Recently I moved with my husband and two dogs, Molly and Izzy, when my husband got a promotion.

Both of our dogs are mutts, Molly was adopted from a shelter labeled rottie mix, but we now think she may be Australian Shepard instead, and we found Izzy starving and sleeping in some bushes last Christmas, we think she may be Whippet. Molly is about a year and a half, and we can only guess Izzy's age, possibly around 3 or 4.

We had Molly for 6 months before we found Izzy, and up until September of this year, I couldn't have been happier with my babies. They were well behaved, potty trained, they obeyed, didn't chew anything...everything you could hope for in two dogs, they were.

Then we moved at the end of August, and for the first two months everything was normal. I stayed home for the first month and a half to unpack the house and get settled in before finding a job, then went to work full time. My husband's schedule of course never changed. Then about the end of October, the dogs started acting up.

First it started that nothing could be left on our coffee table without them chewing it. (Note that their eating schedule never changed, and they had the same bones that we'd always bought them to chew on). I would get the object, tell them in a firm tone "No", swat them on the nose, show them their bone and praise them for taking the bone. That didn't work, so we adjusted our routine and stopped leaving anything on the table. But even to this day, if anything is left, it's destroyed within the hour.

Then the digging started. Never once did they dig at our old home. So I was blind sided when I came home one day to a dirt covered Molly on the front porch, and Izzy missing. After searching the neighborhood for her, 30 minutes later we found her in a canal nearby sleeping. We praised her for coming, gave both of them lots of love to let them know we were glad they were still around, and the very next day not 20 minutes after we had let them out, my husband found Izzy in the front yard. For days I continuously had to go outside and refill the hole that they kept digging up, it got to the point that we had to block the hole with a large boulder.

Then this is the straw that broke the camel's back. The pooping started. It happened the first time while my husband was out of town, and I worked a 12 hour day, so they were left inside much longer than normal. I understood that it was an accident from being inside so long, simply gave them each a swat on the nose (there were two piles), and let them outside. The very next morning I woke up to two piles of poop. Meaning that even after being outside for a good hour before "bed time" they pooped inside. This time they each got a spanking, and I put them outside when I went to work, so as not to repeat the day before. I came home, let them come in to spend time with me, then once again put them outside for about 2 hours before bringing them in. Once again I woke up to poop. So once again I spanked them, then this time left them outside for two days.

Since then we've been letting them come in, to only enjoy one or two nights before there will be more poop, but it has gone down to only one pile. So I feel bad for punishing both dogs, because that means that one is being punished for being good. But I have no idea how to handle what's going on. It also seems as though they specifically have begun to chew things I tell them not to. Remember the coffee table? Outside we kept our hose wrapped up in a circle in a corner of the yard, for 3 months they left that hose there, about 4 days ago I noticed it pulled into the yard a little, and found a few holes in it. Not bad enough to trash the hose, so I showed them the hose, told them "no" gave them each a swat and wrapped it back up. Once again, the very next day, I kid you not it was torn into pieces, all over the yard.

They have chew toys, they get plenty of food, we give them love and attention, and plenty of exorcise. I am at my wits end and have no idea what to do.

Any ideas?

[Piti Longstalking]

I think you answered your own question when you said their schedules didn't change. From everything that you've described it sounds as though your dog's are extremely bored. I would evaluate what you are doing to mentally, physically, and socially stimulating your dogs, and find new ways to channel you dog's energy. If they like digging, how about building a sandbox and creating activities around it? Perhaps your Rottie mix would enjoy a herding class, and your Whippet dog a lure course class?

From all of my experience, I have not met one dog who behaved out of rebellion. We have to remember that dogs are opportunistic creatures, and if we owners don't provide opportunities for them that are conducive to what we prefer, the dog will choose his own, and his choice may not coincide with ours.

One mistake you are making is punishing the dogs after the fact. They honestly don't have a clue why you're swatting or spanking them. This only increases their anxiety; they're getting a smack, and they don't know why. You have to catch them in the act, or you might as well forget it.

Not only that, but increased anxiety leads to more destructive behavior, and more potty accidents. Anxiety raises adrenaline levels. Increased adrenaline stimulates them to go. It's the fight or flight reflex. Get rid of any excess weight in case you have to run or fight for your life. That's why so many dogs defecate/urinate at the vet's office.

I'd start by giving them more exercise. I'd also rotate toys, rather than leaving a whole bunch of toys for them to get bored with. Get some Kong toys and stuff them with peanut butter. That'll keep them entertained for a while. Give them a different toy every day or two, in addition to the Kong toys.

I'd also stop putting them outside, unattended, to go potty. Feed them, TAKE them out, and make sure they do what they need to do. Potty time is not play time. Put each one on a leash, take him outside, and tell him "Go potty." Wait until he does, then praise him. Repeat with the other dog. Once you know they've pottied, then they can play.

If you're free feeding them, stop. Put them on a regular schedule of meal times, feed them, then take them out to potty. Eating stimulates the need to defecate, so if they're free feeding, there's no telling when they'll get the urge.

[lil mutt]

Maybe doing more fun and entertaining activities with your pets will solve your problem.

You mentioned they get "plenty of exercise," but exactly what does that entail? I can tell you that just letting them out in the yard to play is not sufficient. They have to be walked, with you, and by you, every single day. A tired dog is a well-behaved dog. Dogs that are bored are destructive.

And yes, listen to vetgroomer on the discipline thing-- you have to actually catch them in the act, or they won't have a clue what they are being punished for. Remember, their brains are roughly the size of a lemon.