Chewin, Eating Everything

[pittylover]

This may have been covered already but I need help. We decided to get a second dog when I started back at work to keep our pitty company during the days (I still walk day and arvo) as she seemed a little restless and overexcited when I got home. This has worked well as she has settled back down. We wanted an older pup so as not to have chewing toilet traing etc issues we found a gorgeous amstaff and they got along really well ex-owner told she was well behaved but they weren't allowed to keep her so we brought her home. First week was great sykes was much happier and the new dog was settling in well then I did the washing for the first time went out and came home to have no clothes on the line she had ripped them all down and torn a few sets up. I was annoyed but ignored it. The next moring I came out to all my cushions off the outdoor chairs ripped to shreds she has also since then eaten a few lighters (which scares me) and all the hose fittings had destroyed my daughter bike (ate the petals, seat and handlebars) Please let me know if you have any ideas as I am at my wits end she is a great dog otherwise good with other dogs and kids. I have tried spraying tabasco sauce on things and it stops for a bit but not long They both get heaps of exercise walked twice a day and go to the dog park or beach on the weekend. Please HELP

[Luke W]

No expert mind you...

Is it possible to restrict access when not supervised?

Maybe buy a few of those wire doggy pens to fence off an area where there's nothing bad to chew? Give the dogs acceptable chew toys and reward them for chewing on them?

[shoemonster]

When we got Molly she was like that, she ripped everything to bits, chewed through doors, and destroyed everything

In time she settled in and at some point she stopped doing it, we basically just tried to make sure there wasnt anything around that she could get into

How long have you had her?

[claireybell]

My beagle chews and destroys EVERYTHING! I've bought her and my other puppy a bouncy bone which keeps them occupied for hours. They also both have treat balls and every rope toy in the world. Our house and garden is pretty much baby proof now (after much destruction). Baby gates on the rooms they are not allowed in and nothing left haning about. I once left my bra on the bathroom sink and the little devil balanced herself on the bath to get up onto the bathroom bench and get my bra! Needless to say is was in pieces when she had finished with it. Learning the hard way sucks! Lots and lots of toys though. Also just before you leave for work throw some breakky cereal on the grass, they spend ages search it all out.

Edited November 3, 2008 by claireybell

[~*Shell*~]

I would recommend getting a kong too - and maybe a treat ball. Kongs are great because if you get the black kong, it's practically indestructable and can keep a chewer occupied for hours. A treat ball is great too because it can hold the dog's attention for a long long time too.

The easiest way to stop the dog from killing your washing and cushions is to block it off from being able to get to your cushions and washing. Some dogs grow out of chewing, others don't.

[ruthless]

She sounds like Chopper, I can fully empathise! Here's how we dealt with the problem:

Worn out before we go to work, 30 min walk and 20 mins of fetch

Left with a kong/bone/everlasting treatball or similar

No attention for 15 mins before we leave and after we come home

Kept in a run while we're out with very little to destroy, crated overnight

Obedience classes once a week and some short training sessions during the week

It took a while, and he's still a royal pain in the ass, but the destruction has been greatly minimised.

Any pics of your dogs?

[Clyde]

There is no way I would leave treat toys in a yard with two bull breeds! The OP's dogs aren't seperated while out, they got the second pup to tire out the first one so seperating them makes defies the purpose of two dogs.

My 6 month old pup is pretty bad still. She's no longer allowed in the yard unsupervised so instead she eats the brick walls of my courtyard when I'm out She has all the toys in the world, on a rotating basis, and she stills prefers the walls.

I try to see the positives. At least she's not trashing the yard, the wall can easily be re rendered

Although compared to some bull breed handiwork she's an angel. Treat toys have their place, but I would not ever leave them for my dogs unsupervised. The 6month old is proving quite food protective.

Edited November 3, 2008 by Clyde

[ruthless]

They can still be company for each other in side by side runs

ETA Eating the walls?!! WTF? How are her teeth coping?!

Edited November 3, 2008 by ruthless

[dee lee]

I came home from dropping the kids off to school to find the new plants (yeah, I know, what was I thinking ) I bought on Sunday had been "customised"- despite being screened off and sprayed with bitter apple. Luckily she left the plants alone but decided the big wooden stake was fairgame. Its only a matter of time though...

And she had had an hour walk already and was left with a bone and I was gone for only an hour.

Really, the only way I have found to avoid the chewing (and at nearly 2 Evie has gotten better) is to leave NOTHING chew-worthy accessible.

Can you put up a run for them?

[pittylover]

Thanks all great tips she seems to be getting better and yeah treats are not great tryed a kong and it was destroyed when we got home. She ate it to get the treats. My main prob is still the cloths line thing but I just have to tie her up or make sure she's out on washing days. Thanks again ffor all the great tips

[Alasse]

Clothesline: hang balloon on a string off it, fill some with a little water & some with just air. When they grab them they pop, making a large bang which tends to discourage them from continuing, if the pick one with water, not only do they get a bang, they get a face full of water. Fixed my big guy, he was a shocker for pulling clothes of the line!

Edited November 16, 2008 by Alasse