Doggy boredom

Here’s the thing, I believe ‘Boredom’ to be a ‘BIG part of Bad Behavior’ in doggys. If you think about it and put yourself in their shoes, you may possibly come to understand what it takes for them to communicate their NEEDS. They cannot speak the English Language or? They do however have other ways of getting your attention and some may be a bit destructive. So, I think we humans need to be these 3 things, Patient, Gentle and Consistant and we must ‘Never Give Up’. If you have a ”new puppy” or a ”rescue doggy” that is showing you these kinds of ”boredom signals”, Chewing, Jumping, Barking, Digging or disobedience of any sort, you now know you will have to take the leadership role and that the above 3 things is what is expected or required of you in dealing with bad behavior and the way you communicate.

#1. Chewing-If the doggy is just a puppy it may be as simple as supplying doggy with chewing toys/items from your local pet store. It could also be an undiagnosed medical problem which can be handled with medication. You will need a vet at some point so I would suggest one of the very first things you do is take the doggy for a check-up (Up front, just put it in the budget). Peace of mind. On the other hand the doggy may just be trying to get your attention.”Hey, look at me, I’m still here and you’ve been at work all day! I was so bored I chewed up your new $100.00 sneakers.” Although there are those who probably nay say the idea, give the doggy an old shoe with your scent on it for ‘doggys alone time day delight’ and be sure to pick-up other tempting items before you leave doggy for work or? You will need to schedule “Quality Time”to spend with your doggy, dog walks, dog parks(good for socialization skills) or whatever regular outings you come up with, it’s a ‘Boredom Preventative’ MUST!

#2. Barking-Sometimes it really is just ‘dog talk’ between the 2 of you, one of those tender moments. But when it is not, boredom and loneliness are the most common reasons. Try leaving a radio or TV on, they even make videos for animals while you are away at work. The doggy should have lots of toys to amuse himself and the squeakier the better.

#3. Digging-This activity may just be a part of that doggys ‘breed’ or sheer boredom. Now would be a good time to teach your doggy how to fetch, most love this game but it must be taught when the 2 of you are alone so that other doggys do not run interference in lesson. Here is the payoff, the more exercise can make your doggy too tired to ‘dig’. Also there is a non-toxic doggy repellent you can spray where you don’t want your doggy to dig.

#4. Jumping-Most people do not appreciate ( including dog lovers) a doggy propelling itself in your face. This is a very hard one to break, you may need to physically enforce and with a strong command word, then reward with verbal praise and a treat. Check with a dog trainer for most effective way to deal with this behavior. But again it is usually out of loneliness/boredom because they are so glad and excited to see you!

Disobedience of any kind will always call for repetitive lessons and rewards. Some of these sweet babys just do not understand what is expected of them, and that is when Patience, Gentleness and Consistency come into play. If this becomes too frustrating for you and the doggy, you may want to consider obedience school. This will be good for both of you and make your time spent together more enjoyable!