when my dog is alone he destroys everything help?

Question

I got my dog 3 months ago he is 2 yrs a greman shepard mixed with a st bernard everytime i leave him home alone he gets into my cupboards, eats my candles i try to make sure everything is out of his path but he always finds something to chew on and destroy. What can i do to stop him from doing this? he has all kinds of bones and toys to play with he has a kong. i take him for a little walk everymornig before i go to work. any ideas as to what could help would be appreciated
Thanks

Answer 1

Please don't crate him all day!!! He's really bored. Think how you would feel being forced to stay all day in a small kennel!
Take him to doggy day care as it will cost less than what it is costing you to replace the destroyed house items. This is great socialization for your dog too.
What is the policy at work.?Can you bring your dog to work with you? Yes there are companies that allow this!

Answer 2

Sounds to me like your dog has what my full blooded shepherd has, the vet's call it "Separation Anxiety". He is not used to you being gone so much and he has been taken away from the only home he knew before. (Doesn't matter what or where). All he knows is that you are gone for long periods of time and he thinks you have abandoned him. My dog chewed the rubber bumper off my truck! He's kinda large. I suggest two things; 1) show him LOTS of attention when you are home and 2) He'd probably be better with a friend if you can afford one. A young female that you can have fixed (if you don't want to breed) or a male puppy. As I'm sure you're aware that grown male dogs don't get along well usually with other "grown" male dogs. If you get him a friend, you still want to keep them separated for a few weeks until they get used to each other. There have been cases where dogs have killed other dogs and puppies because they are just a alfa dominant dog. (Females too! I have one!) Don't take my word on it totally though, call a vet and question them or probably better then that a breeder of shepherds or bernards. My dog at 2 years old helped raise a litter of 7 puppies even argued with the mother over them when she was weening. Every time one yelped he would run check on it, roll it over, sniff it from head to toe and make sure it was alright, then go back to being his normal self. I'm saying this because your dog is part shepherd, they are a very intelligent breed, but that don't mean there aren't problem ones of that breed or that you have acquired that had been abused, so just be cautious and pay close attention if you get him a friend. Good luck!

Answer 3

You have a mixed breed, 2 LARGE breeds, so a "little" walk in the morning is NOT sufficient! Most all dogs need at least 2 walks a day for 20 to 30 minutes. If you can't do this, you have the wrong dog. If you want to keep your dog, check into a qualified daycare facility for dogs where he can receive training and socialization. He sounds like he is suffering from seperation anxiety when you leave.And he is only two, still a puppy, so don't look for this behavior to stop without help or training.

Answer 4

My mom has been training dogs for 20 years, and I've sat through God knows how many sessions with her to be able to help you out on this one.

First of all, crate training is the best. You want to start that as soon as possible, and you can work it either one of two ways. A) You can train the dog to use the crate as a punishment type scenario, like time out for a kid basically, and when he does something bad, he goes into the crate. Or if that doesn't appeal you can B) put him in the crate when you leave. The disadvantage to putting a big dog in a crate is they might get antsy, and German Shepherds tend to be pretty active, so I'd shoot for option A. You also want to reward him when he does respond with good behavior, and the best suggestion I have for you there is to reward him with his toys and bones when he behaves right, to encourage him to chew on those verses those new pair of shoes you got last week.

Another thing my mom suggested in her class is that if you have a particular thing that your dogs like to destroy, say shoes like I said before, you might want to invest in some of the spray products on the market that omit a nasty taste when an animal licks it. These are usually proven highly effective, and you can find them pretty much at any Pet Store, and I would venture to guess even your local Walmart or Target might have some. It's relatively inexpensive and very handy to put destructive dogs in their place. Again, if you go this route, I'd have his chew toys nearby, so that he'll have the option of chewing on those, and most likely continue to chew on toys verses other things.

Good luck, and have fun with him! :) I'm sure he'll get better.

Answer 5

How many miles a day do you walk him?
German shepherds need at last 5-7 miles a day run,even if a mix.
It definately sounds as if your dog has a bordom problem,I would suggest more and longer walks,once a day is definately not enough exercise,you try crate training but if the dog is just acting out from bordom then that might not help.
Stuff your kong with peanutbutter at night and freeze it for an extra little somethign for yoru dog to do too.

Answer 6

Sounds like separation anxiety. Keep your goings and comings low-key; don't reward signs of anxiety, only reward calmness. I got a little plug in ball that releases calming pheremones for my dog, but I didn't notice a difference. My dog loves to be outside so now he stays outside while I am at work instead of destroying the house. You may need to consult a dog behaviorist or your vet to get some psychotropic drugs. Good luck!

Answer 7

He's suffering from separation anxiety because you are gone. Dogs are pack animals and don't like being left alone. You need to keep him in a crate when you're not home or he may destroy the whole house. Good Luck.

Answer 8

Oh wow! You sure are patient!
Do you have to keep the dog indoors when you are gone? A dog that size needs alot of exercise....and I mean alot. At least one hour in the mornings and one or more in the evenings, plus the run of a large back yard.
The behavior you are describing is caused by pure boredom, and its not healthy for the dog....not to mention to your home! If you cannot let the dog out to a yard during the day, I would strongly suggest one of the doggie day care places. They get alot of exercise there and the dog will be much better behaved when you get him home. You could then take him on a walk and he should be ok.

Answer 9

Crate him while you are gone. Also, Pet stores (Pet Smart, Pet Co) have sprays that you can use on furniture, wires, candles, shoes, etc. that will prevent your dog from getting into the things you spray for 24 hours. These are training sprays, so you need to praise your dog when he dog when he doesn't chew on things. Keep using the spray until he's trained.
Also it is a good idea to give your dog a piece of clothing you have worn (t-shirt) to help with the seperation anxiety he may be experiencing when you are gone.

Answer 10

seek for separation rigidity on line and initiate coaching him, use the mindset the place you bypass out the door a gazillion cases an afternoon, beginning with a million 2nd, then 5 seconds, then 30 seconds, a million minute, 2 minutes, 5 minutes and so on. - and not increasing the time you're long previous until your canines is punctiliously delicate with the present quantity of time you're coaching with. as quickly as he can do 20 minutes without problems, he might desire to be advantageous to stay homestead for longer cases. do not make a huge deal out of leaving and returning. you delivers him a "wait" command and a small manage as you leave, yet do not leave out toys and so on. to maintain him occupied. ideally he might desire to sleep and loosen up in case you're long previous. make certain he's relatively exercised mentally and bodily (fairly mentally) formerly you leave and don't leave the homestead for no less than 20 minutes after his workout to offer him time to cool down. Being left at the back of is an unnatural element for canines and maximum folk of canines will improve separation rigidity in the event that they have not been taught to stay homestead on my own. ideally you may desire to start coaching this as quickly because of fact the canines has had 2-3 days to settle into its new homestead. As some has stated a crate can decrease the wear and destruction, yet except your canines is a form of who immediately feels safer in a crate and relaxes, crate coaching won't scientific care his separation rigidity. he will nonetheless be afraid, yet he will merely not be waiting to get on your issues to destroy them, so besides the fact that in case you utilize a crate, you could need to artwork on the homestead-on my own coaching. If he's very disappointed and unfavorable, you could attempt to combine his coaching with applying a DAP diffuser and likewise your vet would be waiting to prescribe some drugs against rigidity, which will help your coaching.