Hello English Bulldog friends,
I am hoping some of you who have experience with this breed can help. I have a one and a half year old female english bulldog. She has been an absolute joy to have. She has never had any behavioral problems, she's fully potty trained, and has never had any aggression issues. She has also never torn up any furniture... until the other night. When I came home from dinner (I was gone maybe an hour) she had ripped open a couch cushion and pulled most of the stuffing out. She was immediately disciplined and moped most of the night because of how ashamed she was. The next day after a short trip to the grocery store I came home and she had completely destroyed a pillow as well as gone to the bathroom in the house (she hasn't used the bathroom in the house since she was a puppy.) She was disciplined yet again. Finally this morning when I got home she had taken off the other couch cushion and chewed a large hole into the bottom of the couch. I am now afraid to leave her here by herself. We attempted to crate her for a few months while she was a puppy, but whenever we would come home she would be covered in her own feces and need a bath. I have no idea what to do. There have been no abrupt changes in her life, her schedule is still the same, she still gets long walks everyday, and she's spoiled rotten. I'm wondering if she's starting to having separation anxiety issues or if this is just an adolescent phase for her? Should I call her vet? In the meantime I don't know what to do with her when I'm gone. We live in an apartment so I can't leave her outside. Has anyone had any experience with this before?
Thanks
Ashley (Scout's Mom)
I am hoping some of you who have experience with this breed can help. I have a one and a half year old female english bulldog. She has been an absolute joy to have. She has never had any behavioral problems, she's fully potty trained, and has never had any aggression issues. She has also never torn up any furniture... until the other night. When I came home from dinner (I was gone maybe an hour) she had ripped open a couch cushion and pulled most of the stuffing out. She was immediately disciplined and moped most of the night because of how ashamed she was. The next day after a short trip to the grocery store I came home and she had completely destroyed a pillow as well as gone to the bathroom in the house (she hasn't used the bathroom in the house since she was a puppy.) She was disciplined yet again. Finally this morning when I got home she had taken off the other couch cushion and chewed a large hole into the bottom of the couch. I am now afraid to leave her here by herself. We attempted to crate her for a few months while she was a puppy, but whenever we would come home she would be covered in her own feces and need a bath. I have no idea what to do. There have been no abrupt changes in her life, her schedule is still the same, she still gets long walks everyday, and she's spoiled rotten. I'm wondering if she's starting to having separation anxiety issues or if this is just an adolescent phase for her? Should I call her vet? In the meantime I don't know what to do with her when I'm gone. We live in an apartment so I can't leave her outside. Has anyone had any experience with this before?
Thanks
Ashley (Scout's Mom)