Is your curious dog tearing up your house? Do you love the adorable way they cock their head when they find something interesting but are fed up with coming home to find your home in disarray for no discernible reason? If that is the case look no further! I have compiled a list of tips and tricks to keep your curious pooch entertained and stimulated as well as a brief explanation about why your dog feels the need to get into everything.

Why do they do it?

While curiosity can and often is found in any breed of dog, the ones most likely to inexplicably create havoc when you are not looking are small to medium breeds originally bred for small game hunting or vermin routing. Breeds such as Beagles, Fox, Rat, or Jack Russell terriers are usual culprits. These guys were originally bred to catch small, burrowing animals so it is in their nature to dig looking for their prey. When they attack your home like a dog shaped tornado they are not trying to irritate you, they are just doing what we bred them to do.

How do we make them stop?

Now that you understand why these pups empty your wastepaper basket just to see what is there, getting them to stop just takes a little creativity. With the understanding that these dogs love nothing more than digging small animals out of their burrows we can use a few analogs to simulate that activity. There are plenty of puzzle toys for dogs that will scratch the same itch as tearing up your couch cushions. My dog particularly likes the little plush stump that he can dig squirrels out of. Leaving these around the house will be much more satisfying for your pooch than tearing up furniture.

Another great option is to use toys you already have in a novel way. I like to take a rubber toy and put just a bit of peanut butter on one end. Then I hide it under a bookshelf with just enough in reach that my little mutt has to work to get it out. With a little creativity and understanding you can come up with tons of ideas to keep your pooch happy and your house from looking like a doggy disaster zone.