How can I stop this behavior?

Question

I have two dogs that are half Labrador and half Australian Shepherd, they are both so friendly and loveable and we adore them but when left in the house alone ,even for a short span of time, they chew everything in sight. We have to put them in when we leave sometimes because it is just too cold to leave them outside for extended periods. We try to take precautions so they won't chew everything but nothing is working. They have ruined our two couches and they have even ruined our door frames, window sils, furniture legs and a corner of the house outside. Does anyone have any solution to this problem that is literally eating us up? We love our dogs but we can't afford to replace anything at this time. Please help if you can, and thanks to all who write!

Answer 1

Dogs get lonely when they are by themselves. So they take out their frustration on everything and anything in sight. Discipline is the key. When you come home and you see a mess, you need to point at them and bring them to the room of destruction and just yell "No!". It will take time for them to realize it and praise them with snacks and love if you come home and nothing is destroyed.

Another training method is to use a muzzle. They won't like it, but it trains them not to use their mouths when you are not home. Use this if you are gone for a few hours as dogs need food and water. Gradually remove it as time goes by and it should work.

The other is to keep them in a kennel somewhere. But since they are pretty big dogs, it will be hard to find a place to put it. I seclude my dogs in the kitchen by putting up a gate at the door. That way, there isn't much to destroy and if they make a mess, it's only in a small area.

If all fails, you will need to take your dog to a course for behavior training. This won't be cheap, but at least it will help alleviate the problem. Your Vet can also suggest some other alternatives as well.

Good Luck

Answer 2

Growing dogs, at younger age will start to chew on any thing near by, this to satisfy the teeth (Fangs). AS the fangs grows it becomes very ichy the chew on something.

1. If you have to go out and do not want to leave the dogs out side, go buy a cage - not too big and cage the dogs when you are away. This is 100% no chewing.

2. Teaching - this may take some time
- If the cew on your couches / door / shoes and so on...
** Bring the dog to the place he has chew, grab the mouth with one hand firmly, at the same time hug the dog so he does not run away, then pat him hard with your other hand on the mouth a few time and tell him not to do it. Do this a few time he will know that this is not the place to chew. This may take some time but it has worked with me as I have raised over 50 dogs in the past 15 years and still keeps 10 today.

3. Other methods your can try but try 1. and 2. first and see.

Answer 3

Crate them before you leave when they behave badly. Dogs need to know you are angry. If you just get pissed off and yell, all they hear is blah blah blah in high level.

Get a rolled up newspaper and if you come home and something is chewed, you pick up the chewed thing and put it close to his nose while yelling NO in a deep stern voice. Dogs respond better to male voices. If you are female, lower your tone and sound genuine. Slap him with the newspaper on his hind quarters just once. It doesn't have to be realy hard, just to get his attention while saying NO. Then crate him.

Hey, I have dogs, so I know. Although the Australiam Shepherd is a hyper nut, he can still be trained. Actually both are hyper nuts but the Australian is worse.

Now they know every time they chew on something, you yell, you slap and you crate. Dogs hate the crate.

Also you might want to separate the two to see who is the guilty one, which I suspect is the shepherd because he is a hyper nut. He needs to run run run all the time so he probably hates being at home all day and takes it out on the furniture.

You will want to exercise them a lot every day as well.

You may want to install a camera also to see what they do.

After a few days of this, they will get the picture and stop doing it. But don't give them snacks for that day, don't do anything where they see "reward". Remember, they are dogs, not people. They don't get it when you are angry unless they see it and experience something negative you do to them.

Good luck.

Answer 4

Get one of those really big dog carriers, or two if your dogs can't fit in the same one. Make it snuggly with a nice blanket. I don't know about putting food and/or water in there because they might spill it and make it messy. Anyway, make that their bed and where they go when you are gone. Give them lots of love before and after you put them in. Dogs aren't people, they get used to any routine you stick to and will be just fine.

If that's not an option, get them a really warm dog house. Get some hay and put it in there, and when you leave they go outside. There's two of them - that's two really big warm fur coats, and some hay, and a dog house. They will be fine. Animals in the wild survive outside all the time without a doghouse.

Answer 5

Crate train them when you aren't at home. Or confine them to a "safe" room like a laundry room or basement, where there isn't much they can get into. If you aren't home to correct them when they are left out, then they will continue to chew on anything as they aren't getting an immediate correction for it. When you are home, let them out of their confined areas and when you see them attempting to chew something they aren't allowed to, give a firm NO and replace the item with a toy or chew. Then give lots of praise.

Also make sure they have plenty of "authorized" toys to chew on. They may not have enough toys to keep them busy or interested. Dogs sometimes chew out of boredom or frustration.

You can also try the Bitter apple spray. Spray it on any furniture or items that you don't want chewed. When i caught my pup chewing something he wasn't allowed, i sprayed some directly in his mouth and give a firm NO as well. He learned very quickly what not to chew. He hates seeing the bottle of bitter apple to this day :)

Answer 6

How old are they? Sometimes you can't teach an old dog new tricks. I know they are large dogs but have you ever used crates with them? Do they get enough toys to chew and when they do pick up the toys get praised for doing so, and told NO BAD DOG when they chew something they are not supposed to?

Do they get enough exercise and play with each other and the humans of the pack?

good luck

Answer 7

I wouldn't leave them outside either, there are too many things that could happen to them. Crate training is in order here! My own Danes and my rescue Danes are crate trained, so we can leave the house and not have to worry about them chewing things, or injuring themselves. Just remember that when the owners away, the dogs will play!

Answer 8

I realize these are big dogs but you need to buy crates for them, for when you leave the house. They do sell them big enough for these dogs. Please look into this as it will save your belongings and your love for your dogs just like children somtimes you have to protect them from themselves, they could be seriously hurt if left on thier own to much as well your furniture. I have had dogs all my life and once they are crate trained they like it. It is a place they can call thier own, kind of like their bedroom. My dog knows that as soon as the lights go off in the evening it is bed time and he just goes and get in the crate. Good luck with this.

Answer 9

Sounds like they need a kennel, everyone says they are not cruel and if you can get one, or make one...(lot cheaper) that can accomidate both of them, assuming they get along with each other, it should really be okay.
You can't have them destroying your home, but good for you for having the sense to bring em in, a neighbors dog froze to death last week here, it is all I can do to not go bitc* slap them...they are such idiots...sorry (venting)...good luck

Answer 10

Sounds like they need a kennel, everyone says they are not cruel and if you can get one, or make one...(lot cheaper) that can accomidate both of them, assuming they get along with each other, it should really be okay.
You can't have them destroying your home, but good for you for having the sense to bring em in, a neighbors dog froze to death last week here, it is all I can do to not go bitc* slap them...they are such idiots...sorry (venting)...good luck