Hi everyone, Looking for some advice because my 1-year-old, 10-lb dog has suddenly changed her behavior over the past week and a half.
She’s been semi–potty trained for a while. We work dueling the day and she’s always been okay at home alone. She has tons of enrichment (new toys, a snuffle mat, etc.), and we watch her on camera. When we get home, she gets a long walk. She used to have the occasional accident inside, but nothing major — and we’ve never punished her for it since she’s small and can’t hold it forever.
Recently everything changed. She’s suddenly becoming really destructive: ripping up decorations, having multiple accidents during the day, and even peed on our couch. On top of that, she’s started barking at us every night. After her walk and our dinner, when we’re finally settling on the couch, she stands in front of us and barks nonstop. I used to give in and play with her, but I realized I was reinforcing it. Now I’m trying to ignore it and add more structured playtime earlier in the evening.
My boyfriend thinks she shouldn’t have free roam anymore and wants to switch her to a playpen during the day instead of letting her have the small living/kitchen area. Our apartment isn’t big — she already only has access to those two rooms — so I’m not sure if moving her to a pen will even help or if it could make things worse.
Has anyone dealt with a sudden shift like this? What could be causing it, and is reducing her space during the day a good idea? Any insight or suggestions would be appreciated.
submitted by /u/Pink_Hydrangea8
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