Why Do My Dogs Do This?
September 20, 2009 by admin
Filed under Care & Training Q&As
I have a black lab who is 2 years old and a cockapoo that is 1 and 1/2 years old. Everytime we leave them out of there cages in the kitchen the lab will jump up and get mail or anything off the counter and chew it up. The cockapoo isn’t as bad but will tear up the stuff once it it down on the ground. The reason why I don’t understand this is because both dogs are trained and it only happens when noone is home. Why do they do this? They know its wrong.
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Your dogs are BORED! Give them a lot of excercise BEFORE you leave the house and when you get home. You may want to get a crate for each of them as well. Until they are excercised and settled for a while, it will keep them out of trouble and perhaps save them from getting into something that may harm them!
I’m sure they miss you and that is their way to let you know they aren’t happy being left alone. You may try to leave a radio on when you are gone so they hear human voices. They could be anxious or bored too. Do you leave lots of their toys (balls, chew toys, stuffed animals) for them to play with when you are gone so they don’t get bored? Try different things to break this bad habit – leave a radio on; leave lots of toys; and maybe keep the mail somewhere else for awhile! Good luck!
Could be called separation anxiety. Dogs will often do this when they are very attached to their owners and they are left unattended. They could also be bored. There are a couple fo dog toys that could help. The kong toys have treats inside and the dogs have to work to get them out. Other toys will pop out a treat at different times.
The counter surfing is easy to fix. Put things up out of reach. Take things off the floor. Leave them in their crates with lots of good toys and chewies.
You can also desensitize them to your leaving by practicing going out the door and coming back in several times at different intervals. This method will take lots of practice and patience. Make sure they get treats and pets when you return and not punishments.
sounds like separation anxiety.
Try treating them with those treat balls where they can roll around and eat the treats that fall out of it (the kong or molecuball) right before you leave. That can keep them entertained and relate the event of you leaving to something good.
i think they are just playing around and bored….but yeah…punish them everytime they do it
The dogs are bored. Labradors need a lot of exercise and are very active and curious dogs. My lab is only 5 months old and when I leave the house, I run her for a few minutes outside and leave her all of her chew toys in the area that she is confined in so that she does not chew on anything that she is not suppose to. I really regret forgetting to leave her chew toys when I leave the house, because she will always find something to tear up if her toys are not around.
Labs particularly are high energy dogs and require a lot of exercise and attention. Labs will basically eat anything that doesn’t eat them first and paper is DELICIOUS! My black lab still eats tissue, paper towels, wipes or whatever other paper he can get his jaws on. Leave checks down at your own peril because the bank does not want them after they’ve been deposited on the lawn…I speak from experience! Plenty of exercise, scold them and if necessary you may have to soft-muzzle them a few times. That broke both of my labs from messing with things that could hurt them like electric cords and such. I would gently put the muzzle on when I left and remove it immediately upon return. After several times wearing it a few hours, they got the point. they can still drink with it but not eat so do not leave it on for more than a few hours. It should fit where you can insert a finger under the edge but not rotate the muzzle. When nobody is home is when dogs do their mischief!
They are probably just bored and are trying to get your attention. How often do you leave them home alone? I would suggest investing in several different chew toys for both dogs and crating them when you are not home. You can make your home dog proof by putting everything away in drawers where they can’t get to anything. Limit where they can go in the house while you are not there. Plus when you are there at home,take the time to walk them several times a day to help give them the exercise they need and wear them out a bit.
Possibly boredom, sometime it is an anxiety issue. My dog has separation anxiety and he pees around the house when he is alone. If you want to deal with an anxiety issue (if that is infact the issue) I suggest you buy a crate (one for each) for your dogs. It is safer for them when nobody is around and it provides a den like environment which they feel comfortable in. Break them into staying longer periods of time alone slowly. This will hopeful calm them down and keep them out of trouble!
Boredom probably… or maybe they have attachment issues… EIther 1 is a really good guess.
Your dog is bored. Try giving them more exercise before you leave the house. And leave them things to play with when you do leave. One of the favorite toys or maybe a Kong with some peanut butter in it. You may also want to gradually get them used to crating them when you are not home.
Dogs do strange things when they are bored or feel abandoned. My dog used to pee on the floor and chew up things he knew he wasn’t supposed to. We think he did it because he was upset that we were leaving him home alone. He is now 4 and doesn’t usually do anything naughty when we leave now. Hopefully they will out grow it until they do you may have to crate them while you go to work. Good luck.
They do this because no matter how much a dog is trained: Dogs will be Dogs. And they do it when your not home because they probably don’t want to upset you in your face or in your presence… Good Luck.
I would suggest you leave stuff off of the counter to a more higher and secure place!
P.S. They know it is wrong when YOU are there! Plus boredom is a GREAT explanation
Best Wishes!!!
That is your punishment for leaving them alone. Its for spite.