you're away
at work or out doing things away from the house. Your dog can feel
lonely, isolated, or unloved. Be sure to affirm your dog before
leaving by giving him plenty of attention, playing a game of catch,
or taking him on a walk. When you're getting ready to go
somewhere, leave a new bone or a new toy with your dog . It'll
distract him and allow him to feel occupied while you're gone.
He'll be less likely to try getting attention in other ways when
you've taken the time to attend to his needs before leaving.
Don't always have the same old toys out. If your dog is always
playing with the ten toys you bought him, then he'll get tired
of them and unimpressed when you leave. Make sure you hide all of
his toys in a closet and only allow two or three to be out at a
time. When you switch the toys around, your dog will be
entertained more and he'll think it's a treat when he gets an
old toy to play with that's been hidden away. As an added
incentive, this will prevent you from spending more money on new
toys whenever you're planning on leaving for a long period of
time!
!! Video !!
!! Tips !!
* Always bring plastic bags on walks to ensure you can properly
dispose of any waste while exercising.
* It's normal for different types of dogs to have different levels
of energy. Golden retrievers and German shepherds will have more
energy than a poodle, for example. Research and be aware of how
much energy to expect from your dog, and don't get upset when
your breed of dog has a lot of energy; it's normal behavior in
most cases.
* If your dog continues to chew, don't allow him to chew on any
old personal items such as socks, shirts, or kids' toys. This
will only confuse him about what he's allowed to chew and what is
off limits. Try getting a rope specifically made for dogs at your
local pet store and give it to your dog when you see him chewing.
!! Warnings !!
* If your dog has bitten or injured anyone, be sure to immediately
have your dog's temperament tested by local authorities and
research consult your local humane society, veterinarian, or
animal control and care agency.
* Be careful of any dogs you adopt from your local pound. Make sure
they don't have a violent history and that they've had all of
their necessary shots.
!! Things You'll Need !!
* Dog toys
* Dog bed inside house where possible
* Harness, leash, lead
* Feeding equipment
!! Related WikiHows !!
* How to Buy Dog Toys
* How to Select Stuffed Toy Dogs
* How to Walk a Dog
* How to Make Healthy Dog Treats
* How to Clicker Train Your Dog
!! Sources And Citations !!
!! Article Tools !!
* Read on wikiHow
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