A dog owner has told Newsweek that she “cried, laughed and then cried again” after coming home from work to a destroyed home.
Trena, who is known on TikTok as @newlook_hairstudio, left her XL bully dog in the crate while she went to work. Owners often opt for crate training their dogs because it gives them a safe and quiet place while also keeping them out of trouble around the house. However, Trena learned one day that the crate was no match for her dog.
She walked into the house after work to discover items ripped up and scattered throughout. Trena wondered what happened since she had locked her dog in his crate, but as she walked through her house, she saw the crate door was hanging wide open. Her 15-month-old dog had managed to break free and go on a destructive rampage before heading back into the crate and taking a nap.
Trena showed the damage in a March 19 TikTok video, revealing cushion or pillow stuffing tossed around, items shattered and a pair of Steve Madden heels completely eaten. Meanwhile, her dog didn’t bother waking up when she came home. Exhausted, he slept in his crate as if he had nothing to do with the destruction.
After spending about four to five hours cleaning up, she jokingly wrote the caption: “Send help!!! He’s for sale.”
@newlook_hairstudio/TikTok
This was the first time Trena had come home to a destroyed house, but it was not the first time her dog had managed to escape.
“He’s broken out once before, but I was home asleep and heard him,” she said.
Viewers couldn’t believe what she walked into and as of Monday, the video had amassed over 2.1 million views and 141,000 likes on TikTok.
“Not him tired after a long day of destruction,” said a viewer person, while a second wrote: “And got the nerve to be sleep like ‘Whew, today drained me.'”
A third commented: “Friend, that’s a crate for a poodle. He probably breathed on it to get it popped open.”
Others suspected her dog did this because he was not getting enough exercise or stimulation. The owner took the note and replied: “I definitely have to exercise him more. We started today!”
Why Are Dogs Destructive When Home Alone?
Pet parents like Trena have gone through the same set of emotions after discovering their dogs ruined the house while staying home alone. An article from Bondi Vet shared several explanations for this frustrating behavior.
Perhaps your dog suffers from separation anxiety, leading them to destroy items, bark or howl all day long until you return. Those with a traumatic past could feel a generalized type of anxiety or stress.
Dogs causing destruction might be signaling they are bored. They will chew or tear through items to entertain themselves. Your dog could be experiencing health issues and acting destructively is their way to tell you something is wrong.
Hunger can also play a role in your dog’s behavior. Hungry dogs are not happy, leading to them acting out. The article stated this can become a particular issue if your dog is overweight and you’ve cut back on their food.
Puppies especially will get into trouble because they are still learning. Plus, they are teething and to fight off the pain, they will chew on things.
Do you have funny and adorable videos or pictures of your pet you want to share? Send them to life@newsweek.com with some details about your best friend, and they could appear in our Pet of the Week lineup.