Wots the best way to stop my dog destroyin my house????

Question

I have an 11 month old boxer and if i leave in alone in the house for more than a few minutes he decides to eat everything in site. Hes completely ruined my sofa, door frame and even chewed a huge hole through the plaster on my wall. I have tried leaving things for him to chew. he got loads of toys and hes a spoilt brat when im home. i walk him regularly. Me and my partner have even rowed over it. I have got a crate for him but feel awful leavin him in it!!!! Please help!!!

Answer 1

Your dog is suffering from separation anxiety. The crate is a start but you need a professional training routine and you need to put in the work. It involves teaching him to feel OK about being left alone.
You MUST stop punishing him for his behaviour, and for messing indoors. It actually causes separation anxiety. There are several websites that deal with the issue but your best bet is to get a referral from your vet to a behavioural trainer.

http://www.apbc.org.uk/
http://www.apbc.org.uk/booklets.htm

Answer 2

Dogs will chew and destroy things usually because of a lack of exercise. Having chew toys is not enough. Your boxer is expressing his frustration at lack of activity. How long do you usually walk him? Just a five minute jaunt is not enough. Especially since a boxer is a larger dog, you probably need to walk him for longer periods of time (several miles and for at least an hour) and bring him to a dog park (if there's one nearby) so that he can run around and socialize with other dogs.

You might also use Bitter Apple or another product that makes items taste badly to help with the chewing.

Don't feel guilty about crating your dog. Dogs rest in naturally tight spaces out in the wild, and a crate simulates this. However, don't leave your dog in the crate the entire day. The most you probably want to leave him is about three hours. Also, dogs will not void in a crate since it is their private space, so when you let your dog out of the crate, make sure to let him go potty right away.

If you can't find the time to exercise him adequately, it might be better for him to find a new home. Boxers get bored very easily and need a lot of attention. Think about what's right for him. He's already expressing a great deal of unhappiness.

Answer 3

I adopted a border terrier a year ago and made the mistake of leaving him with the run of the house when I went out, and upon return he,d chewed some furniture. I decided to buy a dog cage which is the best buy. He now looks at that as his home. When I turn the tv/radio off to go out he runs and goes in his cage, where he has water and toys. I would recommend a cage to any person getting a dog/puppy. Hope this helps A

Answer 4

Leebarton Cool Candice, sound's nice enough don't you think ? dont you believe it,gas cooker knobs = 2sets, wicker dog basket=
1 kitchen vinolay approx 12'x10' = knife handles =2 She decided to tunnel her way through to next door ie plaster.Truth is she was a wonderful dog she was 12 when she died.Born in Kidderminster she was a red boxer, turning point came when she was just over 18 months, she seemed to quiten down then. You could leave your house and expect to come back to the way you left it.In all honesty Boxer's not only need walking they have to be really worked out, although not to exhaustion. Basically they are a very inquisitive breed, and you need to keep their brain active. Don't worry there is light at the end of the tunnel if you can hang, on then you will see all the benefits of the Boxer breed Good Luck.(If we had our way we'd still do it all over again,for our
Tara we used to call her for short.)

Answer 5

You need to consult with a Dog Trainer, possibly at your local Petsmart. My dog does this when she wants attention. during the day when i'm not home I close her up in the kitchen and she does well in there. I built a "half door" so she doesn't feel totally closed in. She hasn't messed w/ my cabinets at all. You can also buy at Petsmart or any pet store some spray that tastes bad to dogs, so spray on everything! Hopefully that will deter her. If she chews something up, punish her by putting her in the crate.

Answer 6

No matter how horrible you feel about crate training you are going to have to do it. The crate shouldn't be a horrible place for your boxer but more like his own room or den. It will protect him from dangers in your house while you can not watch him. What if he chose an electrical wire?
http://www.cuhumane.org/topics/crate.html

He may also have some separtation anxiety. You are also going to have to stop spoiling him because he knows how far he can go with getting away with bad behaviors.

http://www.diamondsintheruff.com/spoiled.html

Also if he is not already neutered do so because he will make a better companion and for health reasons
http://www.marvistavet.com/html/body_canine_neuter.html

Answer 7

Sounds like this dog needs some discipline, leaving him the crate while you are gone will not hurt him. It will teach him who is boss. You can also leave him outside with some toys, and water..He will learn that every time he does something dumb that he gets the outdoors or the crate.This will bring some order to your lives...
You could also get a gate and block him into a room that only his toys and water are in while you are gone..

Some dogs are hard headed like some children are...

Answer 8

Even though you feel awful about it, the kindest thing you could do for the dog is to crate him when you're gone. Get him used to it a little at a time when you're at home so he won't be frightened. He will eventually feel safe and secure in it. A well trained dog is a much happier than one left to his own devices. Good luck!

Answer 9

kennel him outside...if you can....in a doghouse..he is TOTALLY bored! You have left him alone too much during his growing up months and he's learnt bad habbits. If you can't have someone with him all day to try and train him out of these habits then you should make sure he is outside and can't hurt himself or others. A secure gate and chain is the best option. He will be quite comfortable. Invest in training for your you and your dog do it on the weekends and you will be amazed at how he starts to respond. At the moment you go to work and do your job......he is at home and THINKS this is his job to enjoy exploring the world with his mouth....he doesn't think it is naughty he is just entertaining himself. He and you need re-educating......it will take time but if you love him it is worth the effort!

Answer 10

Shock collar. This also works well but some people will not try it. What ever the dog is destroying , put it in his mouth and put a mussel on the dog or tape it shut But allow enough for the dog to breathe. Leave it there for 30 mins to an hour and after that he will never chew onthat item again.