Dog Destroys Things When Alone: The 3 Causes

Chewed shoes, emptied trash cans, gnawed chair legs - always when no one is home. This is not revenge. It's almost always one of three things.

Cause 1: Boredom

An under-stimulated dog looks for a job - and "dismantling the sofa" is a good job. Solution: 15 minutes of nose work before being alone instead of frantic ball throwing, plus a filled Kong for the first quarter of an hour.

Cause 2: Separation anxiety

Destruction concentrated on doors and windows, plus whining, panting, drooling? This is stress, not exuberance - only systematic alone training in mini-steps helps here (and a professional in case of panic).

Cause 3: Puppy phase

Teething and urge to explore: Everything within reach is prey. Management is half the solution - a tidy zone, allowed chewing alternatives always available.

What never helps

Scolding afterwards. The dog associates your anger with your return home - not with the act from two hours ago. The guilty face is appeasement, not a confession.

40 ideas for stimulation, including Kong recipes, can be found in "Never Bored Again".