My labrador (8 years old) has always been very anxious about me. He is always super excited and follows me everywhere, can´t get away from me and gets very sad each day when I leave for work. I live alone and work for 8 hours. I was living in an apartment, now I moved to a house with a patio and I think he´s even more anxious now. He always destroys his bed when I leave him alone, I just let him sleep on the floor now and he keeps digging holes in the patio now. Will it be better to get another dog to keep him company? Please advice on how to keep him more relaxed and to help him behave better specially when he is alone. Thanks!
In reality labs are sociable animals and 8 hours is too long to leave him alone. He is probably bored and lonely, which is why he is destructive. Could you try doggy day care, or get a walker to come a break up his day ? I think if you get another dog, you will just end up with double destruction. He needs more opportunities to break up his day.
Is your dog suffering from separation anxiety ir boredom? If you don't know the answer, then seek the expertise of a dog behaviourist. Don't get another dog to keep one busy. May well not address the problem at all.
Get one of the bells you hang on the door where they ring it to go outside. They were only a few months old when they started to just ring the bell when they needed to go to the bathroom. Best training we ever did for our two labs. snaptube vidmate
