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Chewing Things Not Supposed To
Ok, here we go. My daughter and husband have 3 dogs. One (Trooper) they just rescued off the streets of Salt Lake City little less than a year ago. He was hanging out with a homeless woman, not sure her whole story, but he ended up alone. He’s a sweetheart (husky/mix) but has one issue that they struggle with. While they are both gone at work he chews up something of theirs on a regular basis. (my guess is may have a little separation anxiety) Of course a kennel would be great solution to this problem, but they do not want to use kennels because they don’t feel right about having their dogs caged that long. All three dogs are large and the other two dogs are older and never been kennel trained either. They have a large solid fenced in back yard and a doggie door so they can go in and out through out the day while they are gone. They give them toys but they are usually taken outside by the dogs and then left there. Other than using a kennel, does anyone have any good suggestions that might get him to stop the behavior instead of maintaining it. Troop does also dig holes in the yard which I suggested that they designate a (sandbox like) area that he can dig in and train him to know that its ok to dig there and no where else by redirecting him and rewarding.
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2 Replies
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Hi @KCorn , I agree with your daughter that crating all day long as the norm would be too long. Does she happen to have a spy cam on the dogs so she can observe their behavior when alone? It would be very helpful to know what Trooper is doing when alone and if you can spot any signs of anxiety. If he is having a hard time when left alone, there’s a whole separate strategy for addressing that.
Otherwise, a few general tips:- Exercise Trooper before leaving for work, so it’d be easier for him to rest quietly at home alone.
- Create a puppy-proofed area for him so he’s less likely to find taboo items to chew.
- Is it possible for your daughter to come home at lunchtime to give him a potty break, instead of him having free access to dog door? This would prevent digging when a person isn’t around to redirect him.
- Provide multiple food puzzles and safe chews to add enrichment and keep him happily occupied. The bulk of his breakfast could be allotted to puzzles, food scatters, etc. By having a separate area of confinement, it’ll prevent any competition among the dogs over these resources.
- Leave something safe but heavily scented with your daughter’s scent if he is preferentially choosing to chew on items that smell like her.
Please keep us posted on what you try with Trooper!
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I’m really glad you posted about this. It takes a lot of care to pause and ask for ideas and Trooper is lucky to have his people thinking this through.
From what you described, this sounds like a dog who has a lot of time and not quite enough appropriate outlets. Chewing and digging are very normal behaviors, especially for a husky mix, and they tend to show up most when dogs are alone and looking for something to do.
It may or may not be separation anxiety. True SA usually comes with clear signs of panic at departures. If he’s mostly just finding things to chew while they’re gone, boredom and access are often the bigger pieces. Virginia’s suggestion for a camera to spy on him is a great one, to get to the bottom of the behavior and emotions behind it. If it is mild sep anx, then check out Malena De Martini’s wonderful Separation Anxiety book and protocol. There are great tips in that!
When no one is home, we can’t really train at the moment, so management becomes our best friend. If the yard is secure, closing the dog door during work hours and having the dogs stay outside is a very reasonable, humane solution. It prevents him from practicing the chewing habit while they build better outlets elsewhere.
If they prefer him indoors, creating a truly dog-proofed space with durable chews, stuffed food toys, and some rotation can help a lot. I agree that crating all day is not a great solution and will likely increase his frustration and potential for other issues developing.
For working breed dogs, mental enrichment is just as important as physical exercise. Giving him a “job” in the morning, even a short training or food puzzle routine, can take the edge off those long quiet hours.
I love your sandbox idea. That is exactly how we honor the behavior instead of trying to suppress it. Give him a place where digging is encouraged and reinforced when they’re home. If the dogs share toys and food well, burying yummy packed kongs can really help with the chewing issue.
At the end of the day, this is about setting him up to succeed when the humans aren’t there to guide him. You’re already thinking in thoughtful, constructive ways. I’d love to hear what they try and how Trooper does. Please keep us posted!
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