Destructive behaviour in dogs: how to stop it

Pain, injuries or allergies can all be behind your dog’s destructive behaviour. When they’re physically uncomfortable or in pain, they try to find ways to let you know and make it stop.  

When dogs experience pain, a stress response is triggered in their body. This can lead to them being less able to cope with emotional stress, and becoming more frustrated, restless and anxious.

Chewing, scratching, and shredding can all be stress-relieving and self-soothing behaviours for dogs, which is why they may start destroying things when they’re ill or in pain.  If they’re chewing or eating non-food items, this can be a sign of nutritional deficiencies or underlying gastrointestinal issues.

Medical causes of behaviour change can be difficult, or even impossible, to spot. A short visit to your vet can help you find out if any medical support might improve your dog's behaviour.

Dogs and puppies use their mouths to explore the world around them, and to play. This is commonly referred to as 'mouthing' or 'puppy biting' in younger dogs. They might especially chew or mouth when they’re teething, which normally lasts until they’re around seven months old. 

Some dogs experience a second chewing phase around their first birthday. This can be caused by teeth settling and changes to hormones as they enter adolescence. When they start chewing us or our belongings, this becomes an issue.  

Chewing the wrong things can be dangerous for our four-legged friends. They can also hurt us by accident, or chew through our favourite pair of shoes. Of course, they don’t understand they’re doing anything wrong. They just know it feels great to chew everything in sight. And because they like how chewing feels, they can often chew to make a stressful situation easier to deal with.

Dogs can become destructive when their physical and mental needs haven’t been met. Under-stimulated dogs will look for their own ways to stay busy and ease boredom. This may involve ripping your sofa to pieces.  

When dogs have excess energy and unfulfilled needs, frustration can build. Chewing furniture, shredding toys, or digging in your bed may become an outlet for all that energy.  

These behaviours are also likely to be self-rewarding for dogs. They fulfil natural instincts and release feel-good hormones, while reducing stress levels. Think of it a bit like a child who’s been inside all day, unable to play with their friends. Eventually, they start looking for their own entertainment.  

Mentally under-stimulated dogs may also look for novelty or entertainment. This can be destructive from a human perspective, but it will fulfil important doggy needs. It’s important to remember that, as well as physical and mental activities, dogs need plenty of time to rest and relax.

When a dog is stressed, they seek ways to relieve their stress and relax. Often, this can involve destructive behaviours. In particular, chewing and licking are known to be self-soothing.  

If there’s nothing appropriate available to fulfil this need, they may resort to chewing household items.

Dogs can become emotionally and physically stressed by lots of different events and scenarios. It’s important to be able to recognise when your dog might be experiencing these emotions so you can respond appropriately and keep them feeling relaxed instead.  

Being left alone is a common cause of anxiety and stress in dogs of all ages. When they’re left alone, heightened emotions can result in destructive behaviours.  

Scratching or digging near a doorway, or in a space where you’ve previously left them, is also common.

Speak to your vet to organise a thorough health check if you’re worried about separation related behaviours, and seek support from an accredited behaviorist.

Some dogs may scratch the carpet, dig in their beds and blankets, or bury themselves in your sofa or bed to make a cosy spot to rest their weary heads. They might be rearranging their sleeping space to adjust the temperature or make it more comfortable. This is a natural behaviour for dogs, stemming from their ancestors who would dig and scratch in the dirt before settling down for a well-earned nap.

If you have a bitch, she might be more prone to nesting when she's in heat. Most unneutered female dogs have their season twice a year, lasting for between two and four weeks. If your dog is showing signs that they’re in heat for longer than this, speak to your vet. This could mean they’re experiencing a phantom pregnancy. 

Your dog may dig to get to something they can smell in the dirt, like another animal, cat poo or even a long-lost toy. If they dig and scratch at the walls or floorboards, they might be able to detect animals, or something interesting, in the walls or below the floor.  They are trying to reach whatever they can smell or hear. Possible triggers include rodents, birds, wires, toys, or food.  

Scratching the ground, bedding, or carpets, is also a way for your dogs to let other dogs know they’ve been there. They have scent glands in their paws, so just like scent marking with urine, they can leave a message for other dogs. They may also scratch in response to another dog having used the same spot before them.  

If your dog scratches and digs on the floor, they could be trying to bury or hide a tasty treat they plan on enjoying later. They may want to hide their food or treat because they’re worried about eating it around other animals or humans. They could also have picked up this behaviour before living with you. Sometimes, hiding food can be a sign of resource guarding, or a compulsive behaviour which needs professional support.

If you’ve ruled out a medical condition causing your dog to dig, scavenge, or chew, and their needs have all been met, then they might just enjoy these behaviours. They’re all completely natural for our four-legged pals.

If this is the case, your best bet is to give them an appropriate outlet for their energy and behavioural drive. Make a dig pit in the garden or a dig box for around the house, scatter some treats on the grass for them to sniff out, or use a snuffle mat for their dinner. You can also give them different dog-safe chews, and rotate toys regularly to keep things interesting. 

If your dog often destroys items when you’re nearby, and you’ve already ruled out medical conditions and responses to stress, they may just want attention. You might have told your dog off for the same behaviour previously or rushed over and caused a fuss. This reaction can teach dogs that destructive behaviour is a good way to get your attention.  

Destructive behaviours can also become a habit. If the behaviour leads to a good outcome for your dog, they’re likely to repeat it. Over time, it can become more established. A good outcome might be getting attention or access to something, relieving discomfort, or experiencing the release of feel-good hormones.

Biological needs include food, water, sleep, warmth, and shelter. When these needs aren’t met, dogs struggle to learn, relax, or interact positively - similar to how we feel when we’re unwell or hungry. Creating a safe, predictable environment is the first step towards balance.  

Maintain a consistent routine, particularly for feeding, exercise and sleeping.

Provide a quiet, cosy, safe space for your dog to rest undisturbed. 

Physical exercise helps burn energy, supports your dog’s mobility and helps keep them fit and healthy. Beyond general activity, dogs also need opportunities for natural behaviours like sniffing, chasing, digging and retrieving.  

Include varied exercise, different walking routes, off-lead time (if safe), and play. Mix it up throughout the days and weeks so your dog doesn’t get bored with the same old walks and games.

Offer safe and suitable alternatives to fulfil natural behaviours, like dig boxes or snuffle mats. 

Emotional and physical wellbeing are connected. Dogs need to learn that the world is a safe place and be prevented from experiencing emotional stress, both in the home and out and about. Stress or negative emotions influence our dog’s behaviour and ability to learn.

Use reward-based training and give calm, predictable instructions.

Protect your dog from situations they find overwhelming. 

Dogs are social, but they don’t all enjoy the same amount of interaction. Genetics and early experiences shape how our dogs like to interact with people and other dogs.  

Let your dog choose who and what they interact with.

Make time for the interactions you know they enjoy and value, whether it’s snuggles on the sofa or a play date at the park. 

Mental stimulation helps prevent boredom, supports confidence, and encourages calm behaviours. Enrichment allows dogs to problem-solve, explore, chew, sniff, and learn new skills.  

Incorporate different types of enrichment into your daily routine.

Encourage your dog to engage with appropriate items like chews and puzzle feeders, rewarding them when they do.

Introduce training, new skills and enrichment at your dog’s pace.

Your dog is probably digging in your bed to create a comfortable resting spot or spread their scent. They’re likely drawn to your bed to do this as it smells of you. While it might seem unusual, or a problem behaviour for us humans, it’s a normal dog behaviour. 

They could also be burying a tasty snack to dig up again later. Anxiety, boredom, or frustration might increase the digging. If your dog is difficult to interrupt, or you’re worried about the amount of digging, speak to your vet.

You can also book a session with one of our expert trainers or behaviourists.

Your dog’s bed is their own safe and cosy place. Sometimes, they might show nesting behaviours, like digging or scratching their bed. This is absolutely natural. 

They’re likely making it a cosy spot to settle down for a nap, or adjusting bedding to help regulate their temperature. It’s nothing to worry about if your dog settles down to rest after nesting and there are no other changes in behaviour. 

Your dog is likely destroying things when they’re left alone because they’re anxious, frustrated or bored. The support of an accredited clinical animal behaviourist is recommended for changing your dog’s emotions and behaviour when they’re alone. In the meantime, try to avoid leaving your dog when possible, and read our advice on separation-related behavior. 

Keep a close eye on them, redirect inappropriate chewing to safe toys, and reward good choices. Regardless of your dog’s age, the steps for management and teaching alternatives are the same.

Puppies need to chew to explore their environment and to combat teething. But you can train them with rewards to leave and swap items, keeping them, and your best slippers, safe. 

No. Punishing dogs verbally or physically often increases anxiety and confusion. This can make your dog’s chewing worse, and result in other problematic behaviours developing. Instead, try to understand why your dog is chewing and resolve the root cause of the problem.

Positive reinforcement teaches dogs more effectively than fear-based techniques like punishment.

Depending on the cause of your dog’s destructive behaviour, especially chewing, it may calm down as they age.

Puppies chew a lot more than adult dogs generally because they’re learning about their new home and teething until around seven months old. However, if they’re destroying and chewing things because of a medical issue, boredom, or heightened emotions like fear, anxiety or frustration, they’re unlikely to grow out of this. 

Instead, they need support to feel better and learn new, appropriate outlets. You may need expert support to help change your dog’s emotions around specific scenarios or events, so they can be relaxed. 

There are lots of toys and enrichment items available in shops which provide suitable outlets for our dogs. You can also create lots of budget-friendly DIY enrichment from bits you probably already have lying around. Tailor the type of toys, puzzle feeders, and games you play with your dog to their behavioural preferences. 

Dig boxes or pits are great if they like to dig and shred, and stuffable food toys, or dog-friendly cuddly toys are a great option for dogs who like to chew and destuff.  

Your dog may start destroying things because of stress caused by a change in their environment or routine. Think about whether there have been any changes at home recently, like reduced exercise, a new baby, or a new four-legged friend, or lots of visitors.

If you don’t think there have been any changes to affect your dog’s behaviour, their sudden destructiveness could be due to pain or illness. Book a vet check-up to rule out medical causes.

Most dogs enjoy our attention, and some learn that playing with, or chewing, our things is a great way of getting it. It can be tricky not to give our dogs attention when they are doing something that could be dangerous for them, or our favourite slippers!

If you think your dog is chewing for attention, they might be bored, or haven’t learnt how to settle and relax on their own when you are busy. Make sure your dog has lots of safe and suitable enrichment items to chew. Give them attention and praise for chewing on their own items, so they learn this is the best way to get attention. Regular exercise and mental stimulation can also help reduce attention-seeking chewing.

Move anything hazardous or precious out of your dog’s way. If they start chewing something they shouldn’t, try to calmly distract your dog without making a big fuss. You could try opening a cupboard or rustling somewhere. When they come over, engage them in something appropriate before putting whatever they were chewing safely away.