Golden retreiver puppy destroys my garden?

My 6 month old Golden Retreiver puppy is very well behaved in the house, doesn't chew and is now house trained. When he is left in the garden he destroys everything, rips up shrubs, pulls over pots and destroys the plants in them, rips my garden furniture, digs holes and eats everything and anything. He is exercised regularly, has plenty of doggie toys in the garden and even has another, older, dog to keep him company. Any ideas why he does this and what I can do to stop it?

Golden retreiver puppy destroys my garden?
If this dog was destructive in the house, everyone would be shouting "separation anxiety".it's the same thing, the only difference is that it's happening outside. It's a big world out there for a puppy and he is distressed.





By all means let him out in the garden when you are at home, however you should keep going out to play with him. You are placing your dog in danger if you leave him in the garden for a long time. Apart from the stuff that he chews he could get stolen or harmed in some way.





Your dog should be in a safe place when you leave him and the garden is not a safe place. Leave your dog in a small room and assume that he will still have seperation anxiety when you do. Please carry out the following to keep your dog happy and stress free. This will also ensure that he does not become distructive in the house and your garden will suffer less.


If your dog suffers from separation anxiety, don’t give him free access to every room in your house when you leave him. . If you allow him free access you are doubling his burden. As well as having separation anxiety he will think that he has to guard every room in your house.





If he is restricted to one room he will not see you leave. You could also con him into thinking that you are always at home by carrying out the following procedure.





Try to do this when you are at home all day, or in the evening when you are there. Place him in a room with his comfortable bed, walk out and close the door. Open the door immediately and go back into his room, close the door behind you and try to ignore him. Pretend or actually do something which excludes your dog, for example if he is in the bathroom you could do a bit a cleaning for a couple of minutes. Then walk out of the room, go back again immediately and continue with the pretence. Keep doing this to ensure that your dog won’t feel isolated and eventually leave a small gap before you go into his room again. Over a period of days increase the gap before going back into his room.





It is vital that you get the timing right and this must be before your dog starts to whinge or cry. If you carry out this procedure for a few days, your dog will always think that you are just at the other side of the door.





When you are leaving your dog on his own please don’t make a dramatic exit, or this will give the game away. Simply put him into his room and walk out. When you come home don’t give him a big hello, just walk into his room and let him out for a pee. You can then play with him and give him cuddles.





If you go to work and leave your dog all day, try to get a friend or a professional to take him out for pees and poos.





Good Luck
Reply:He's not destroying - he's learning





He is not doing this to be naughty. Its just what they do and its not just labs





My two JR "re-landscape" my garden for me every day and take great pleasure in bringing me all the treasures that they find - usually old bones from the previous owner's dogs!!!!!





I have always said you can't have an immaculate show house and garden with HAPPY kids and dogs
Reply:Laboradors are reknowned for this. he will go on digging holes as long as he's with you which could be 12 years or so. Tie him on a short lease if you don't want him to misbehave
Reply:Why would you want to leave him alone?


6 to 12 months is the time when puppies/dogs are best taught social skills that is walking to heel, sit on command, stay, fetch, lay down. He is eager and primed to learn new skills (in the pack it would be hunting skills he would learn) and to learn where he fits in the pecking order.





A dog is not a status symbol- if you want him to become an integral and intelligent part of your family then you cannot afford to park him in the garden. Besides which, puppies fetch a premium in the testing laboratories - or didn't you know?
Reply:Your six month old puppy is just acting like a puppy, mischievious and naughty, my 13 month old dog does that and he is not such a puppy anymore. He is one laugh a minute but i must admit it is hard seeing all your hard work in the garden going down the dogs throat. Just be careful my dog ate a daffodil the other day and vomitted quite a few times. Your pup is just being a pup, naughty though:)))
Reply:Most Retrievers DIG excessively. I'd watch him when he's out and TRAIN him ( as you did when housebreaking him ) not to touch the flowers and things. Give him his digging area and work at that.
Reply:It's called 'being a puppy.'


He's testing out the world like we all did as kids, but instead of asking or touching he's chewing and dashing about.


I've had three dogs and for the first 18months or so of each living with us the garden went through the wringer! Tulips and Daffodils with no flowers (they wave in the breeze), trees and shrubs with branches missing (I never replaced a lovely Kilmarnock Willow that the first chewed to a 4" stick) and holes in the lawn exactly where garden chairs sit in Summer so you sit down and get flicked sideways out the chair.


My current dog is 13 and believe me I would give up my now lush garden to have some extra years with her as she sleeps a lot and has arthritis.


Oh, the joy of looking to see which plant needs a little TLC or worst case a funeral in a bin liner. Let him have fun while he's young enough to enjoy it. Don't try to train the joy out of life.
Reply:i dont know maybe your dog senses something eerie in teh garden because most house trained dogs dont do this im not sure but some dogs picck up the slightest scents id call someone to have a look at the garden or find out the history of it xxx
Reply:I think it is boredom you need to walk him more than 1 hour twice a day and as his natural instinct is to be a working dog, work him over fields get a friend to hide a long way through a forest and send to search etc. stimulate his brain.


Once you wear him out he will relaxe .