January 13, 2006

Ask the Animal Behavorist

How to keep your dog from
misbehaving when you’re not home

By Maureen Strenfel
Animal Behaviorist,
Humane Society Silicon Valley

Question: I have a Boxer who is about a year old. He is excellent when we leave, except that he tries to look for us, and that leads to the blinds being destroyed by those large boxer feet! What can we do to ease his anxiety, and help him not to miss us so much?

Answer: Start leaving your dog indoors alone for very short time periods. Gradually work up to an hour over the course of a month.

Limit his access in the house until he is completely trained. Shut doors to bedrooms, bathrooms, living rooms, etc. I would not give the dog access to the front door nor a window that looks to the front yard.

This can encourage territorial barking, scratching and some dogs have been known to go through windows to get at the postman, UPS, etc.

It is better that your dog not be allowed toward the front of the house when you are not inside supervising. Also dog-proof the area.

All food on counters needs to go into high cupboards and if he chews on certain items such as paper, put magazines, books or newspapers out of reach as well.

If you do come back to some misdeed, note the alone time and do several sessions of leaving him alone for a shorter duration. Also double-check to make sure your dog has had heavy exercise and you left a nice stuffed Kong to keep him occupied.

Do not scold or punish your dog for any misdeed that he has done while you were gone, as this will only increase any anxiety your dog is experiencing.

Make sure he has recently eliminated and has had daily, heavy exercise once you start to leave him longer than one hour.

Do not make a big deal out of you coming and going during this process. Long drawn out goodbyes or hellos actually encourage the dog to become anxious and may result in destructiveness.

During this retraining process, ignore the dog if he follows you around the house or demands attention from you. Only talk to or pet him when he is away from you and quiet.

Do watch for signs of anxiety as you start to physically leave your property for longer time periods.

Some people take their dog to doggie day care the day before they know they must leave the dog alone for 8 hours. This assures the dog is tired the next day and thus more likely to succeed when left alone.

Some dogs do better with access to outside via a doggie door. Do remember that your dog will have access to being destructive outdoors as well as in if you install a doggie door, but if your dog should need to go to the toilet while you are gone, the door can come in handy.

For more information about separation anxiety and other behavior problems, visit Humane Society Silicon Valley’s website at www.hssv.org and click on behavior. I suggest reading the following books: Canine Separation Anxiety Workbook, 4th edition by James O’Heare, or I’ll Be Home Soon! by Patricia McConnell.

Pet adoptions Name: Max Animal ID# 24527 Age: 3 1/2 years Gender: male Hi there, I’m Max. I’m a Beagle/German Shepherd/Airedale mix who is 3 1/2 years old. I’m a people-oriented kind of guy who craves attention. I’m easy to leash and enjoy going for long walks. I have had some home training and know the sit and shake (“gimme five”) commands but I’m not quite housebroken yet. I am food-motivated and take treats with a soft mouth. I enjoy having my belly and ears scratched and will lean into you to be petted. I’ve been known to make funny happy noises when you do this. I have been crated-trained and have lived with other dogs and children. My ID# is 24527.

Humane Society Silicon Valley is located at 2530 Lafayette Street in Santa Clara. The shelter is open seven days a week. For more adorable animals available for adoption, visit the Humane Society Silicon Valley’s website at www.hssv.org and click on Adoptions, or call (408) 727-3383 for information.