Luna the carpet-ripping dog UPDATE 5. november

Hi guys.

Well Luna has started ripping the carpet in the hall apart, when home alone. Once last week and monday and today in this week.

I know SB u told me to bike with her, but u see its very dark and very windy when I get up at 5 am.

Is there something else I can do?

Should I remove the carpet in the hall? I have plenty of carpet left in the basement to put up later. I just want to prevent it from getting to be a bad habit.

She has a big rawhide chew, 2 filled, frozen kongs, a buster cube, 2 bones and a closed cardboardbox with treats in it.

And still she goes for the carpet.

HELP!!!!!!!!

Awww J sorry I can't help but I hope you get it sorted soon

do you think shes eating the carpet to be destructive cos shes bored or more as a comforter sort of thing ( as in sucking for comfort reasons much like a child might do with a soother etc ) ? Just a thought.....

Is she ripping the carpet in one particular spot? If so you could try taping wire netting over the area.

It might be a good idea to rotate her boredom-relieving toys. Kongs one day, cubes next, etc. so that she has something 'new' to entertain her. If you don't mind a bit of mess you could scatter a handful of tiny kibble pieces (puppy or cat kibble size) so that she will be walking around and searching for them.

Instead of your bike ride or a long walk in the dark perhaps you could play some games indoors, e.g. fetch or find. Or you could run through a few obedience exercises & tricks. Mental tiredness can be as good as, or better than, physical tiredness.

Could it be possible that a mouse has got inside and she is scratching carpet trying to get to it?

You could remove the carpet if she persists in ripping it but that is not really solving the underlying problem.

If I think of anything else I will get back to you.

Hi guys

Lel: I think its boredom.

SB: No not one particular spot, its along side the front door and the sides.

Okay, so not kongs every day, yeah of course. I have tried the scattering of treats, its not always she eats them, but I'll try again Dont mind the mess, if I did, I wouldnt have pets

Good idea about the obedience exercises. That would be good to keep up on.

I live on the 1. floor, so it can't be a mouse. Thankfully!

Thanks for the tips

Have posted on a labforum, and they keep telling me to crate her, but she never has been crated, and she would be in there for many hours a day, so isn't that a bad idea?

Jeanette

Crates can be the solution to a lot of problems. But, I do not think it fair for a dog to be crated for hours on end. If you do want Luna to use a crate you would have to start right back from the beginning as though she was a little pup and get her used to it very gradually.

If she is alone for the full working day can you get someone to come in around midday and walk her and play with her for a while?

Oh but it could J mice can get in attics or anywhere

If it was a mouse Oliver would have caught it would he not?

OMG Carole I just about choked there!!!! I dont think Oliver would know how to catch a mouse.....

LEL please dont say that...... I hate mice. No I'm as sure as can be that its not a mouse.

SB:These days up untill next summer, Luna is (almost every day) picked up by my friend around lunch time, and is there for the rest of the day with Bella, my friend's dog.

But she has already been at the carpet at this point, as my friend is texting me about it....

And I dont really wanna crate her. Its not really a thing used in Denmark.

I'm gonna try with some of the things u've posted here.

Tomorrow morning she will have a run with bella, as I'm dogsitting from tonight till tomorrow.

Thanks all..

Hi Bella, crates can be a wonderful thing, but not for a dog that is allready showing signs of boredom, can you imagine the problems you will create if you crate a bored dog for hours a day...... you will have more problems than your carpet...... With the Kong have you tried stuffing it and clogging the hole with peanut butter or vegemite... you can also stuff it and freeze overnight with chicken stock and kibble.... You can vary it from day to day so that the dog doesnt get bored..... another thing to do is vary the toys that are left to play with..... I'm guessing that the dog is indoors all day... what about a sand box, one of those kids shell ones with a small amount of dirt with toys hidden.... There are heaps of things you can do.... but don't ignore this... your dog is telling you something... the problem will only increase..... 15 mins obedience every morning will be perfect too......

Donna T