Dog Destroying House

by Carolyn
(Ohio)

My Jack Russell is an 8 yr old female. She has always been a good dog until a few weeks ago. He is destroying my house! She has chewed window blinds and has scratched at doors when I close them to keep her out of rooms.

This week she got upstairs and pushed out window screen and jumped out.Luckily, she lived with a bruised leg. Now today again she scratched two doors up very bad.

I don't understand her behavior all of sudden. Help!



Vet Suggestion Regarding Sudden Destructive Dog Behavior


Hello Carolyn,

The first thing that needs to be done when dealing with a dog that experiences a sudden change in behavior is to rule out medical problems that may be responsible, either in full or in part. It is possible that your dog is not feeling well or even has a brain disorder.

Make an appointment with your veterinarian. He or she will take a complete history and perform a physical exam and can then recommend any diagnostic tests that might be necessary. If you and your veterinarian get to the point where you are convinced that your Jack Russell’s problem is purely behavioral, your focus can then turn to behavioral modification.

Separation anxiety sounds like a possibility in your dog’s case. This is a common problem that can develop at any point in a dog’s life. The goal of treatment is to teach dogs to relax, reward them for doing so, and promote a healthy rather than overly dependent relationship with people.

In some cases, dogs need help remaining calm in order to be more receptive to behavioral modification. Dog appeasing pheromone, over the counter anxiety-relievers (e.g., Anxitane), and prescription medications have all been used with success in cases like this.


Best of luck,

Jennifer Coates, DVM