Help! Fido Ate my Slippers Again!
You’ve been planning your dinner party for weeks. Your guests will be arriving any minute. You do a walk-through the house to make sure everything is perfect and realize that Fido has just chewed a hole in your rug and turned your brand new throw pillows into doggy treats. What are you going to do?
According to the AVMA (American Veterinary Medical Association), 36.5 percent of American households have a dog. That’s a lot of pet parents in the Golden and Lakewood area, alone! We’ve all experienced the occasional chewed house shoe or even the potty training accident in the middle of your brand new carpet.
Whether it has a three-month old dachshund or a 15 year-old collie, it’s important to understand the best method for disciplining man’s best friend.
Why do dogs sometimes engage in destructive behavior?
Dogs do not typically engage in behaviors that are inappropriate out of spite. There is typically some underlying cause that makes Fido act a little out of the ordinary.
Separation Anxiety
Humans experience separation anxiety at times, and unfortunately, dogs do as well. Some of the reasons that cause separation anxiety in dogs are:
- Being left alone more frequently than usual or other changes in schedule
- Moving to a new home
- Being kept in a kennel or dog boarding facility
Separation anxiety can cause a dog to have more frequent house-soiling accidents and more excessive barking or whining.
When choosing to use a dog boarding facility, it will be important to find one that supports positive methods for disciplining your dog and reducing separation anxiety. A dog daycare can be a wonderful option if you have a change in routine and may not be able to give your pet all the attention they need and deserve.
Boredom and Inactivity
If your dog is not getting enough exercise, they are more than likely to engage in destructive behaviors. If you are away from home during a significant portion of the day, consider a dog daycare facility that will support their need for playtime.
Teething
Just like babies, puppies go through the teething process as well. To relieve the discomfort, they may use your favorite pair of shoes as a teething ring.
Medical Issues
For older dogs, medical issues may be the culprit for why your dog is engaging in destructive behaviors.
When disciplining your dog, it is important to seek out methods that do not include striking the animal as a form of punishment. Striking your pet will only increase your dog’s anxiety and in the end, make them fearful of you.
Here are some methods you can use to help get your dog back on track.
Attention-Seeking
Some dogs have learned that they get more attention when they are doing something inappropriate. If they do not get enough reinforcement for appropriate behaviors, they may use these negative behaviors as a way to receive attention from their owners. For the dog, negative attention is better than no attention.
Fear
A dog may engage in inappropriate behaviors when they are afraid of something. Some dogs have a fear of thunderstorms while others run for the hills at loud noises. It is important to understand the root of the problem. When dogs react out of fear, they can do things that may be harmful to themselves to avoid the situation.
Hunger
A hungry dog may venture through the house in search of food causing damage to your home during their expedition.
Important to discipline dog while they are in the act rather than after the fact
Catch your dog “red-handed”. If you attempt to discipline your dog after the deed is done, they may not associate the correction with the appropriate behavior. For example, if your dog loudly barks whenever someone comes to your home and you wait until they stop barking to discipline them, they may begin to believe your guests are bad rather than their loud barking is the problem.
Take away a favorite treat or toy
Associate a consistent phrase with the removal of something the dogs enjoys. Taking away something he or she loves will help your dog learn that his behavior is inappropriate, and this is the reason they are losing the treat.
Distract
Make a loud noise that will startle your dog. The sound will distract his or her attention away from the negative behavior and put their focus on you.
Ignore Your Dog (Temporarily of course!)
Dogs love your attention. By using your phrase to let them know their behavior is inappropriate and then ignoring them, this will help to correct the negative behavior.
Time-Out
Remove your dog from the situation for a few minutes. Once the time-out is over, reintroduce them to the same situation. This time away from the situation will give them a chance to learn the appropriate behavior.
Sit command
Telling your dog to sit will prevent them from engaging in whatever the inappropriate behavior is. Having your pet sit is another form of distraction and can be an effective way to curb destructive tendencies.
Being a pet owner is a wonderful experience, but it can also be a frustrating one at times. Any punishment that involves hitting is never appropriate. Your dog’s occasional destructive behavior is part of the life of being a pet parent. Understanding why your dog is displaying destructive behaviors can go a long way in helping them to correct them. Finding appropriate ways to discipline this behavior will make for a healthier, happier relationship between you and your dog.
Whether you’re looking for a dog daycare for help with your pet during the week or dog boarding when you’re heading out for vacation, Pet Peeves, LLC is the service for you. Our kennel facility located close to Golden and Lakewood offers premium daycare and boarding services in addition to help with training your dog. Please feel free to contact us today for more information!
