How often have we seen dogs who are left alone in the yard all day and then sleep in the garage all night, with only an occasional hour or two spent in the house with people? Or worse yet, how many dogs live their entire lives chained or confined in the yard, 24 hours a day, with little if any human companionship?

Unfortunately for the dogs, many dog owners feel this is an adequate life for their pet. And unfortunately for the owner, this type of lifestyle leads to many dog behavior problems including (but certainly not limited to):

Bored, lonely dogs often vocalize loudly. This indicates an unhappy animal and leads to upset, angry neighbors.

Bored, lonely dogs need an outlet for their frustrations and often resort to digging as a release. Unfortunately most of us don't care to have our yards look like mine fields.

Bored, lonely dogs will often try to find places that are neither boring nor lonely. Unfortunately, accidents often happen to dogs running at large and these can be quite expensive for the owner if not fatal for the dog. Escaping also becomes a habit for a dog--one that can be difficult to break.

Bored, lonely dogs that are isolated from humans and do not receive proper socialization may become aggressive towards humans. This is particularly seen in dogs that are kept chained.

Bored, lonely dogs will find ways to "entertain" themselves--often by chewing on patio furniture, garden hoses and/or anything else within reach.

Bored, lonely dogs who do not use other means of release will often vent their frustrations by chewing on their own feet, flanks or other body parts. This can lead to many health problems.

Many dog owners think they can solve their pet's boredom and loneliness by getting another dog. Usually this doesn't solve any of the problem behaviors. In fact, they can worsen. The result is two dogs with bad behavior, two dogs who establish their own pack and lose much of their previous interest in people.

Prevention of boredom and loneliness in most dogs is very simple: make the dog a family member! Dogs are social, pack-oriented animals and the owners are the members of the dog's pack. Don't isolate the dog endlessly. That doesn't mean that the dog should never be apart from you. It means that when you are home the dog is with you in the house. It means the dog sleeps in the house. It means that the dog is part of family activities. Often enrolling in a training class teaches both you and the dog how to communicate with each other and gives you the means to teach the dog desired behaviors which will make him pleasant to have in the house.