The Doggo Memes Facebook group is a place where people from all around the world share the funniest pics featuring dogs. The group has some ground rules, like "Dog pictures only." Again, sorry, cat lovers. Currently, it has a little over 208k members, and every entry gets hundreds, if not thousands of likes.
The creators of the group have a website Doggos Life, where they declare their mission statement. "At Doggoslife, we believe that laughter is the best medicine, especially when it comes to our beloved four-legged friends," the site's 'About Us' page states. "Whether you’re looking for a pick-me-up after a ruff day or just want to indulge in some lighthearted dog humor, Doggoslife has you covered." And indeed they do!
Dogs are cute and undeniably our best friends. However, sometimes they can be a little naughty too. Owners often struggle with their doggo's destructive behavior and are not sure why they're acting that way or what's the best course of action. Obedience training? Maybe reaching out to a professional?
We contacted a Certified Dog Trainer, Kristi Benson CTC PCBC-A, who lives in beautiful northern British Columbia Canada, to tell us what to do in that case. She told us the common reasons why dogs start chewing objects and furniture, whether some breeds are more prone to destructive behavior, and how owners can best deal with their unruly doggos.
Benson tells Bored Panda that there are two main reasons why dogs engage in destructive behavior. "The first: they're just bored silly! Pet dogs in a standard home environment typically don't get enough exercise or enrichment in their lives, even if they get a daily walk," Kristi explains.
"Just like we like reading, binge-watching our favorite show, or doing sudoku, dogs also have activities that they just enjoy doing: chewing and digging being some of the big ones. These dogs aren't acting out or being malicious, they just really need some more fun dog stuff to do."
The second reason why dogs might start misbehaving and chewing on everything in sight is fear of being left alone. "They may scratch or chew at doors or windows, or show other signs of their discomfort and distress," Kristi says. "These dogs need expert help, but luckily there are many experts who specialise in separation anxiety treatment these days."
Destructive behavior isn't a character any breed has per se. Benson explains that it all comes down to how active they are. "Some breeds have been selectively bred to be more active in general, and because they need more to do, they're certainly high on the list of dogs who chew a lot! Breeds that are high-energy and very bright (herding dogs come to mind, but there are many!) may feel particularly stifled by the lack of a good dog job in their homes."
"Some breeds, such as the smaller terriers, were bred to dig into the ground to follow prey animals to exterminate them," Kristi goes on. "Since we bred these dogs to be very motivated to dig, it's a kind of dirty trick on them to turn right around and say 'No more digging! Stay out of my garden! And don't grab this item that resembles a prey item and destroy it!' Instead, we need to give them places where they can really go to town and dig to their heart's content: a sand box or 'digging pit' is a great example."
Hardly anyone wants their sofa chewed up or their wallpapers torn all the way up from their lower corners, right? When considering getting a dog, it's extremely important to consider their compatibility to your lifestyle. "If you haven’t yet acquired a dog, finding a good match to your lifestyle can really help to prevent issues before they happen," Kristi says. "All dogs need walks and off-leash exercise, but some need much, much more than others."
