Why is my dog chewing drywall when alone? Is it separation anxiety?

Question

Moby has lots of energy; sometimes we take him to the dog park 2x a day! We live in an apartment & have kenneled him in a crate while we're at work but want to transition to him being out. Lately he has been chewing drywall, both when we are AND are not home. He knows it's wrong; when we point to the area he chewed, he cowers/tries to hide. We are concerned about this behavior as it has only developed in the past 2-3 months. He has lots of toys, water, and food, and we exercise him every AM/PM. Pet's info: Dog | German Shepherd | Male | neutered | 1 year old | 80 lbs

C. Rathjens, DVM · Accepted Answer

This sounds like classic separation anxiety. I would recommend stopping all punishment, since dogs can't make the connection between something they've done and a punishment if it doesn't come within 2-3 seconds AND because dogs with anxiety don't respond well to punishment at any time. Moby needs to see his veterinarian to talk about medications to help deal with this and keep him safe.

Why is my dog chewing drywall when alone? Is it separation anxiety?

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