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Location: Devon, UK
Joined: Dec 2009
Posts: 930
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16-11-2010, 10:39 AM
People with dogs that chew, do you..
A, Move things that they chew out the way whilte you're not around.B, Leave what ever it is there and clear it up afterwards.
Am I right in thinking A is the better option? Is this what other dog owners do?
Just that our viz has taken a liking to the sofa cushions taking the stuffing out which we then stuff back in. I'd like to move them out the way while we're not around but one member of our family does not because 'wants the house to look nice', she also says if we want the dogs in the living room we need to clear up more quickly, basically she doesn't like having to live around the dogs - she'd rather the dogs had to live around her if that makes sense.
But I don't leave the viz in the living room on his own or if I do and he's got stuffing every where I clear it up when I go back in the room.
So what do you do about chewing dogs?
Do you let them effect how you want your home to look by moving things out the way?
Thanks
Sophie
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Location: Bad Fallingbostel, Germany
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 3,180
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16-11-2010, 10:49 AM
Nor am I prepared to buy new furniture on a regular basis or pay to replace bits of the house that he's decided to gnaw on. So I guess Rupert dictates how my house looks as I have a huge crate sitting in a corner of my dining room. But yeah, I'd simply move the cushions out of his way if they were the only things he chewed and make sure he had something to occupy him such as a kong filled with food or his own stuffed toys to destuff.
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Location: Luton UK
Joined: Jul 2010
Posts: 139
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16-11-2010, 10:50 AM
As for how my home looked well if I really wanted a show home I wouldn't have any animals. I tell people the dogs live here I have this room they get the rest lol
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Location: Preesall, Lancashire
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 5,622
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16-11-2010, 11:06 AM
Letting them chew/destroy things like cushions etc is a self-rewarding behaviour; and unless you catch them in the act, you can't tell them not to.
Can you restrict the dog/s to one room if you are out - where the least amount of damage can be caused?
How can a house look nice (as your housemate/family member wants) if the cushion stuffing is everywhere etc?
I see the need to tidy up around the dogs, or they will chew whatever they find - shoes, cushions, remote controls etc.
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Location: Nottingham, UK
Joined: Oct 2010
Posts: 9,540
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16-11-2010, 11:10 AM
We have rawhides everywhere and chews everywhere for our dogs.
Also, teach the "leave" command for when your in the house, we had to because we have children come round to my parents, being that I share a dog with one of them
(neighbours) we can now place a chocolate cake in front of our 6 month old pup and tell him leave and he'll come sit by us then stare at it.I think the only thing Louie has chewed was a cheque and thats all. Sadie was a nightmare - she ripped all the wallpaper off the walls and chewed the phone line. Benjie also was a nightmare but I wasnt around then to see that
Good luck
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Location: england
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 3,440
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16-11-2010, 11:21 AM
In principle I favour the remove the object but sometimes that just isn't possible when it's a wall
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Location: UK
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 2,411
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16-11-2010, 11:23 AM
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Location: Bad Fallingbostel, Germany
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 3,180
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16-11-2010, 11:51 AM
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Location: Essex, UK
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 14,147
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16-11-2010, 12:25 PM
Can you not just shut the living room door when you`re out?
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Location: New Brunswick, Canada
Joined: Oct 2010
Posts: 591
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16-11-2010, 12:35 PM
Luckily I don't have a destructive Dane...many danes are, especially as pups. I've known people who've literally had THOUSANDS of dollars in damages within a half hour. What would take a normal breed days to destroy, a dane can ruin in minutes lol.
Luke was taught the "leave it" command at nine weeks old. He was reinforced constantly on what is GOOD to chew on, and what is not. In my opinion, continuing to allow him access to destroy items in your home that do not belong to him, is only teaching him that it's ok.
If you can't supervise him constantly, then put him somewhere where he has no access whatsoever to anything he can destroy of yours. When you're watching him....be sure to praise and treat every time he goes for one of HIS toys. Make sure he has access to chewable things for him no matter where he is in the house.
While I agree that there are times when you live around your dogs, I do NOT agree that it means you have to watch your property be continually destroyed. Dogs need to learn what is theirs, what is not and respect that boundary. Otherwise EVERYTHING in your house is going to be fair game. Hope that makes sense.
Try redirecting him every time you see him going for the cushions. Have a toy and a treat, and the minute you see him give the least bit attention to the cushions...redirect his attention to the toy. When he's focused on and takes the toy instead, HUGE praise and treat. It will take a while, but it should work in the end. Again though, confine him when you aren't able to watch him.
Luke was taught the "leave it" command at nine weeks old. He was reinforced constantly on what is GOOD to chew on, and what is not. In my opinion, continuing to allow him access to destroy items in your home that do not belong to him, is only teaching him that it's ok.
If you can't supervise him constantly, then put him somewhere where he has no access whatsoever to anything he can destroy of yours. When you're watching him....be sure to praise and treat every time he goes for one of HIS toys. Make sure he has access to chewable things for him no matter where he is in the house.
While I agree that there are times when you live around your dogs, I do NOT agree that it means you have to watch your property be continually destroyed. Dogs need to learn what is theirs, what is not and respect that boundary. Otherwise EVERYTHING in your house is going to be fair game. Hope that makes sense.
Try redirecting him every time you see him going for the cushions. Have a toy and a treat, and the minute you see him give the least bit attention to the cushions...redirect his attention to the toy. When he's focused on and takes the toy instead, HUGE praise and treat. It will take a while, but it should work in the end. Again though, confine him when you aren't able to watch him.
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