97 Tips for Raising Labs
Following are approximately 97 questions readers of BigYellowDog.com submitted in recent years. They were answered by a licensed veterinarian on the site as a general service to all Lab owners. This information is for general reference only. Always consult your veterinarian for any questions about your Lab's health. We hope this information is somewhat helpful. At this time, we are not accepting any more questions.
Question
Is it better to have two dogs so they can play with each other and develop social skills together (I have heard this) or just have one dog? Our dog, Pava, is four months old and has developed a few destructive behaviors: pillow killing, remote control eating, etc., when we are gone from home during the day. She is otherwise very well behaved and does well for short periods of time alone. Thank you in advance for your time.
Answer
Dogs are naturally what we call pack animals and enjoy each other's company very much. However, a lot of dogs do just fine if they spend plenty of time with their humans and consider the humans they live with to be their pack. It sounds as if your dog may be having some separation anxiety issues when she is left alone during the day. I would recommend that you gradually start confining your dog to a certain small area or even crating your dog while you are gone. Some people feel this is cruel but actually the dog feels less stress because they understand what is expected of them when you are absent. I would recommend confining her and providing her with a source of entertainment while you are away such as kong toys with peanut butter and dog treats stuffed inside or a buster cube with treats inside. I also would strongly suggest that you gradually transition your dog to this smaller area. By this, I mean let your dog spend some time in that area when you are home so she does not get anxious or feel she is being punished while she is in this space. And remember! Always give her a treat, something to play with, and something to chew on while she is there.
