How to keep a dog from...
 

Destroying your furniture when you're not around?

My 7-month beagle behaves when I'm around, but when I'm off to work, he destroys everything at home, even when he's got plenty of chew toys/sticks.

I think it's separation anxiety or boredom. Without resorting to getting him a playmate, I'm trying to give him a bit more exercise. I usually Rollerblade with him twice a day. I'll see how it goes.

In the mean time, anyone got other ideas?

Beagles are pack dogs, meaning they're used to socializing with other animals/people. They get bored very easily when left alone for more than a couple hours, even if you play and take it for a long walk every day. As mean as it may sound, with a beagle you're probably best off leaving it in a confined space, be it a small room or a large crate, especially if no one will be home during work hours. A playmate/second pet will help a lot with these dogs if you're willing to go that route.

Seconded. All dogs are den animals and generally prefer enclosed, cozy living quarters, although some may be afraid of the crate initially if they've been mistreated in one. There are sprays you can get to spray the inside of the crate or the dog's bedding, that will help calm them down.

Time to get a kennel for the dog.

It's not a lack of exercise, it's boredom. Time for a crate.
And for anyone against doing so, wait till the bored puppy sinks his teeth into an electrical cord, or into a bottle of drano. Now the crate doesn't sound so bad huh?

Or you could hire a dogwalker
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Well, I actually bought a fence when he was a pup but I stopped using it because he learned to climb out when he was 4 months old.

Now I have a 1.5 m tall fence that I'm using for the time being until I figure out what to do with this situation.

Funny you mentioned electrical cord... he actually chewed up my speaker wires quite a few times, and he always end up puking them up later.

Thanks for your advice guys, I was worried because I thought I was mistreating him. I will probably get him another dog once he's a bit more mature, in the meantime I'll try to play with him some more.

I bought a dog run and put my dog in there when I am off to work. Leave treats/breakfast in there, so she gets pretty excited in the mornings and cant wait to go inside.

I wouldn't put a dog like that in a dog run unless there is a cement floor and the fence is attached to the cement. They will escape and then you will have even more issues.

When are you walking the dog? After work?

What I would do it crate the dog durning the day that way its contained and can't get into things. Soundy is right all dogs are den animals. My Great Dane is in a crate when he is left along and I have no issues at all give him a toy to play with if he needs to chew on somthing and he is set :)

I walk mine before breakfast and before dinner, this usually means 7 am and 6 pm.

Take him rollerblading or biking for two hours before work bet he wont destroy anything then.

None of my dogs get run of the house till they are mature. This meaning 2 or 3yrs old. The beagle is still a puppy and will get bored and decide to entertain himself. If he's climbing out of an x-pen then get a crate that is one size up from what he needs. This way you can put a chew and bed in there. While you are away this is quiet time. Keep up with the walks before and later in the evening and with this routine your house and dog will be safe. The only dog that is left loose in my house while we are out is my 13yr old shih tzu. Even the dog I rescued/trained who was 7yrs when he left to go to his new home still was kept either in a crate or pen when left home alone. At 7mnths you still haven't hit the 'do i have to listen' stage.

Personally I believe the walk is important for the puppy's growth (physical and mental) so I've been doing that since he had his first 3 shots.

So far the tall fence is keeping him in pretty good, I guess I'll "crate" train him for a little while to see how that goes.

lol I bet he'd recover in less then half that time, then go back to his old self. :P

Naw, I blade with mine n he's done for. That's the best time to crate him
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My big guy is the same when done from a good walk he goes to his crate and sleeps always.

So the crating thing is working pretty well. He seems to understand that there is quiet time after blading and eating.

The strange thing is, he's been acting differently since I took him to the groomer to get his nails trimmed. On the first day, I thought they gave him some chill pill so he won't resist, but a couple days has pass and he seem surprisingly calm these days. I'm not sure if it's the heat or if they've done something to traumatize him.

Anyway, I'll get him a bigger fan tomorrow so he stays cooler in the day.

Try it before you knock it. Provided you arn't an out of shape fatass to begin with.

Maybe his claws were to long and bugging him.
When I adopted my dashy his claws were waaaaay to long and they irratated him. He was scratchin at shit like a cat. We trimmed em right away and he quit scratchin and we keep him real active with plenty of walks and that keeps em short now

Hmm... I never thought of it that way. They were pretty long.