# What to do when dog destroys blinds in home?



## jjanzen98 (Apr 16, 2011)

My dog has recently destroyed 2 sets of wood blinds in our home while we were gone. We keep the blinds up high enough for her to see out, so that isn't her issue. (We learned the hard way from a previous dog who ate the blinds in order to see out.) Cookie is a 1 year old patterdale terrier with lots of energy. We believe she has destroyed them because she is upset with us for leaving her home. She is very energetic & doesn't get her energy out nearly enough.

I know we need to give her more attention and exercise. We both work full time and she's home alone during the day. We've started leaving her out of the crate because we hate to leave her locked up for so many hours at a time, but we feel like we have to now because of her destructive behaviors. 

I welcome your advice on how to get her to stop being destructive & how to respond when she does tear things up. Thanks!


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## Wimble Woof (Jan 16, 2007)

jjanzen98 said:


> We believe she has destroyed them because she is upset with us for leaving her home. She is very energetic & doesn't get her energy out nearly enough.
> 
> I know we need to give her more attention and exercise.



Dogs really do not think like this. It is not their attempt to get back at you for leaving them alone.

Also, I would recommend finding the time to provide far more physical and mental stimulation for her. A tired dog is a good dog!
Are there dog walkers in your area you could hire?


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## pugmom (Sep 10, 2008)

1. Exercise
2. Training...this is mental exercise 
3. Toys to occupy
4. Hire a dog walker to break up the time alone
5. raise the blinds up higher till the dog can't reach them

A patter dale is not the kind of breed that can go with out lots of exercise and mental stimulation.....
I'm not sure what you mean by "respond" to tearing things up.....if you don't catch her in the act ...there is really nothing you can do after the fact
best rout is to keep it from happening in the first place 

I would also try different crating ideas....maybe get a x-pen with a top or get two crates and wire them together (or an extra large dog crate) so she would have lots of room to move around and play with toys


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## Cracker (May 25, 2009)

It's hard to say why the blind destruction is happening...it could be two things. It could be separation anxiety (she last saw you through the window) or it could be (and this is more likely) she gets so worked up by things she see's out the window (squirrels, people/dogs passing by/the mailman/cars driving by) that she redirects on the blinds.
You really should try and find out if she is barking/whining when you leave and for how long and whether she will eat anything while you are gone to ensure this is not SA. Can you set up a video recorder (I use my laptop webcam) to see what is happening when you leave?

If it is overstimulation/barrier frustration then your very best thing you can do is block access to the windows. Period. Whether that means crating or finding some way to keep her out of the windowed room I don't know, you'll have to go with what works best with your home setup. Barrier frustration is extremely stressful for a dog and can cause all sorts of other behaviour issues, including leash reactivity and redirected aggression. Crating your dog for long periods in a well set up, large enough crate is not cruel, it's safer and less stressful for the dog...providing you are providing the appropriate amount of stimulation/exercise/training and attention when you are home.


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## wvasko (Dec 15, 2007)

It's a no-brainer, crate dog or be prepared to spend time at stores replacing destroyed household goods. She is a teen-ager and crating may be necessary till she grows/matures etc.


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## 5 s corral (Dec 31, 2007)

crate train


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