Separation anxiety may cause a dog to behave in unpleasant ways when left alone in the house. Being destructive towards furniture is one such unwanted habit. However, anxiety might not be the only reason for this.
One Korean woman owns two dogs with who each have their own issues. Her main concern is with Daebak, who likes to destroy pillows and cushions whenever she’s away. Her other dog Tae Ahn hides under the table and doesn’t accept her affection.
The woman has no idea how to fix both problems. She’s tried everything she could think of. She never lacks when it comes to playing with Daebak, so he has no reason to chew on pillows. Tae Ahn receives enough attention as well.
One day an animal behavior expert gave her some shocking insight. First of all, Daebak wasn’t actually suffering from separation anxiety. Secondly, the two problems are, in a sense, connected.
According to the expert, by frequently playing tug of war with Daebak, the owner reinforced his hunter’s instinct. This is why he likes ripping pillows apart. It was not out of anxiety but rather sheer enjoyment.
Due to Daebak’s hunter instincts, he plays roughly with Tae Ahn. This created a disconnect between the two dogs. Furthermore, since Daebak is receiving praise despite treating Tae Ahn like prey, the latter felt a sense of neglect.
The owner was advised to stop playing tug of war with Daebak. It makes sense to forgo something that reinforced that negative behavior. Furthermore, regular walks are enough to drain his energy; he didn’t need more physical stimulation.
All the owner had to do for Tae Ahn’s problem was show him that he’s not Daebak’s prey. Whenever Daebak would play rough with Tae Ahn, the owner had to intervene. Such an act made the smaller dog feel better and less inclined to sulk.
Video courtesy of SBS TV Animals via YouTube.
