You should seek the advice of your veterinarian if your pet is ill as only he or she can correctly advise on the diagnosis and recommend the treatment that is most appropriate for your pet.

Sometimes dogs will chew up objects, doors, furniture....but why ?

There are several well described causes of destructive behaviour in dogs :

• Separation anxiety -Separation anxiety is common in dogs and the behaviour (sometimes destructive, sometimes continuous barking) starts when the owner leaves the house and stops as soon as they return.
• Boredom - Young energetic dogs that are confined and do not get enough exercise get bored and will often take to destructive behaviour as a release for the energy. This can usually be resolved by introducing a rigorous exercise routine.
• Territorial behaviour -Dogs are territorial and sometimes protective behaviour can manifest as destructive behaviour - particularly to doors and windows.
• Noise phobia - dogs can show destructive behaviour as a side-effect of being frightened of loud noises eg fireworks, machinery.
• Barrier frustration - Dogs that do not like to be confined and try to escape may destroy doors and windows.

These problems can usually be treated by behavioural modification, and sometimes by the use of drugs. Your veterinarian needs to get a detailed behavioural history to determine the underlying cause and recommend the best form of management.

Updated October 2013