chew the wall once more and i'll chew off your head and stuff it in the hole you made

[gill84]

One of our dogs is driving me to point of dispare!! Shes a 10 month ol bullmastiff and has a chewing issue.

Shes chewed the bottom of a kitchen cupboard and the beading from the laminate floor which yes was annoying but the're nothing compared to wall!!
Its the wall by the kitchen door and twice now we've replastered it and the OH comes home this afternoon to find shes done it again, just a little higher up!!

We've tried all the usual, lemon juice, mustard, tobasco sauce but she'll lick these off my hand! We tried a spray from pets at home which thank god worked but its so strong its run down the wall and bubbled the paint on the skirting boards.

The OH has recently gone back to work and shes been left at longest 4 hours. Shes been left for longer before and not chewed and been left for less and chewed. We arent talking a little scratch on the wall either, she gets down to the mesh behind the plaster!

We did crate her but i hate having the crate up coz its huge with her being a big dog and i would like to think we could leave her without the need for a crate every time. She has chews, a kong, toys, (a bed til she chewed that), shes not left for long periods, shes walked 3 times a day i dont know what else to do!! HELP!!!!

 

[CorvusCorax]

Sorry but I would either suck it up and go back to the crate or build her a run outside for when she is left alone.
She is a puppy (I regard large, late maturing dogs as pups until at least 18 months), you know she chews, but allow her access to chewable things, with the best will in the world, you are setting her up to fail and I don't see why you are angry at her?

I have a nearly nine month old who carries, chews and exerts considerable pressure in his bite. When we are out or in bed or we need downtime to do stuff, he is in a crate or in an outdoor run. He also chews beds so he does not have access to one, he is on an old fleece. In the grand scheme of things, he has not destroyed anything of great value, because he is not allowed access to the house when we are out. Anything he has ever destroyed, it has been our fault for allowing it to happen because we KNOW what he is like!! If it has to be used for the rest of his life, fine, it's better than me getting chucked out for him eating my mother's house

Cayla has a very good crate training guide and I also recommend Jane Donaldson's book The Culture Clash for getting inside your dog's head

 

[MissTyc]

I have a bitch like this and she was very destructive. She was 18 months old when I got her and obviously well established in her habits ... We've ended up making her a kennel (about 4x1.2m) and she's the happiest dog to be left in there when we have to go out. She just can't cope with all the excitement of the whole house. In her kennels, she plays with her kong, eats the contents when they melt and then sleeps until we get home (we video'd her!) ... In the house she plays with kong, gets bored of kong, plays with the house, chews the house, pulls down the curtains, barks through the window, leaves bits of melted kong contents everywhere, barks some more, chews some more ... and then sleeps only when we get home!

 

[gill84]

I know I should put her in the crate then she can't access anything but like I say it's huge and I hate it being up. I want a kennel and run outside but the OH says it's mean leaving her outside!

To which there's always a row coz I say it might not be nice to keep her outside but it's not nice me replastering the wall every time coz although it's HIS dog it's me that cleans the mess up!

I suppose I keep giving her the benefit of the doubt and not crating her in the hope she leaves the wall alone. Which more often than not she does! But when she decides to chew it she does it to the extreme!

 

[Alec Swan]

... ... and then sleeps only when we get home!

And therein lies the problem.

Alec.

 

[Cahill]

a long time ago i had a pup that chewed/licked plaster,a pet shop recomended me a supplement/mineral that he was lacking and it stopped very quick.sorry cant remember what it was because it was many years ago.

 

[CorvusCorax]

OK, I will simplify it - give her the benefit of the doubt (which, er, dogs don't understand, sorry) and she will chew some more holes before she is done, I can guarantee that.
Crate her or throw up an outdoor pen and she won't.
Simples.

Our crate is big, yes, and we live in a cottage. But we don't have holes in our walls, what's the better alternative?
Oh I fail to see what is 'mean' or 'not nice' about a dog being outside for a couple of hours? Mine has been lying upside down at my feet or up on the sofa with me all night and I've just been hand feeding him raw mince, the spoiled little sod.
However being outside for a few hours during the day hasn't broken him so far

 

[CAYLA]

You are expecting to much to young IMO, I generally advise a crate is taking away very very gradually and not before the 2 year mark, so many are so hastey to remove them and do so very swiftly, if you do not want the crate back up or a kennel then the alternative is a smaller sectioned off area, a little bigger than the crate but smaller than the area she currently resides in and away from the wall lol.
Dogs actually find chewing things esp doors and plaster and hard materials ( a very common chewable household material that is chewed by dogs ) relaxing belive it or not and it's not all about boredom or anxious destruction in all cases.
I would revert back to a smaller area, and make sureshe sends al little time in this rea when you arehome aswell as when you are out.
Try a DAP and tr ad ge some energy off her before you leave her and start from smaller periods left when you do increase her space again.

 

[CAYLA]

I would also swap the toys (imo useless as dogs rarely play with them when alone) for a huge raw bone, and sawp the bone and kong around daily to give her some variety.

Better to leave one nice long lasting luxury than lots of boring toys lol.Always pick then up and box them when you are home and keep them for "lone time" rewards.
Make sure the kong has very yummy filling.

 

[Toffee44]

I never liked the idea of crates until I came on here, would be lost without mine now. I am very bad with mine tho as I use mine as storage on top. I have a slat of ply and I store shoes on top as to be fair the crate took my shoe space away :O

Mine like yours is massive as I fit two dogs in there. Lab and a rottie x.


Have been doing some seperation training with Teal now we have no neighbour and the only thing that settles him is a raw bone. He has no interest in Kongs. Mine are never left to roam the house EVER. I have a small tiled hall they have with access to their crate if im going out more than 3/4 hours but they arent allowed in the house what so ever. The few times they broke in they trashed the place, well for some reason poo'ed in places and lets say all my dirty dishes were done or broken.....

 

[The Original Kao]

I never liked the idea of crates until I came on here, would be lost without mine now. I am very bad with mine tho as I use mine as storage on top. I have a slat of ply and I store shoes on top as to be fair the crate took my shoe space away :O

That's exactly what I did with my great dane's crate yes it was massive but the top was great for storage
She was a nightmare for chewing and 1 time I left her out her crate (we were in between crates briefly when she out grew the original 1 we had which was bought for our lab pup) she chewed the sky remote, my new sunglasses and her and the lab managed to pull up the carpet and chew a massive hole in that too :/

 

[misterjinglejay]

I agree with Cayla. But another little trick I've used in the past when desperate (mainly with cats, but should work with dogs), stick packing tape sticky side out - so you turn the ends under and stick those to the object/area and that way when mutley goes to chew, he gets all stuck up. Admittedly, it is last resort and I would do it when you are there to start with.

 

[Scranny_Ann]

I know I should put her in the crate then she can't access anything but like I say it's huge and I hate it being up. I want a kennel and run outside but the OH says it's mean leaving her outside! QUOTE]

Find this very frustrating!

You know you should do something, for your sanity and the education of your puppy but as you hate the crate being up you are happy to have holes i your wall

Having a dog outside, fed, watered, exercised and content is not 'mean'.

What is mean is buying a dog and not giving it the correct education because you 'don't want a crate up' and then punishing the dog.

My dogs live in purpose built kennels outside, are fit, healthy and happy. I often post pics, show your OH!

 

[CorvusCorax]

Phew, glad I am not the only one, was beginning to feel like a bit of a cowbag

Also, think about it as keeping your dog safe from harm - it ain't good for a dog to eat big lumps of plaster and lino and cupboards and other potentially harmful items (see post about poorly puppy who ate a sock!) as an owner, you have to protect her.

 

[echodomino]

How is it mean to keep dogs outside when that's where they came from before they were domesticated? :s

You don't like the cage as it's big? I know I'd rather have a big cage up than big holes in my walls.

Echo CC, it'll keep her safe as well as your house

 

[lexiedhb]

As I see it you have 4 options
1) carry on as you are, with holes in your walls, telling the dog off for doing something you can prevent
2)Get over your "but the crate takes up so much room" attitude
3) get your kennel and run outside
4) keep using the stop chew spray and eventually re paint the skirting.

 

[Scranny_Ann]

OR will this dog end in a rescue as it's a 'pain in the ass?' or 'naughty' or worse still, 'inconvenient, as it has to be crated'.

 

[Toffee44]

To which there's always a row coz I say it might not be nice to keep her outside but it's not nice me replastering the wall every time coz although it's HIS dog it's me that cleans the mess up!!

I think this is the problem here.

There are loads of times I moan about Dylan to OH coz its HIS dog however ultimately hes both our dogs, both our responsibility as he lives with US.

Also remember your dog is still 10 months old, a puppy. I left Dylan in the kitchen and he destroyed the dog poo bag bag all over my kitchen. I was only upstairs.

Nothing wrong with keeping a dog outside. Mine lived out when we were on holiday and they were absolutly fine. IF we move next year to the IOM then they will have no choice. I dont feel cruel leaving them out.

Have you got your crate up today??

 

[gill84]

OR will this dog end in a rescue as it's a 'pain in the ass?' or 'naughty' or worse still, 'inconvenient, as it has to be crated'.

NO SHE WILL NOT END UP IN A RESCUE, THANK YOU!!!!!!

And it's not me who thinks it's cruel putting her outside it's the OH!

Although the crate does annoy me coz it's huge I know she needs to be left in there but telling the OH half this is a mission! I've told him we're condradicting her training but he won't have it! I've put my foot down and said unless she's out playing with us she stays in that crate!

 

[CorvusCorax]

Yay, glad to hear it And give yer silly OH a shove or put him outside

 

[Scranny_Ann]

OR will this dog end in a rescue as it's a 'pain in the ass?' or 'naughty' or worse still, 'inconvenient, as it has to be crated'.

NO SHE WILL NOT END UP IN A RESCUE, THANK YOU!!!!!!

And it's not me who thinks it's cruel putting her outside it's the OH!

Although the crate does annoy me coz it's huge I know she needs to be left in there but telling the OH half this is a mission! I've told him we're condradicting her training but he won't have it! I've put my foot down and said unless she's out playing with us she stays in that crate!

With all respect, does your OH know anything about dogs/training?

Clearly, you have a problem and this needs to be addressed sooner rather than later...

Have you discussed options with him? What seems to be his issue?

 

[CorvusCorax]

Maybe he wants to practice his plastering?

 

[Vizslak]

Good trade, plasterer.

 

[Dobiegirl]

:

Maybe he wants to practice his plastering?

 

[Dobiegirl]

Good trade, plasterer.

Pays well too I hear.

Seriously op its a no brainer, put the dog in the crate, he wont come to any harm and neither will your walls.

 

[MyBoyChe]

You could try a playpen instead of a crate. We had a metal one.just over a meter high and made of 10 metal panels. You could open it in different shapes (big square, long rectangle, triangle) or just not open al the panels to make it smaller. Quick to put up and folds flat against the wall or under the sofa in seconds. We used it instead of the crate when pups outgrew it and didnt feel they were quite ready to be left 'freerange'. Have now leant it to a friend who has chewing issues with a rescue spangle and it is working a treat.

 

[echodomino]

I've put my foot down and said unless she's out playing with us she stays in that crate!

Does that mean unless you are both physically interacting with her that she will just be crated all the time? Thought she only chewed when you left her? Unless I'm not following right.