You’re coming home and found a disaster: gnawed furniture, a puddle on the floor, upturned flower pots. 😱😱😖😡 What to do?

First of all, know that it is too late to scold a naughty pet! It makes sense to punish and scold a dog only when you find it directly at the moment of the crime. The dog can build causal links, but only when the effect follows the cause. The animal's brain is not perfect enough to understand this connection with the time gap. By the moment you discover the result of the unwanted behavior, the animal is NOT able to understand that it is being scolded exactly for this.

Probably you will ask: “Why then the dog looks guilty, hides and makes a sad face?”
This is not a feeling of guilt. This is an attempt to minimize the negative reaction of the owner. Licking, pinned ears, a guilty head, felting upside down are signals of reconciliation. Your dog is trying to calm you down. Well, yes, it knows that you are angry. But all the same, the next day it will chew on the second slipper.

Why? Here you should consider each specific case. If we are talking about typical problems like destruction of furniture, killing shoes and important documents, stripping wallpaper, and so on, then this behavior occurs in dogs, first of all, due to stress. Chewing is a way of complacency for them.
You need to understand why stress occurs and work with the cause. For example, if a puppy is hyperactive in its exploratory behavior, you can increase the sensory load and the time you spend with a pet. If the dog is bored, you should increase the number of toys, including interactive ones. The problem also can be a fear of loneliness or a fear of confined space, which is common for former street dogs who got in the house already being adolescents or adults.

Destructive behavior can appear due to excess energy. Those breeds that require serious loads very often become destroyers. Huskies, Malamutes, Amstaffs can take down doors and remove the parquet! They simply have no other way to put the accumulated strength and energy. In this case, you should increase the time and, most importantly, physical activity during walks.

It is important to remember that a dog is a highly organized creature with complex motivations. Yes, an owner can scare or break
it, turn it into a submissive sick creature who will be afraid of any movement. But who would do this with a beloved and loyal friend?
If we understand and help our pets, unwanted behavior will subside.

Do you have any questions or want us to analyze your case in a specific post? Share with us in the comments!