Confused

Dear Con:

I think I have an idea why both you and your owner are upset. You, being lonely, are probably "amusing" yourself in inappropriate ways when you're home alone--chewing or getting into things you should not touch. Your owner is undoubtedly angry when he arrives home and sees what you've been up to. You, however, do not know that at all--dogs cannot connect a correction with something they've already completed doing. Your hiding is just a conditioned response--you anticipate your owner's displeasure when he arrives and seek to avoid it. You actually have no idea why he is scolding. Of course he does love you and feels much better when he's been home a while and you are behaving properly. Confinement in your crate or a fenced play area with some appropriate toys while your owner is gone should solve this problem.

Winter 1998