Why does my dog continually chew and destroying things?

Unfortunately where dogs are concerned, this is not always an easy question to answer! Firstly I would have to ask you some questions e.g.

• Is this a puppy?

If it is a puppy then the odds are that it will chew a lot more than an older dog simply because it is teething. What is essential is that you provide 'legal' chewing objects such as the picture of the Busy Buddy or a Kong (these are similar to Kongs just cost less. You can contact us on admin@fods.co.za to purchase). These keep pups quiet and entertained for hours on end and provide mental stimulation plus they are safer much safer and less likely to break apart - as with all things given to dogs to chew on, daily inspection is required.. Additionally, chewing helps sore gums. On our www.friendsofthedogs.co.za website which is aimed at education, you will find 50 Ways to Stuff a Kong in the Puppy Page. I would always suggest leaving at least 2 - 3 of these and take them away when you arrive home.

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• My next question will be - Is the dog ONLY chewing and destroying when you are not at home?
  

If so there is a very good change that you have separation anxiety happening, and trust me that is not something you want! If this is happening what you have to realize is that the dog is not being mean or spiteful, it is simply not coping and the destructive chewing is making the dog feel better as it is helping the dog to release stress. If this is occurring I would suggest that you get help as soon as possible from a professional behaviour consultant and do ensure that the person belongs to an organization such as the Animal Behaviour Consultants of SA or SABCAP (SA Board of Companion Animal Professionals or COAPE SA.
If you do not have anybody close to you, there is always the option of a Skype Consult - one thing for sure, the separation anxiety will get worse if not addressed.

• Then I would ask you - How much physical and mental stimulation is your dog getting?
  

We have to remember that a dogs sense of smell is over 45 times stronger than ours and a dog that is left in the garden day in and day out is basically bored out of its bracket. By supplying daily exercise outside the home and leaving a variety of stuffed chew toys such as above - you will be supplying some of the dogs needs.

You can also stimulate the dog in the garden by using some of the daily ration of food and leaving scent trails, supplying a digging pit or even a toy hung on a rope to keep your dog busy during the day. There are also a large variety of dog toys where bits of food fall out as the toy is pushed around the garden.

Consider getting somebody to come in during the day and take the dog for a walk.

• Next questions would be - Does the dog receive sufficient human compansionship?
  

It is not uncommon for a dog that does not receive enough human companionship, especially if an only dog left outside, to develop behaviours such as chewing, being destructive, barking etc.

So you see in order to remedy any behaviour concern a dog may have, we need to look at the reasons why it is occurring in the first place.