5 Year-Old Well Trained Aussie Now Naughty

by Laura
(Madison, WI)

Stanley, 5 year-old mini Aussie

I adopted a 5 year-old mini Aussie about six months ago from a nice family that could no longer take care of him (due to difficult life circumstances, not because of the dog). They took him to many obedience classes and he is well trained. He immediately became Velcro to my hip, listened well, and loved me. Once in a while he would get into the trash and tear up a tissue, but nothing uncontrollable.

We recently moved to a new house. We have been there two weeks, and this past week he has become extremely naughty, i.e. tearing into bags, chewing open anything he can find, causing mass destruction. He doesn't try to hide it from me either, he will do it both while I am in the room or in another room of the house. I walk him four times a day, and bring him to the dog park every other day (if not every day). We live in Wisconsin, so it is now winter time, meaning less time spent outside, which might be one reason towards his actions.

My biggest question is how do I stop this??? And is it because of the new house, new climate, or he is just looking for attention?

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