Once a chewer always a chewer?

Never had any experience of a dog that chews, (pups teething not withstanding) a neighbour tonight was standing outside her house crying - sobbing she has a Stafford X who is about 4 years old and he chews, chews everything and anything; the shed outside, fence panels, doors (holes straight through) kitchen cupboards, flooring (carpets, lino, laminate) clothes, books, CD's, sofas everything she took me inside (the lounge he had ripped to shreds, 3 x cushions and the rug she had only answered the phone in the kitchen and he ripped them up while she was in the next room.
He is crated when they are out and night but any random moment he chews. Is there a cure?
He is not "bored" he is walked, off lead and on, new places new things to smell has access to the garden most of the day and his toys, he does have a "tyre attached to an old tree outside.
He doesn't chew when they are in the room but oce they step outside he thinks he has cart blanch to chew anything and everything.
They have tried, ignoring him, telling him off catching him in the act, gievn him toys, expelled him from the room, even a pepper substance "chilli" I think smeared on the door and skirting board (he just chewed round it).
Any thoughts/suggestions I can pass on to help she and her hubby are at their wits end.
Karen

just a thought when they leave the room do they close the door

could it be some sort of seperation anxiety Kazz?

First thanks for the replies much appreciated,

I should have said they got him about 13 months ago he was "a latch key dog" so to speak, he was left wandering the streets where my neighbours husband - was working, but he "the dog" was petrified of fireworks, and his so called owners would not let him in the house. My neighbour took pity on him and when the job finished the dog came home with him.

But he is a chewer, they now think maybe the reason his other owners wouldn't let him in the house.
They have tried crating him but he is petrified they believe "with good reason" he was locked in a "cupboard" approx 20" x 24 x 20 in the porch for hours if not days on end so they although have a crate he won't go near it for love or money.
I will mention the "working theory" they have done an excellent job with housetraining and getting his confidence - but the chewing is "the big issue now" it could well be seperation anxiety or just plain nerves it took 4 months plus to get him used to the idea they weren't going to punish him when he "toilets" poor old lad. Yet he is so loving.

I wasn't aware of the "locking away" or toileting issues until today when I mentioned crating.

Looks to me with the "whole" story it could be seperation anixety I said to them what will you do if he continues to chew and in a better frame of mind today as she had calmed down she said "not buy anything decent" he trusts us now so we can't give up on him.

One of my labs suffered separation anxiety and was still wrecking the house at 5 years old. I had to rehome him in the end.

Do you know if they ever managed to resolve it.

Unfortunately, no. I wasn't allowed contact. It broke my heart.

That must have been awful Vicki.
The Biffters used to chew when left...he now just 'gathers' things, rather than chews them...unless it's a box of tissues.
I think it's going to be a long slow road for these people by the sound of it. The trouble is, if the dog has been confined that much, he's probably been chewing to get out/out of boredom/upset and it's become self rewarding. I suppose the thing to do is try seperating within the house with the use of a stair gate so the dog can still see them??? Build it slowly from there...leaving him alone with a kong, behind a gate where they can see him and he can see them...bless him.
Good on them for what they are doing.
Vicki, that must have been so awful. Hugs. Ax

It was - I had two, one black and one yellow (Fred and Barney) and I rehomed them both. The homing centre told me they had rehomed them separately but in the same area, one went to a retired couple and the other to a young family. They are long gone now (they were born 1989) but I still cry for them. I'll post some pics at some stage

Hi Kazz the poor dog sounds as if it has had a bad start
Sometimes when a dog is confined, chewing becomes a displacement activity to counteract the boredom, then it becomes a habit which can be hard to break .

It sounds as though the owners have tried just about everything already.

I agree with Ailsa that this could be a problem which could take a long while to correct and with all the other problems caused by its early life a vets referral to a behaviourist may be the best option .

Other than that leaving him with a Kong if he has to be separated and left for long. How about a playpen, it is less confining than a crate. There are some on the internet, this is just one (below) but it is quite expensive. Also how about training/a class to boost his confidence and exercise his mind.



http://www.edirectory.co.uk/pf/880/m...pen/pid/918231