Help - what can he play with?

Hi.

Has anyone any suggestions for things that Reggie can chew that will either keep him busy in the evening or safely in his crate? I have now gone back to work and is spending the day in his crate where I think he sleeps most of the time. I take him out for a walk for about 45 minutes in the morning and for an hour or longer in the afternoon when I get back but during the evening he goes loopy and charges around biting everything (and everyone) around. Tonight he chewed one of the keys off my daughter's laptop and bit her arm hard enough to leave marks. I have only found a few toys he can play with - nylabone, tugger - as he instantly destroys all the others. He chews up balls and chewing rings. What else can he have?

Hi, and I am not sure that this is the answer that you are looking for BUT.........I don't think that toys are the answer for your boy.

Crating him for the day whilst you are at work is to my mind bound to cause problems, because it is a very long time to be so confined. The walks are good, but do not make up for all those hours in solitary confinement.

Is there any way that you can find someone to dog sit, or perhaps come in to take him out for a while during the day?

I have been coming back briefly at lunchtimes - he goes in the crate about 8.30, I come back about 12.10 for about 15 minutes and then he goes back until about 4. I would rather leave him in our hallway during the day rather than the crate but he chews everything - doorframes, wires and the carpet (there is a large bald spot in one place) so the crate is the only option. I don't know anyone who would come round and anyway could not afford to pay anyone.
He does love chewing but, as I said, it is hard to find anything he can chew as he has extremely powerful jaws and so far has been able to chew through almost everything.

How about something like a bordem braker with him in his crate? I have heard of puzzle cubes with treats inside so he has to work them out? I'm thinking this could tire him mentally Chewing is sometimes a sign of bordem.

maybe a tug-a-jug? they seem fairly tough?

Have you tried Kongs? My dog is one for chewing things but she hasn't managed to destroy her Kong yet!

I put her breakfast in the Kong when I leave in the morning and that keeps her busy for about half an hour or more depending on how tightly you pack it & then she'll play with the empty toy until I get home at lunch. If you haven't tried Kongs I certainly recommend them

I agree, Kongs are the way to go. Try and stuff with his meal when possible. Does he get wet food? Pack it tight and freeze it and it should keep him busy for at least 30-45 mins

He sounds a bit like a young bored doggy! You say you want to keep him calm in the crate in the evenings, but if he's been crated from 8.30am to 4pm with only 15 minutes break, it's not a surprise that he's having loopy moments instead of settling in the crate yet again. From the dog's POV, he's got a very long day having to be calm and alone, so it's no wonder he just wants to play and play when it's finally the evening and you're both home.
There are lots of toys out there for destructive doggies, my Rottie girl will wreck soft toys - and obviously given her breed, she has the jaw power to wreck some of the tougher toys! A few of my staple toys that she hasn't managed to destroy would be
- rope tuggies
- a rope ball, it's solid so can't be popped or de-stuffed but it's small enough to play fetch with indoors - like this http://prominentpets.com/images/rope-ball.jpg
- Kongs, regular & a Stuff-a-Ball (she likes to fetch this one too)
- Kong Wubba
- Jolly balls (she managed to pop one recently, but it did have 8 months of good use so it survived quite well!)
- Small tire toy
- One soft toy which is made out of quite a tough fabric, she's ripped an ear, leg and tail off but that's lasted about a year so doing very well compared to usual stuffed toys!

There are lots of "tough toy" ranges out there, designed for hardcore chewer dogs, so do have a look. How do you interact with him in the evenings? After a long day in a crate, you really will need to keep him entertained so tugging on a rope toy with him or throwing a ball will entertain him a little, but will get a bit boring after a while. Try to teach him new tricks, play new games, etc. - if you mentally tire out a dog, it's just as good as a really long physically exhausting walk. Clicker train him and try one new trick a week - to balance a treat on his nose until you give him a release command, to roll over and play dead when you point your hand at him 'gun' style and say "bang!", tricks that take a bit of practise and thought. Instead of throwing a ball over and over, teach him to sniff it out and you can start hiding it in spots around the house for him to find. Teach him the "settle" command so when he's really going over the top, you can ask him to settle and he'll know what you mean. Give him a 10 minute training walk where you're really strict about having a loose lead, stopping to wait/sit before crossing over the road, etc.
If you really can't extend his 15 minute lunch break, I would encorporate something like clicker training into this 15 minute break, again to mentally tire him out before he goes back in.

I don`t know - try sitting in an equivalent space like your bathroom for 8 hours and see what pent-up energy you have.
A `free` dog would be pottering about, investigating sounds and smells, having a nap, having a little play etc. All a dog in a crate can do is sleep. Then you expect him to sleep at night as well.
I`d be looking at a dog walker, personally.
I realise this view isn`t popular, but it`s how I feel.

Your post title of "help, what can he play with" ~ well given that you are out most of the day, the answer for the evenings, should be you & your family!

You can't expect a young lively dog to be calm & quiet all day, confined to a crate, then to be calm & quiet all evening, after only an hour's walk. It's not necessarily the amount of physical exercise he gets, you also need to include mentally stimulating things as well. He needs you to spend time interacting with him, giving him attention & things to do. I know that it can be hard if you work full time, then come home & walk him, then you want to spend time relaxing yourself, or catching up on household chores etc. But with a young lively dog, you have to set aside time for him too, no matter how much else you have to do. Otherwise, as you are finding out, Reggie will find his own ways to amuse himself ~ & these will not always be appropriate or acceptable

Krlyr has given you lots of ideas & I highly recommend clicer training. Once you've introduced the clicker & done the basic work, then you can use your imagination & Reggie's own talents, to device loads of things for him to do. Some can be very useful ~ I'm in the process of teaching Wilma to put all her toys back in the toy box as she's very good at getting them out & I'm fed up of finding cuddly toys scattered round the house. But the initial training means investment of your time.

What about clicker training classes in your area? This may be a good way to get you started & then Reggie will have at least one evening a week when he's occupied & you can carry on the training on the other evenings. Clicker training need not involve mad rushing around games. It can, & probably should only, be used for problem-solving activities, mentally-stimulating behaviours, ways to make dogs use their brains, & as others have said, this can just as tiring, if not more so, than physical exercise.

As for the chewing, this is a normal behaviour in that dogs would usually chew, knaw & munch their "natural food", i.e. bones, chunks of raw animal, hide etc. Have you though about raw feeding? It may be that this would suit Reggie? There's loads on this forum & others about feeding a raw diet so maybe do some research & consider if this would be an option. But chewing is also a stress-busting activity & dogs that are bored, or stressed or worried, very soon find out for themselves, that chewing helps them cope . But it is not a replacement for the other things that Reggie needs & if he's got enough to do mentally & physically, then chewing inappropriate & indigestable objects should cease.