Ask Dr. Diane

QUESTION:
I got a puppy a few months ago and now when I'm gone during the day it chews everything up, digs holes and barks so that the neighbors complain. What can I do? Scolding doesn't help.

ANSWER:
What you are seeing is normal behavior for a dog that is left alone, especially a puppy. Dogs are social animals; they need company, just as wolves and other dog relatives live in family groups. The worst punishment for humans is solitary confinement, so it is for dogs. Some will become quite neurotic when left by themselves for long periods of time, to the extent of licking and chewing on their legs until they make open sores called lick granulomas. Others engage in what we see as destructive behavior by chewing on inappropriate objects and digging to pass the time.

Scolding your dog after he has done something you don't like, sometimes hours after he did it, is useless; the dog doesn't know why he is punished unless he is caught in the act. Without that immediate connection, the dog just thinks you are being mean (this holds for housetraining also).

SOLUTIONS:

The dog would be happiest if it could be with people all the time, but that usually isn't possible. Get another dog; the two will keep each other company and you will have much less trouble than with one. Find someone else with a lonely dog problem and arrange to leave the dogs together during the day. Even a cat or bird may be an acceptable substitute, although nothing is better than a human. Always keep plenty of chew toys available. Remember that getting a dog is almost like having a child; a dog is a major responsibility, so don't get one unless you can keep it happy

Ask Dr. Diane

Diane E. Shepherd, DVM

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Ask Dr. Diane

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