read on for entertainment! and please help. i can't deal with this dog any longer.?

Question

my boyfriend has a chesapeke bay retriever, 7 yrs old. i have never in my lifetime witnessed more destruction to two homes by any single animal!!! he took the dog as a favor to an ex- girlfriends relative who is getting divorced, and could no longer keep the dog. since, he has eaten through not 1, not 2, but 3 doors in my home. he has broken windows, screens, all trim work around any door that he is confined behind, he has eaten two STEEL kennels(150.00 each) also eaten through steel free standing kennels, wait, im far from done. he has also started to eat through walls!!!! wood paneling, drywall, doesn't matter. when he escapes, he eats or chews whatever he can find in the house. hand towels tupperware, can openers, blankets off of the beds, pillows, and on and on and on. my boyfriend just built a barracade out of the thickest plywood available (and doubled at that), to keep him in the basement. while he was at work, it took the dog 4 hours to escape and destroy the house.

this dog is exercised always, taken to the lake, loves to swim, fetch, well entertained and well taken care of. simply cannot be left alone!!!! people have to go to work you know!!

Answer 1

I love all animals and specially dogs, but I do not think I could deal with this problem if it is this bad. A 7 yr old dog is not going to change. I think I would have it put to sleep and believe me this is not something that I would recommend if I thought there was another solution to the problem. You could contact achessie rescue first and explain the problem to them and see if they thought they could help, but you would have to turn the dog over to them.

Answer 2

I really do feel sorry for you, not only have many of these people offered no real answer to your question but many of them have attacked you in some way. It really is sad that people honestly think that you being more patient with the dog would help in a situation like this. I think the best information anyone has given you at this point is the doggy day care, some dogs get so nervous when left alone that you really have no other choice, besides a good doggy day care can offer proper training throughout the day as well as help socialize your new dog. Also if you can contact a true professional with this problem I think you will get a lot better answers then a bunch of know nothing PETA posts that really don't offer much. The more professional support you can get the more likely you will be able to keep this dog.

Answer 3

Wow, if there ever was an advertisement for doggie downers...has he been to see a vet? These problems sound psychological...he obviously isn't happy where he's at and if the vet doesn't have any recommendations or suggestions, then I would seriously consider taking the poor thing to a shelter. How was it's behavior with its original owner? Is there any way to contact this person and find out if maybe this was the reason the animal was given up in the first place? Does he have any toys or raw hides to chew on instead of the walls and furniture?

I don't quite know what to tell you, I've never heard of such extreme behavior from an animal, but I do wish you luck with him. I hope something can be done for him so he doesn't have to be put down.

Answer 4

I agree with Laurie, maybe talk to the vet about some puppy prozac. I don't about all the bored/needs exercise crap if you're doing all that anyway. Sounds like seperation anxiety to me. Or, maybe he's upset by the change in owners, maybe misses the old owners? My dog isn't as bad(yours makes her sound like an angel lol) but a lot of the same behaviors. I would suggest try getting a companion, but that can backfire real quick, what if it ends up being double the damage? :) Try asking the vet and see what they say. Also, years ago this place recommended I try something called Bach Flower Remedy. Never did try it, do a search online. Some kind of "herbal" remedy for different problems. Worth looking at and see if you think it'll work. IMO gonna need something stronger though. Good luck and hats off to you two for being so patient with the poor dog lol. Also, I wouldn't put him in a shelter. That's like pawning him off on some unknowing person who's going to end up getting rid of him. That's not right for the dog or the person. If you must give him away, I'd recommend trying to find a place that only takes in that breed of dog.

Answer 5

Your boyfriend has to make a decision. Obviously EVERYONE is unhappy here, even the dog. The destructive behavior is his way of saying, "I am bored. I am lonely all day. I want to be working at something. I want to learn."
If your boyfriend wants to make the commitment of a great deal of time and effort, he should start working with a good trainer immediately. I am not a fan of Cesar Milan. I am more in the Patricia McConnell school, but whatever works for you, works.
The best solution, though, may be to contact the nearest Chesapeake Bay Retriever Rescue Society. They would be best able to find a home for the dog where he would be cared for by someone who understands the breed and their needs. There is no shame in giving up this dog. Your boyfriend was kind to take it in, but it is obviously not the right dog for your situation.
PLEASE do not have the dog put to sleep, unless he becomes aggressive.

Answer 6

Sounds similar to one of my dogs, he actually jumped through a closed window he was so wild along with chewing whatever he could find. Turns out he had the classic signs of seperation anxiety. Your dog may have some sort of anxiety problem. 1st thing I would do if you haven't already is get him neutered, unneutered dogs tend to be more destructive than neutered dogs. My dog COMPLETELY stopped all this behavior as soon as we got another dog. I've heard the same thing working for many others in these situations. Although it is a big responsibility to take on another dog, I would at least keep this in mind for worst case scenario.

Answer 7

ok maybe im way off on this but here is what i think may be the problem... you said he is 7 yrs old and has been taken away from his owners?? he is pissed off and upset and homesick..some people think they can just give a dog away its no big deal and some dogs its not but others it is. i had a dog i found and saved and then found a home for it.. it one months time he lost hair lost 10 lbs and isnt big anyway... became a barker and a digger ect she called me and gave him back it took 4 mo. to put the wt back on and for his hair to come back but he is healthy now and now i have 4 dogs instead of 3 lol ... just a thought.... i am NOT saying this is your fault in anyway or that you are doing anything wrong its clear you care for the dog or else he would be on the street by now....

Answer 8

Maybe you need to enroll him in some kind of doggy day care or have someone come by and take him out for a long walk and play session while you are at work??? Maybe try giving him some chew toys like a few Kongs filled with peanut butter or some other stuffing to keep him occupied.

I wish I could offer more advice but I don't know what else you could do.

Answer 9

This dog needs exercise, exercise, exercise!!!!! You need to buy a treadmill or is there somewhere you can take him swimming? I had a chocolate lab and I used to take him to a pond or lake and throw a ball for him to swim out and catch. Some obedience classes might be real helpful.

This dog also needs some kind of a job. Walking while carrying a backpack with a little weight in it is good too!

You can play "tracking" games with him also. Make him sniff and find his dinner every nite. All you have to do is to rub the scent of whatever you are feeding him on the ground then give the command to "find it". You can put your hand down to the ground to help him learn to sniff. Once he figures out that there is a reward at the end of the trail he will enjoy this game.

Answer 10

The answer lies within your wallet. I believe that with the proper training, any dog, almost any age, can be rehabilitated.

There are many options for training, unfortunately none of them would be under $1000 for a dog like this.

If you have the money and really don't want to put the dog down, I would look into doggie boot camps and the like.

Good luck!

By the way, I think your dog and mine are one in the same, but mine has given up her destructive ways (mostly). How did we do it? We got her a Jack Russell?Beagle to keep her entertained. It worked for us!

Answer 11

It sounds like the dog has separation anxiety......classic symptoms and very common! Talk to your vet. There is a book by an animal behaviorist named Patricia McConnell that is very good, also, there are medications that can be prescribed for severe separation anxiety. Your vet will be able to give you more info. You can also go to www.vetinfo.com/dsepanx.html and you can do a google search for patricia McConnell. With a lot of work, patience and love, your dog can overcome this problem. Good luck!