DESTRUCTIVE BEHAVIOR IN DOGS

Destructive behavior in dogs, such as chewing furniture, digging, or excessive barking, often stems from underlying issues like boredom, anxiety, or lack of training. 

Obedience training and behavior modification are the most common and successful ways to address destructive behavior.

Common reasons for destructive behavior:

Boredom and Lack of Exercise:

Dogs need mental and physical stimulation. Without enough exercise and playtime, they might resort to destructive behaviors to relieve pent-up energy. 

Anxiety and Stress:

Separation anxiety, fear, or other stressors can trigger destructive behaviors like chewing, digging, or excessive vocalization. 

Lack of Training and Boundaries:

Dogs need clear boundaries and training to understand what is acceptable behavior. Without proper training, they might engage in destructive habits out of confusion or testing limits.

Medical Conditions:

Underlying medical issues, like dental problems, pain, or cognitive decline, can also contribute to destructive behaviors. 

Attention-Seeking:

Some dogs might engage in destructive behavior to get attention, even if it's negative attention.

Examples of Destructive Behaviors:

Chewing: Excessive chewing on furniture, shoes, or other household items. 

Digging: Excessive digging in the yard, carpets, or other areas. 

Soiling: Urinating or defecating in the house, especially if it's a new behavior or related to separation anxiety. 

Barking: Excessive barking or howling, especially when left alone or in response to specific triggers. 

Tips to managing Destructive Behavior:

Provide Mental and Physical Stimulation:

Engage your dog in activities like walks, playtime, training sessions, and interactive games to reduce boredom and stress. 

Address Underlying Causes:

Identify and address any underlying medical conditions or anxiety through veterinary care or behavior modification. 

Create a Routine and Structure

Establish consistent routines for feeding, walks, and playtime to reduce stress and provide structure for your dog. 

Train and Set Boundaries:

Use positive reinforcement training to teach your dog appropriate behaviors and set boundaries for acceptable and unacceptable actions. 

Manage Separation Anxiety:

Address separation anxiety with crate training, behavioral modification, or calming aids to help your dog cope with being alone. 

Provide Appropriate Toys:

Offer your dog a variety of chew toys and appropriate objects to redirect destructive chewing behavior. 

By understanding the causes and implementing appropriate strategies, you can help your dog overcome destructive behaviors and create a more harmonious relationship. 

For more information or to request a Behavioral Assessment and Consultation contact us below or call (805) 978 6945.  

We provide your Behavioral Assessment and Consultation free of charge.  At the consultation we will discuss in detail with you what problem behaviors are occurring, what you would like to see happen for you and your dog as a result of training and will perform a Behavioral Assessment of your dog.  This will allow us to evaluate your needs, the current behavior of the dog, what you would like to see from the training and other variables in order to develop a Behavioral Training Plan specific to your dog and situation.