Help! My Shih Tzu is Causing Havoc to My House!
I had the worst nightmare of my life when my Shih Tzu was just 4 years old. After a long and tiring day at work, I stepped into the house to find that my beautiful custom-made shoe cabinets have been scratched and chipped by some unknown forces, and next to my cabinet is my sweet little dog, with leftover wooden splinters around her mouth, jumping for joy at the return of her master.
I thought my house was broken into, but examining it closer revealed that my dog was the culprit of this destruction. Following the next few days, similar occurrences happened. Of course, I was in an explosive mood but at the same time, was worried about the destructive nature of my Shih Tzu. What has happened to cause a sweet little angel to turn into a monster from hell?
Soon enough, after much research, I found that my dog was suffering from separation anxiety. Research has shown that if a Shih Tzu experiences separation anxiety, it can display unwanted behaviors such as whining, barking, crying, howling, digging, chewing, and scratching at the door the entire time their family members are away. So how does this behavior start?
Well, if you are facing similar issues, the bad news is that this unwanted behavior manifested itself because of our actions; yes, I am referring to you, the owner. Sometimes, we unwittingly encourage such misbehavior by the way we leave our house. I used to tend to bid farewell to my dog for so long that it can make matters worse since it can make her feel more isolated after my departure.
Research has shown that these types of long farewells can get the dog excited and no way to work it off. These excited, isolated Shih Tzu would therefore work off their excess energy in the most destructive of ways, such as chewing up furniture.
Remember, your Shih Tzu is not being spiteful when it chews wildly and scratches walls since they don’t have such intelligence as humans to act spitefully. Shih Tzu is such a people-oriented dog. To prevent separation anxiety from occurring, you need to make your dog feel happy and secure if you are not at home. It is important to keep the dog busy such as providing toys for it to play with.
Your dog needs to learn to know that you will return home. If it is possible for you, try to spend consecutive days to address this problem. Spend time with your dog and give him the required attention if he needs it. However, do not pull the dog to stay by your side every time he decides to be alone.
Your dog needs their personal space too so leave him alone if he does not follow you. By not encouraging your dog to be always by your side, you are teaching him that it is alright to be by himself without your presence.
If your Shih Tzu is already experiencing separation anxiety, you must start this exercise to get the dog accustomed to your departure gradually. Try to leave and return home at irregular intervals, and if possible continue to do this several times during the day. Doing so will allow your Shih Tzu to be accustomed to your departures. It will also help the dog to understand that you are not leaving him forever.
It is much more difficult to assure a Shih Tzu that previously has been lost or those that are adopted. Therefore as an owner, you need to give out a lot of love and patience to your Shih Tzu. This will help your Shih Tzu to “let go” when you are not at home.
I hope this article will help you with managing your dog’s separation anxiety.
