Could this just be frustration?

[Lilie]

For the last two days we have contractors working on the outside of our home. Our dogs are all being housed in the living room (in seperate kennels). I have huge windows in the living room as well as a 4 panel sliding glass door. The dogs can hear and see the contractors through out the day.

For the first time in his life, Hondo (a year old this month) totally tore up his bedding. He has never even pulled the stuffing out of a stuffed animal.

While outside with us on the porch, he kept grabbing plants in pots and pulling them out of the dirt. NEVER done anything like that before (he tries to pee in them, but not pull them out). He has just never been a destructive dog.

He will have nothing to do with Hubby, and they are normally best friends, and sticks to be like velcro. Usually he is aloof, and as long as he can see you in the room he was fine.

While normally a picky eater, he is eating like he is starving to death even licking his bowl.

He is in perfect health, and there is no change in his poop. The only difference is the contractors. Could he be really frustrated having 4-5 men beating and clanging on the house for 8 hours? Or is this testoserone starting to rear it's ugly head?

[Jax08]

Can you put him in an area of the house where he can be loose but the contractor's can't see him? It sounds like he is stressed. The contractor just wanted the dogs contained, correct? I would think if they do not have to have access to the inside of the house then that meets the criteria. Personally, I'd go ask the men if he could meet them, on leash, to relieve his mind that he knows it's all ok.

Could you take him somewhere during the day for a bit to relieve some of his energy and stress? Sometimes, they just don't like change.

[Lilie]

I go home for lunch and let them all out for a while. Although he isn't trust worthy enough to leave out of his kennel, I did consider taking all the kennels into my bedroom and leaving the TV on for some quiet noise. I just wasn't sure that would help.

I hadn't thought of letting them meet - I'll try that today at lunch. Sounds like a good idea!

[Mary Beth]

Yes, it will help, if you can take Hondo to meet the workers and he can observe them. When Sting was nearly a year old, the house needed a new roof. Fortunately it was only 3 days, I was able to use vacation days so I was at home with him. But all the same, I took him on his leash to meet the roofers and he watched them. I then walked him to the end of the yard and played fetch with him so he could understand that it was all right for the roofers to be there and his routine (playtime,etc.) would be the same. I also took him out longer to the dam for his morning walks. Inside the house, to block the noise I put fans on and also music. So, it would help if you could Hondo in the bedroom with the TV on. When you are home, when the noise is loud, if you yawn (this is a calming signal) it will help Hondo to get the message that it's okay. This helped Sting. As was suggested, if you can take him somewhere else to give him a breather, that would be helpful. He's been to obedience classes, perhaps, the trainer could "dog sit" or would know of someone. If it isn't too hot, maybe you could move his kennel out to the barn. Poor Hondo- this isn't much fun for him :-(