Naughty Whippet

[Wolfgangthewhippet]

We have a 12 month old whippet who I’ve beginning to believe is never going to grow up!

He’s very good when we’re around, spent a lot of time training him – took him originally to puppy classes and now continuing his training with weekly agility.

Walked twice daily, one first thing in the morning and a longer one in the evening – with a play session after dinner. 

He is left in the day (please no ‘shame on you’ comments – it’s reality I have to work) I do check on him at lunch times, and he’s left no longer than 4 hours at time – he also occasionally comes with me to work. 

He now has run of the house as he figured out how to jump the baby gate. 

He has good days and bad days – he recently spent a lot of time with my dad’s dog who we were looking after, and Wolfgang was good as gold didn’t touch a thing in the house – was it bliss for a short time!

We provide him with toys (stuffed kongs, chews etc) which he doesn’t touch until we come home again! 

He’s slowly but surely destroying the house, I put everything away that I think he’ll get his chops on, but he always finds something – despite having plenty of other suitable things to chew.  Today I got in and he’s chewed the door frame and I’m pretty sure he’s figured out how to jump on the kitchen worktops as he's pulled things out of the kitchen sink. 

We’re getting a second puppy soon, and I’m aware that dogs learn by example and I don’t think I can deal with double trouble!

Any suggestions of how I can stop him misbehaving when we aren’t around? 

I’m not prepared to create him.

Thank you

 

[dogmatize]

He's a whippet. He's both lonely and bored out of his skull.

 

[Wolfgangthewhippet]

Very helpful - thanks

 

[gypsysmum2]

It sounds as though he has separation issues. Dogs that chew and destroy when left are often not coping with the loss of their owner no matter how short the separation.

Another dog will not cure this problem.

He is attached to you and he wants to be with you. As he is a dog he does not understand, when you leave him. if you will ever come back. This makes him anxious for his wellbeing and he takes his anxiety out on his surroundings.

There are ways to deal with the behaviour but it is a very long explanation for a forum. The advice should, also, be tailored to the individual dog and the specific owner circumstances. I would engage a qualified behaviourist from either COAPE or APBC to help you solve this before another dog arrives.

 

[dogmatize]

This.

 

[Wolfgangthewhippet]

It sounds as though he has separation issues. Dogs that chew and destroy when left are often not coping with the loss of their owner no matter how short the separation.

Another dog will not cure this problem.

He is attached to you and he wants to be with you. As he is a dog he does not understand, when you leave him. if you will ever come back. This makes him anxious for his wellbeing and he takes his anxiety out on his surroundings.

There are ways to deal with the behaviour but it is a very long explanation for a forum. The advice should, also, be tailored to the individual dog and the specific owner circumstances. I would engage a qualified behaviourist from either COAPE or APBC to help you solve this before another dog arrives.

Thanks for your reply. 

We aren't getting another dog with the idea that it will help, we genuinely want another dog.  

I was worried that he also has separation issues, but he doesn't display this behaviour everyday. 

We don't make a big deal about leaving the house, and we don't make a fuss when coming home.  We provide toys for him, and put them on rotation so he doesn't get bored.  He's not anxious when we leave the house, he happily just goes to his bed and 9 times out of 10 he's asleep before we even leave because he's been out on a good run.  

I appreciate that he is probably getting bored, and that he is still a young dog - I'm just worried this is going to turn more into a habit which will start happening on the daily, and influence the new pup. 

 

[gypsysmum2]

This.

I don't know why it is quoting above! I can't get rid of it.

Anyway - if you are sure it is not separation problems, then you might like to think about things like a noise phobia of some sort. Dogs can be frightened by all sorts of things and this can set off coping behaviours. A friend's dog started off being frightened by the smoke alarm and then panicked when the cooker was switched on!

He may think he hears you coming home and then you do not materialise and he gets upset?

You might like to consider setting up a CCTV camera to film what goes on when you are not there. One that records sound would be best.

You are right to worry about another dog picking up bad habits. You can be sure if they are going to pick up anything it will be the bad habits.