How To Stop Your Dog From Destroying Everything When Left Alone

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Having a dog at home that destroys everything whenever you leave can really be frustrating. The good thing is, you can now do something about it! It all actually boils down to teaching and conditioning your dogs.

Before anything else, let’s find out why your dogs actually become destructive when you leave. Research shows that the destructive behaviors of dogs can be attributed to several factors which may include inadequate exercise and boredom. In some cases, destructive behaviors are associated with hyperactivity, noise-phobia, and separation anxiety. It could also be that your dog is seeking your attention. Remember that dogs are social in nature, and of course, they would want to be by your side 24/7.

If your dog lacks exercise or is seeking your attention, try to spend more time with them. Perhaps you can take time to walk or play with them. When you leave, make sure to leave your dog with a new bone or toy to keep them occupied during your absence. Give him 3-4 toys at a time and hide the rest. Shuffle and switch toys from time to time so he wonit get tired of them all at once. ^[1]

In many cases, owners tend to lavish their dogs with as much attention, love, and affection the moment they walk into the house. This scenario seems to be sweet and cute, but it doesn’t actually help in addressing the destructive issues of your dog. Instead, try to ignore them when you leave or when you come into the house. This way, you are teaching your dog that leaving them is not actually a big deal. ^[2]

As committed dog owners, you should pay attention to the activities which you normally engage into before leaving the house. If you are exercising a routine, such as having the alarm clock on, shower, dress, grab the keys, then leave the house, then do something about it because it can elevate your dog’s level of anxiety. Bear in mind that some breeds of dogs learn easily, and by conditioning, they would understand that after performing your routine, leaving them would follow. In the long run, just by the sound of the alarm can already trigger their anxiety to increase.

As responsible dog owners, you should understand that your dog has emotional and physical needs which when you fail to address, may lead to the development of destructive behaviors. Before adopting a dog, it would be best to ask yourself if you can spare some time to provide these needs.

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