Bored Dogs and Anxious Dogs
We hear so many times about dogs being destructive, from shredding bedding or curtains all the way up to sofas being completely destroyed. The photo at the top of this post was done by a rescue in her first week of getting used to being indoors. It was done in under 15 mins of being left, the same dog can now be left for a couple of hours, she has settled in.
There are two primary reasons for this type of behaviour. The dog is bored or he’s anxious.
A dog left unsupervised and with nothing to do will always find a way of entertaining itself and cushion stuffing is to dogs what bubble wrap is to bored humans. Once you pop … well, you know the rest.
Reducing Boredom
So what can be done to reduce the boredom or the anxiety for a dog? The resulting behaviours are remarkably similar and so are the solutions.
To begin with, a dog that has been exercised properly will be less inclined to destructive behaviour because he’ll need to process the information he received during his exercise session. Any new sights, sounds and smells (especially the smells) need to be filed away for future reference and this takes time.
We tend to forget that dogs watch television with us. We wouldn’t recommend leaving your dog with a TV to keep it occupied, but they will also be comforted and entertained by voices on the radio. Try to avoid a station that plays a lot of music. Your neighbours might object to your dog trying to sing along.
Sound indoors will also help to reduce the impact of sounds from outside, which will always attract a dog’s attention.
Crates
Consider a crate as an option. Many people think that shutting a dog in a crate is cruel, but a crate is a safe and secure environment where a dog can sleep without the fear of attack. Remember that dogs are ‘den’ animals like wolves and foxes, so the enclosed space will be comforting for them.
Just remember not to crate your dog full time when you’re home because it’s convenient to do it. The crate will come to be viewed as a punishment that deprives your dog of your company.
Having toys and comfortable bedding in the crate will also help a dog to sleep and to amuse itself should boredom come along. Make sure as well that there’s a ready supply of water (ideally in a bowl or other container that can’t be tipped over).
To summarise:
Exercise is essential
Entertainment (radio) should help
A crate is a refuge, not a prison
It really can be that simple to change how a dog behaves when you’re out of the house, but if there is a history of destruction you should be mentally prepared for a few lapses. Changes in behaviour don’t usually occur overnight.
