Bed chewing is back

Hi all,

As the title suggests we are having a bit of an issue involving dog beds and stuffing-spreading...

Paris is fine while we are out at work and fine if i'm in the same room but every day i have to shut them in the lounge while i sweep out my guina pig cages in the utility room. I have just got back from the 15 min departure into another room to find the dog bed stuffing across the lounge floor. On the plus side she doesnt rip the cover, just rips the quilt under it accessing via the poppers at the end of the cover!!!

We are currently in the process of packing to move house but the boxes are only in the garage and upstairs( places she never goes). I wonder if she is just picking up on some vibes of change???

My question really is what to do on arriving at the scene of the crime!
Is it best to shut the dogs out while i tidy up the fluff?
I understand that there is no point telling her no after the event as she wont know what i mean but i dont want to reinforce the behaviour either...
Sorry if this post seems a little silly, 3 years into owning 2 dogs you would think i would have the answers... They are usually so well behaved at home that these circumstances just dont happen..

Thanks for reading.
Clare (and Paris, bed chewer extrordinaire )

I have a bed chewer, he does not do it all the time only when he thinks he is being excluded from something going on else where in the house which sounds the same thing as you are experiencing.

I have tried all sorts including different types of beds, but 91/2 years on the only thing that works is not to exclude him and if there is no choice just except I will need to clear up or take the bed away.

So if anyone has any ideas I am all ears also.

Just to add I have limited success with a giant kong that he only gets on special occasions

Aww!!! Sounds like i may be stuck with it then! Paris has been doing this on and off since we got her. She seems to go through phases, shes ok for a few months and then it'll start again.

Because i have 2 dogs and Phil our other dog who is an absolute sweetheart usually but is very possessive over toys i cant leave them both unattended with a kong or indeed any toys. They do have kongs and really enjoy them seperately.

Also they are always walked before i leave them unattended so should be nicely sleepy and relaxed...

I understand about not leaving them with toys as I have six dogs.

Mine only does it when he thinks he is missing out such as if I need to cut the grass. My grass in the garden is fenced off from normal traffic so when the gate is open they all want to charge in and go made which is not good if I am trying to cut the grass. So I have to shut them away while I am doing it. Its not a lot of grass so we are not talking a long time but that is a bed chewing moment.

How about leaving the door to the room you are working in/cleaning the guinea pigs out in open but blocking it off with a baby gate? That way the dogs can see you, not feel too excluded but also not get in the way? Hopefully then they wouldn't feel the need to shred the bed. This is what I do with Cain when I'm cleaning out my rats, otherwise he'd be whining at the door, but because he can still see my through the babygate he just lays down near it and goes to sleep.

Unfortunately not an option
4 very brave guinea pigs who would easily fit through a baby gate to go and investigate the big furry things.. and get munched The guinea pigs have free range of the floor when its cage cleaning time, gives them a good chance to have a run about.

You could put a second cover on top but do it up at the opposite end so when they get through the top layer they still can't reach the stuffing? (does that make sense?) I'm sure they would work it out but it might take them longer!

What about puting up a plank across the bottom part of the baby gate so the guinea pigs couldnt pass through, or can they climb?

Climb... erm well considering guinea pigs are supposed to be sedate little creatures i seem to have a pole vaulter... wendy used to quite happily jump onto the 2ft bean bag foot stool we used to block the play area off with before the dogs arrived!!