Destructive Behaviour and Separation Anxiety

Often it is hard to tell whether your dog is destroying the house while you are out because he is bored and lonely or whether there is an underlying problem caused by severe stress and anxiety about being left on his own.

Separation anxiety is rare but very distressing for the dog and owner. Symptoms include whining and pacing as you prepare to leave, dilated pupils, panting and drooling, house soiling, howling and barking once you’ve left and the destruction of door and window frames.

On the other hand if the symptoms include barking, destruction of furniture, cushions and dog beds and stealing food items from bins or worktops then it’s more likely to be boredom – coupled with an incomplete house training if you come home to find little ‘gifts’.

As you can see, it isn’t always clear! If your dog seems unconcerned as you prepare to leave and shows interest in a small amount of food scattered on the floor, then it’s probably boredom. If your dog is obviously under severe stress that visibly increases as you get closer to leaving, then it’s more likely to be separation anxiety. Separation anxiety will need to be diagnosed and treated with an individual treatment plan by a behaviourist, via your vet.

Fortunately, loneliness and boredom can be dealt with more easily and there’s a lot you can do to alleviate it, even if you’re regularly away from the house. If your hound is also eliminating in the house then you’ll need to re-address his house training and confine him to a small non-carpeted area, such as the kitchen, while you sort it out.

It may be that your hound isn’t getting enough stimulation during the day which means he has extra energy to burn off and so he’ll entertain himself by chewing the cushions and barking at passers-by out of the window. This is especially likely if your hound is under three years old.

Increasing the amount of exercise he’s getting daily will normally help and finding an agility or other training club will give you an evening of bonding and entertainment for you both. 

Another great way to fill in some time is by providing hollow food-filled toys which you may like to give when you’re leaving him alone in the house. If you can entertain a dog for the first 20 minutes after you leave, then he has a much greater chance of settling quietly.