excited dog

Question
Hi, we have a mixed breed dog, kept outside that we rescued. I have two small childern and the dog is great, not aggressive just very excited. He chews on everthing and is quite destructive. I know it is because he is only a puppy, 8 months old, and we do not spend enough time with him. My wife wants to get rid of him, but I dont, but dont really have time to play every day.
Would another dog, for him to play with burn off some energy? Or would i just be giving away two dogs?
Any other training that I could do that would be quicker than 20 min per day? I leave before light get back at dark. They wife has our two small children and cannot train either.
Thank you

Answer
Greetings, and thank you for contacting All Experts,
Adding a new dog to help another dog ''vent-off'' may initially seem like a good idea, but yes, it does have its disadvantages. It is true, that another dog may provide companionship if the dog is lonely and the 'only child'', and it is also true that they may both likely play together. However, burning ''off energy together'' will likely translate into double the trouble. If your dog is chewing, your new dog will likely join in the fun. The level of destruction will likely significantly increase as well. If you do not have time for one dog, you will likely not have time for another dog. Staying together in the yard unsupervised can be a recipe for disaster. Not only, once they both grow if the are bored and frustrated from staying outdoors all day, they may engage together in fence barking which can cause problems with neighbors, unless you live in a rural area.


Many dog owners assume that a yard is enough to entertain a dog for days. In reality, dogs do best at home with their pack, their family. A dog should be sent outdoors only briefly to go potty, play games and for training sessions. Outdoor dogs are more likely to exhibit behavioral problems such as chewing/digging/barking and a lot of this is due to feeling the stress and anxiety from being isolated. This article will help you understand why dogs do best indoors:
http://www.paw-rescue.org/PAW/PETTIPS/DogTip_BackyardDogs.php


Walking dogs is imperative for both exercise and socialization purposes. Any chances your wife and kids can go each day for a nice half hour to 45 minute stroll? How about hiring a dog walker, or finding a neighbor who would not mind taking the dog for a walk? Some teens and college students may walk dogs for a small fee. Here is a link about why daily walks are important:
http://www.seizetheleash.com/files/walkimportance.cfm

There are many games you can teach your dog to play to release some of that pent-up energy. You can also involve your kids. Fetch, recalls, hide and seek and so forth. Here is a great website offering some great games and how to teach them:
http://www.wagntrain.com/Games.htm

Chewing inappropriate items can be reduced by providing appropriate chew toys. Kongs, Gouhnuts, and Nylabones are quite durable chew toys. However, if left outdoors alone there is no control over letting the dog know what he may or may not chew on. If he chews indoors, you can use a product called ''bitter apple spray'' You can find it in pet stores and what it does is give items he usually chews on a bad taste. You can therefore divert his attention to more appropriate chew toys. You can read about bitter apple here:
http://www.bitterapple.com/

Dogs can sound like a lot of work especially for busy pet parents. However, daily walks and a few games may help a whole lot. In dog training there is a saying: ''a tired dog is a good dog'' and there is a lot of truth to that! I hope this helps you, kind regards,
Adrienne Janet Farricelli CPDT-KA