Why is my dog destructive when alone after his friend passed away?

Question

One of my dogs dies and the other one is acting out. He has shredded rugs, torn up his bed, and torn draperies. I am at work for 8 hours a day and he is alone. I leave the TV on but that doesn't seem to make any difference. When I'm home, he's fine! Pet's info: Dog | Rat Terrier | Male | neutered | 8 years and 3 months old | 12 lbs

Lauren Kennedy, DVM · Accepted Answer

I’m sorry for the loss of your other dog. It sounds as if Lucky is suffering from separation anxiety now that his companion is gone. I would recommend first getting a crate to keep Lucky in while you are gone. This will help prevent him from destroying the house and keep him safe so he doesn't get into anything that could harm him. Crate training can take a few weeks but once he is used to the crate he will begin to feel safe there. I would also recommend taking him on a fast paced walk before you have to crate him to help drain some of his nervous energy. You can also try giving him a chew toy like a kong in the crate to keep him distracted. If these tactics do not work I would recommend talking to your vet about starting him on an anti anxiety medication. Good luck.

Why is my dog destructive when alone after his friend passed away?

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