Is my puppy anxious?
Q My puppy is six months old and has started to destroy his bed whenever we leave him alone in the house. He is never left alone for long, probably one to two hours at most, and I always leave him with treats and toys to chew and play with, but he just ignores them. I have also tried leaving him in his crate (only for up to an hour) but he still shreds his bed. What should I do? Katherine Addison, Shropshire.
Tamsin says: Destroying items can be common during teething, and a vet check will rule out an uncomfortable mouth leading to excessive chewing. If he shreds items throughout the day, not only when alone, this may be part of normal development. If this happens exclusively when he’s left alone, he may feel worried or frustrated. Not engaging with treats or toys in your absence suggests he might be feeling a high level of stress and therefore loses his appetite. If possible, avoid leaving him alone and use a sitter or walker if this is unavoidable.
Begin a specific training plan for separation, starting with teaching him that being a very short distance away from you is a positive, rewarding experience rather than a frustrating or worrying one. Give him something to enjoy; positive associations can be built using toys or long-lasting, food-releasing toys, then calmly move away a short distance, and for a few moments to begin with.
Starting with smaller, easier hurdles — such as incrementally moving out of the room while he’s happily ‘busy’, and gradually building up to a little longer — will help him feel secure alone.
You can then build up the duration of alone time in small increments to get him used to being left for longer periods.
If using a crate, encourage your dog to use this out of choice by leaving the door open, providing cosy bedding, and treats or toys inside. An accredited behaviourist will
support you all the way.