Just like humans, dogs can get bored. Being left alone is one of the main reasons why your dog may get bored. A good way to deal with your dog’s boredom is to leave your television or radio on when you go out. The voices will soothe your dog and should stop your dog from feeling lonely and therefore feel less bored.
When your dog gets bored, he may start chewing on your furniture or other items around the house. In some cases your dog may get so bored that he starts chewing on himself! An excellent way to deal with your dog’s chewing problem when he is bored is to use his toys. As with children, your dog will have particular toys that he enjoys playing with. When you leave the house only put down a couple of his favourite toys to play with and when you get back, pick them up immediately.
This ensures that your dog doesn’t start to get bored with these toys as he can only play with them when he is on his own. By leaving a couple of toys on the floor for him to play with, ensures that he stays engaged for the whole time you are out. If this training is not working it may be that your dog has a mineral or vitamin deficiency that no amount of training can stop him from chewing. You will not be able to deal with this problem yourself so it is important for you to take your dog to your veterinarian.
There are a number of indicators that you as an owner can look for that shows your dog has a mineral or vitamin deficiency. Some of the indicators are if your dog starts to eat garbage or dirt, starts to eat your plants or if your dog starts to eat his own poo or that of another animal.
It is important that you do not give up training your dog straight away because there may be a physical reason why he cannot do it and your veterinarian should be able to help you with this. This will ensure that he becomes the loving dog that everyone enjoys having around.