I have an 11 month old Rhodesian Ridgeback - Jake. His behaviour has always been wonderful and we have had no problems with him at all. Six weeks ago, my husband, who is in the RAF, had to go to the Falklands - he'll be away till September. Jake has appeared to adapt well, and has not pined very much at all (considering he spent most of the time with my husband and it was him who did most of jakes training / exercise.
As I work full time, Jake goes back to the breeder who I bought him from for four nights a week. They live close and he has always gone there when we have gone on holidays etc without any problems (they have two ridgebacks - Jakes mum and sister). At first he was fine, and again adapted much better than we thought he would. Recently though, he has started to chew and destroy her house. He never does this when he is with me at home, and has never indulged in this sort of behaviour before. He does this when he is occasionally left - for no more than a couple of hours at a time (which he is used to). He is left with the other dogs.
It doesn't happen every time he is left, and on the whole he seems quite contented, but when he has a 'destructive fit', he goes banana's (so far has destroyed two beds and yesterday began to eat the carpet).
We are of the opinion that its 'protesting behaviour' but are confused as to why it has only just started, and why it only happens every now and again (there seem to be no common denominators to indicate why it happens when it does).
Just wondered if anyone had any ideas? (We have tried clothing that smells of my husband but he isn't interested).
Trudii