We’ve had dogs forever but the destruction caused by my current pup, a border collie mini Aussie mix now 8 months old, already bigger than either parent at 52 pounds, is beyond my past experiences. He lives with our previously established 5 year old mini Aussie, who is big for the breed at 42 pounds but now dwarfed.
He’s chewed up several kitchen chair legs, deterred by wrapping in Saran Wrap sprayed with Bitter Apple. The wood kitchen floor, refinished two years ago, has been chewed into in several locations of several square inch areas. There is a huge chunk out of the middle of the door that separates the kitchen from the dining room, along with many scratches. This week he both chewed a chunk out of an Oriental rug (we were all sitting there and suddenly realized he was chewing on something, other than one of his many chew toys), and two cross bars off a dining room chewed completely into slivers before we realized it wasn’t a chew toy as well. The last fairly soon after they had both finished being taken on a 45 minute walk during which training was done. So I doubt boredom, or out of inattention.
So one - any advice other than waiting for him to outgrow it?
Two - how long until this level of destruction passes?
Current dog is now 14 1/2. As with people, when very young, or very old, one counts 1/2 years into the age. He’s Lab/Border Collie. 75lbs and was a bugger for chewing when he was a pup. Couldn’t take your eyes off him for longer than 1 minute and even that was risky.
All I can suggest, other than lots of his own chew things, is a crate. My house would be sawdust & rags if not for the crate. Whenever I couldn’t have my eyes on him it was into the crate with a couple of his chew toys. Eventually I was able to leave him out for graduated periods. I started leaving him for 1/2 hour, then 1 hour, then 2 . . . I don’t recall exactly how old he was until I gave him full freedom. I’d guess around a year or so.
The crate also became his ‘room’ where he would go just to snooze or contemplate life. The crate door was always open by this point. It was his safe space. Strangely, he stopped going in there about 1 year ago. It’s still there if he wants it though.
Now of course, he’s perfect. Dogs are like that. They reach the stage when they’re the most beautiful companion in your life, then they’re gone. Hang in and be patient. There will come a time when it will have all been worth it.
PS/ The old adage is true; a good dog is a tired dog. Loads of exercise!
I’ve had three herding mix dogs (Aussie/Border Collie was my last one), and I’m on my fourth one now - I’m a glutton for punishment (kidding of course…love the breeds). Only one of them chewed things up when I was out of the house (separation anxiety), and crate training worked wonders…stopped that behavior in short order and it didn’t take long before the crate was no longer needed.
The thing with herding breed dogs, as you may well know, is they need a job to do. It isn’t always a matter of giving them exercise, which of course is important, but giving them “mental stimulation” is very important too. Try puzzles and games to give your dog something to have to think about, and have fun at the same time. Also, teaching them tricks, and doing things like jump through a hoop, going through a mini obstacle course in the house or back yard, or if you are into dancing, teach them to dance.
I’ve been through similar destruction with a pup. Constantly offering alternative acceptable chewing options helps. Rope chews, Kong toys, deer antlers, etc all worked for me. Judicious use of the crate.
When you catch the dog chewing inappropriately, saying “NO” and offering an alternative is important.
Yeah some the stuff in the kitchen may have been separation anxiety as he and the more mature dog are confined there when we are gone … except that one floor chewing episode happened while I was in room with him distracted doing the dishes.
And the job bit, again, the last one, the dining room chair cross struts one, was after a long walk that included training, including keeping stays and doing “sit-ups” as people walked by (although we are overdue for another class). Personally I find the puzzle toys to be of virtually no value. Maybe one time, but then for a smart dog it’s like you doing the same crossword puzzle many times: he knows the answer and the food is gone in a flash with no stimulation or challenge involved. I have an agility tunnel set up in the basement which he enjoys doing, and he’s learned a few tricks so far.
While we have an abundance of alternative chew options available (he loves the Himalayan cheese things in particular, and we usually leave them each with a Kong filled with kibble and peanut butter) @kayaker, he has a chew drive that is still … non-specific.
I have said “NO” each time I’ve caught him in the act … and I’ve redirected to the something else … maybe I need to set up tempting opportunities for him to do it to give chances to be corrected in order to learn that these objects are not chewable ones?
My fear with these last ones, literally under our feet while we were eating dinner or sitting me reading and my wife knitting, is that he is now chewing on objects he knows are off limits to force our hand to give him attention on his schedule. If so redirecting after a “NO” may be a reinforcer and maybe I should consider a “time out” after?
An important control measure is keeping the dog limited to areas where his destructive tendencies will have less impact and can be monitored. In other words, no indoor free range privileges.
Alternate, acceptable chews are of course essential during this phase.
Based on our experiences, you can expect chewing problems to resolve by the time the dog is four years old.
Give the dog an hour of hard exercise every day. Fetching, agility runs, swimming, lure-coursing – something that wears him out.
Plus, another hour of brisk leash walking.
Plus, focused training of some kind several times a day briefly. Teach him to find a toy hidden in another room, or how to walk on his hind legs, or just Obedience exercises. These breeds must use their minds.
Lots and lots and lots of high value chew objects always available. Stuffed frozen Kong toys, beef knee bones, things like that.
Crate or pen the dog when he’s not doing these things.
When he puts his mouth on something inappropriate, like a chair leg or a shoe, tell him NO, and give him something appropriate. Praise when he chews the right thing. Remember the dog HAS to chew SOMETHING at his age.
I feel for you, I have a 10 month old 65 lb English Shepherd. Our whole house looks like a dog toy box. He’s very amenable to leaving things alone once told, but he has to be told for every single thing. He apparently thinks with his mouth.
So two to three hours every day of active focused work with the dog …
Being honest here - I was a very involved father and I didn’t spend two to three hours a day every day of active close focused work with my kids … realistically I’m not going to achieve that with my dog(s). Maybe then you’ll say I shouldn’t have a dog? (Or had kids?) But always have, including the current older herding breed one, and they have done fine. Dogs at least. I still reserve judgement on my adult children!
I do need to stay more focused on him when he is allowed in the main rooms with us. It happens when we are distracted, cooking, washing up, eating, reading, etc. Catch and correct as he is thinking about it …
My daughter really enjoys spending time with her dogs and other dogs. She works for a company called Rover that lines up dogs that need walked/exercised/let out. She provides that service and the company bills the people and pays her.
We have a dog walking service that does half hour walks once to twice per our work days, and the two dogs together get a fair amount of hard play together in yard (and sometimes in the house to my wife’s, and sometimes the older dog’s, annoyance) as a matter of routine. That however does not fit the level suggested.
And again, given that the last incident happened under our feet fairly soon after a good long walk/training session, I’m not thinking this is boredom. Bored I think he annoys the older dog until he consents to play with him, just like my younger kids had done. And I suspect there is no wearing out this dog that any reasonable human is capable of accomplishing. (Especially since we are told not yet taking him on runs.) He chills when he chills not out of being worn down.
Oh, you are not going to wear him out. Just mellow him out. I can take my ES out for a ten mile horseback ride, during which he gallops huge loops around me running straight up and down cliffs, so he’s probably running 15 or 20 miles, and when he gets back he needs a nap before he’s all normal again.
This period doesn’t last their whole life, just to about two or three years old. Unless you got a Malinois or something, God forbid.
If you have kids, why aren’t THEY playing fetch with him?
Do you know any runners that want k9 company? A friend of mine managed to wean her rescue dog off of fluoxetine (Prozac) and alprazolam (Xanax) which the original owner used (he kept the dog crated 12-14 hours a day).
She ran 5 miles every morning with the dog. Her husband ran 5 miles every evening with the dog. A friend of theirs ran the dog in the afternoon. It was a crazy Weimaraner and was still eager to play despite running 12-15 miles a day.
Our pointer can do over 30 miles (we know this because of GPS tracking collar) and still be wanting to run around and investigate when we are done with our long hike (we do 10-15 miles while he is doing his 30+) and are now sitting around the campfire back at camp. Some dogs have endless energy.
We’ve had several pointers and none of them have chewed up anything inappropriately, but we give them a lot of toys to choose from (one did have separation anxiety and would scratch near the door when we were gone - he was in a crate when were gone after he started that). I had a shepherd puppy and he chewed up everything he could find including a small sofa. That is the dog that taught us to use a crate.
Where the crate training is concerned, some destructive dogs will chew their way out, or try to, and I’ve heard horror stories of people coming home to a bloody mess…damaged teeth and jaws etc. Not sure if you have a crate, but it should be one that is specifically made for “destroyers” to be sure your dog is safe in one (that is if you put him in one when you are away). Start slow with the crate too with only small bits at a time to see how he does and so he gets used to it. Leave the house for a short period and come back, etc.
In addition to the crate training, I think teaching your dog time outs or what I like to call “calm time” also is a good idea. Does your dog know “go to your place”? It can be the crate in a corner of the room with the door open, or a dog bed. Don’t make it a punishment…it’s just something that is a part of his routine at certain times. I think he needs a schedule so he knows what to expect. Carve out certain times of the day and evening that are for play, training, exercise, and calm time. Being consistent is important, as much as you are able (I know we all have busy lives and our schedules change often). It takes time and patience, and not always easy, but it sounds like you are trying to find the best way to work with him…it will get better, eventually, but nipping the destroying habit in the bud is priority of course.
Lastly, have you considered hiring a certified dog behaviorist?
Yes. Had two but now it’s the crate at night in our room only, allowed free rein of kitchen when the two are confined together when we are not home. He likes his crate and goes into it when come in the bedroom at night in anticipation of bedtime. Daytime confined by themselves is not when the major destruction occurs. It is mostly when we are in the room but not giving him attention.
Yes. We have two identical raised beds, one in the main area (a front double parlor), and one in kitchen near the sliding door. We have an alley way detached garage and typical enter and leave through that door. He obeys “go to bed… stay” when he is overexcited when my wife comes in. Even if he sometimes still pees as he does. With visitors we can get a successful “go to bed” but “stay” would be unachievable at this point. Too excited. Working up to it.
Good at least that he does go to his bed when told and likes being in his crate. Stay can be a tough one - I’m still working on that, as well as the “go to your place”, with my newly adopted 3-year old dog. She did come with some training, but has a mind of her own. And she is very much a “velcro dog”…her name should be “back up” as that is what I’m constantly saying to her.
Dogs are always works in progress, and I hope you are able to sort the destructive behaviors out…at least you are trying, as some would just give up and think the dog is just too much for them, but most of these issues can be worked on…just takes time, patience, and finding what works best.
(kidding of course…love the breeds). Only one of them chewed things up when I was out of the house (separation anxiety), and crate training worked wonders…stopped that behavior in short order and it didn’t take long before the crate was no longer needed.
