Dear Home: There may be a few things going on here that have caused this shift in your puppy’s demeanor. My first question to you would be if you have changed anything in his normal routine based on some new situation in your life. For example, have you recently taken a job that keeps you away from home longer? Have the kids been packed off to summer camp? Examine your life first to see if there has been any change that would keep you and the family away from him more so than in the past.

If so, it appears your puppy might be starting to develop separation anxiety. If he’s left alone more, it could also mean he is not getting the same amount of exercise as before. If you used to work at home and then took a job that requires you to be at work early, you may have inadvertently shortened his morning walk or dropped it from the morning routine altogether to make up for a longer commute.

Whatever the scenario, it’s important to return him back to his normal routine as soon as possible. It’s critical he get enough exercise both physically and mentally. A bored dog needing to expend energy will begin to act out in ways that are unpleasant to his owner in order to gain attention, even if it’s negative attention. I’m sure there might be a loud scold when you return home and find the drapes torn and chewed. Try to get him on a routine of 30 minutes of brisk walking twice a day, with added playtime and some obedience training.

Or, if there has been no change in his routine, he could be experiencing some dental problems. Check his teeth to make sure there are no baby teeth, especially the big canines, that haven’t fallen out yet and are lodged next to the adult teeth. This may be causing pain and visit to the vet to have things checked out isn’t a bad idea.

In the meantime, when no one is home, keep him confined to an area he can’t get to the expensive home furnishings. Give him appropriate toys, like hard bones or hard rubber Kongs, stuffed with peanut butter or frozen veggies to keep him mentally stimulated until you return home for his brisk walk. 

Lisa’s Pick of the Litter

The American Kennel Club (AKC®) today announced the debut of its new AKC Online Store located at www.akc.org/shop. The enhanced online shopping destination will feature nearly 11,000 new items in the “products & supplies” section, including full lines of grooming and training products, as well as a complete redesign of the valuable “reports & information” section, which offers AKC certified dog pedigrees, DNA test kits and Canine Good Citizen® materials. The “products & supplies” area will be exclusively administered by Cherrybrook Inc., a leading retailer of goods and services for show dogs and pets, while AKC will continue to manage proprietary items in the newly improved “reports & information” area.

Already a favorite shopping destination for dog lovers around the world, the expanded retail offerings, coupled with the more user-friendly “reports & information” section, will allow shoppers at the AKC Online Store to find desired products from crates, treats and canine clothing, to breed-specific items and certified pedigrees more quickly and efficiently.

“The AKC Online Store has always been a popular place for the fancy to purchase key reports and information items such as dogs defeated statistics, Canine Good Citizen® materials and progeny reports,” said AKC President and CEO Dennis Sprung. “Through our relationship with Cherrybrook, we will now offer thousands of products that will not only appeal to the fancy, but to all pet owners. All dog lovers can come to our website and find not only the most pertinent information about the sport of purebred dogs, but can purchase many of the necessary products required to be a responsible dog owner.”

Lisa Peterson, a long-time breeder of Norwegian Elkhounds, is the Director of Club Communications at the American Kennel Club. Contact her at ask@lisa-peterson.com or Dogma Publishing, P.O. Box 307, Newtown, CT 06470.