Why Do Dogs Destroy Our Things?
As pet owners, you know the scene: You walk in the door from work or a nice Sunday brunch to find your favorite throw pillow in shreds on the living room floor, your dog (tail tucked between its legs) sulks in the shadows fervently hoping you’ll blame the cat.
While some dogs chew on occasion, others make a habit of doggie destruction. For pet owners who love their pooch but also love their couch, this can be a tricky dilemma: How do you keep your terrier from suddenly turning into T-Rex or your husky from going full Hulk?
The answer lies not in barbed wire furniture but in knowing what causes the destructive behavior to begin with.
Dogs can either be primary destructors or secondary, the latter appears when the dog’s destruction is related to something else (like fear or anxiety). The former occurs in dogs that chew the wrong things without other signs that something else is going on.
The clues that your dog is a primary destructor include: Chewing on the edges of coffee tables or other furniture; eating small things left on the floor; eating houseplants; or digging in the carpet or in the yard. Often these dogs act out when their owner’s out of sight.
Secondary behavior involves many more symptoms, including: Chewing or licking the same thing over and over again; eating items that are not food (such as children’s toys); destroying things when you’re around (as if attempting to get your attention); chewing doors, shoes, window blinds or carpet when you’re not home (all signs of separation anxiety); acting out when noises, mayhem, or storms occur (dogs may also shake, pace, hide under beds, or generally act overwhelmed).
The cause of the behavior depends on whether your dog is a primary or secondary offender; if they’re primary pups, they may act out because they don’t have enough supervision, aren’t getting an adequate amount of exercise, don’t have the right toys, or aren’t getting enough human interaction. Secondary pups might act out because they’re protecting their territory or attempting to regulate themselves. Secondary destruction may also occur for no clear reason at all.
So, what do you do? You’re not going to change a chewer so you need to redirect one. Primary destructive behavior can be mitigated by giving your dog the things it may be missing (such as a trip to the dog park or a run on a trail) and plenty of squeaky toys they can destroy to their heart’s content.
Secondary destructive behaviors often require training and, in some cases, medication. Some dogs are put on anti-anxiety meds to help them better learn how to manage their behavior. A vet or a professional dog trainer can help you develop a plan to deconstruct the destruction.
Remember that dogs, because of their instincts, have a propensity for chewing (just as cats have a propensity for scratching). And not all this chewing is equally bad – your pet chewing on a rubber bone is perfectly fine but your bunny slippers? That might leave you hopping mad!
Thus, the solution to the problem is not to stop chewing altogether, but to make sure your dog chews on the right things. In other words, their stuff: Good. Your stuff: Bad.
JJ Keeler lives in Colorado with a house full of pets. She owns three dogs, two cats, and a hamster she bought as a bribe to get her daughter to ride the school bus. She has a BA in English Literature from the University of Colorado and has worked as a professional writer for fifteen years. Her clothes are perpetually covered in pet hair.
