Hi, Dicksy (Cocker Spaniel) is just one yr old.  Before we went away and left him in kennels (for a fortnight) he was fine, but since we come back (6wks ago) he's horrendous, he's had a personality transplant to say the least.  I let him out in the garden approximatley half hour in morning with the other dog (lhasa) and they normally plod around or run through the leaves or whatever is about, but now he is continually scratching at French Doors to come in, if I tell him off for that, he starts digging holes anywhere in the garden in plant pots etc.  Why has he changed so much? he wrecked my bamboo the other week, dug it out the pot and within 10 mins (I was upstairs) it was strewn across the garden.  The garden is secured by 8 ft wall one side, and 6 ft fencing elsewhere.  Today it's beautiful here, I've done gardening this morning so he was happy out, he came in for his dinner, daughter and her two friends played ball with him for half hour after lunch, thought I'll just leave him out while I do floors and he's gone and dug the plant pot out again.  I cannot think why he is doing this.  Or is it just because he turned into Kevin while I was away.  Today I've put the garden bench up the french doors and put pots of grasses etc., under the bench so he can't get under it.  I've rigged the hose pipe up to the stair gate at the back door as I always leave the back door open for him never shut him out as such only by stair gate, if I see him on the bench I'm gonna squirt him (not seen him yet) Is this a good idea or am I doing this all wrong and just need to let him grow out of this stage.  Any help or suggestions appreciated.

He is at the typical age for the teenage behaviour to kick in, and this probably hasn't been helped by a spell in kennels.  Does he get attention when he carries out these unwanted behaviours?

Well I do mostly tell him 'No' firmly, if I see him but mostly he'll not do it if I'm about with him.  If I so much as sit down in dining room and he sees me he'll scratch at the french doors like a lunatic as though I neglect him all the time and leave him outdoors which just isn't true.  So far so good with the bench he's not been near the doors today when he's been out.  He's off on a run along the river bank now with hubby and daughter so we'll see what tomorrow brings!

OK - let's look at this from the dogs point of view - Mum's not here, I scratch at the door - and she comes!  Haven't I trained her well???

I have a dog that barks to get attention and it's VERY difficult to stop them doing it, as sooner or later somebody will reward them for it (in my case hubby usually yells at her to be quiet, or I can't stand it any longer, and let her out, but I am working on teaching her to only bark once by stopping any progress towards her desired goal each time she barks) And each time they are rewarded it makes the behaviour even more deep seated :(  Is there anyway you can let the dog in and out of the house by another door?

Hi, no only the back door we use for access outside the French doors are there for mmmm I don't really know as they are never open!   but they look nice, when they aren't mudded up with Dicksys paw prints everywhere! lol.  The bench has stopped him a lot but he's taken to sitting on the bench and looking at us with his 'sad sam' eyes and wimpering so really the same effect as the scratching.  I think i'm just gonna have to admit defeat and say in my husbands words 'I have a wus for a dog that can't stand to be away from Mummy for two minutes'.