HELP! Dog Trouble

[Charlotte1486]

Hi There, I am really hoping someone can give me some advice, we have a 9 month old terrier. Max.

Due to unforeseen circumstances we have to leave him on his own for a few hours each day during the week, I know everyone is going to say we should not have got a dog but when we got him circumstances were different and he had company during the day, but for the time being he doesnt and he has been making a right mess, we leave him with plenty of toys and chews but that does not seem to be enough he has taken to destroying things, the biggest problem we have is that he has started to take the plaster off the walls! Any advice would be very much appreciated! Thanks, Charlotte

[237SJ]

My cousin had a little dog who destroyed the place when he went to work (my cousin, not the dog)! and the vet advised him to get another dog for company and it stopped happening. Friend of mine also had the same problem with a rescue dog and the dog trainers called it "separation anxiety".

[woofgang]

is he crate trained? Poor soul sounds like the change is really stressing him out. My best suggestion would be to employ a a dog sitter. i don't think now would be the best time to crate train him.

[lankeela]

Getting another dog could mean you end up with two dogs destroying the place. If your situation is not going to change in the near future I would suggest finding him a home where he has company more of the time. In the meantime I would try confining him to a small part of the home, maybe a puppy pen rather than a cage, so he has plenty of room to move but cannot get to the walls etc to chew them and make sure he has a lot of exercise and mental stimulation before you leave him.

[caslass]

Leaving The radio on worked for my neighbours.

[Redrum]

Hi There Charlotte, whenever I left my dog, (he used to escavate the plaster walls too!) we just got cardboard boxes and flattened them and placed these against the walls all the way round the rooms he was allowed in, we also used to leave a boiled marrowbone that is filled with a cheese or meat mixutre which keeps the dog working on getting the food out of the middle and its good for their teeth and helps stave the boredom, or buy those huge raw hide chew bones, a dog gets bored because his mind is not active.....also take him for a long walk in the morning before you leave for work and when you return back home....exercise is also a vital factor in a tired dog is less destructive, get up earlier in the morning and take him for that walk !

[ganesh]

A bit harsh lankeela,it's only a few hours a day. I leave my dog a few hours when I go shopping and most dogs can cope with that.
As he is still a puppy really he still likes to chew things but dogs get bored unless they've been exercised loads. If you can't get him tired before you leave ,have you thought of a dog walker? ( I am one) .You could get someone just to come and take him out for a half-hour walk and he'd probably sleep it off until you came home.

[Charlotte1486]

Thanks for all your helpful responses.