she chews up furniture and shoes ect...
I need some help with how i should handle this so she won't do it anymore.
I put her in a crate for the first time today :( after she chewed somthing up and she knows i am mad at her, she will be in there 9 hours while i am at work :( is this the right thing to do?
please help!
thanks so much!
2007-06-21 03:45:03 · 19 answers · asked by Chads Wife 4 in Pets ➔ Dogs
she is a boston terrier
a year old
we have another small dog as well who is a lot older.
2007-06-21 03:50:54 · update #1
9 hours is a long time for a dog to be in a crate, but she has to learn. Try to at least give her a potty break 1/2 through if at all possible. Crate training is essential to having a good indoor dog. So, don't feel guilty.
Do provide her with things she can chew on. When she picks the wrong item, take it away and give her what she can chew. And don't make the mistake of giving her an old pair of shoes or the like for her to chew on. She can't decern between old and new people items. Make sure they are items meant for dogs. If she is a baby, she could be teething, and they do make toys you can freeze, so as they chew on them, they get pain relief
2007-06-21 03:51:54 · answer #1 · answered by buggsnme2 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
NO it is NOT okay to crate your dog when you're mad at her! This defeats the entire purpose of crate training! It IS okay to familiarize your dog with the crate as her "room" or place of rest and safety, so that she'll go to it willingly and be calm for the duration of the day. It's also okay to crate your dog when you're away...in fact, it's the best way to prevent her from hurting herself, such as by swallowing something she's been chewing on without supervision. The crate should NEVER be used for punishment. Doing that will only cause you and your dog even more anxiety. Also, it is not a process that will happen overnight, especially since you've already taught her today that she goes to her crate when you're mad. From now on, never put her in the crate for something she did wrong. Instead, praise and reward her every time she goes in her crate, even if you don't tell her to. Just put a small treat at the back, so that she'll have to go all the way in to get it. (Never leave things in her crate she can choke on, though, like rawhide.) She has to learn that good things happen when she's in there, or else she'll never tolerate it.
As for the chewing problem, crate training will solve the problem while you're gone. While you're watching her, if you see her chewing something she's not supposed to, say "NO" firmly, then immediately give her something she's allowed to chew on. Praise her when she does what you want. Acting mad at your dog and yelling at her will only make her afraid of you. Training is all about positive reinforcement...dogs understand that a lot better than anger.
2007-06-21 11:31:49 · answer #2 · answered by ♀B♀S♀ 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I just got a female lab and she chews everything too!! We do crate train her and she does really well with it. Maybe during the day you could get a pin and leave her in that. That way she can potty and be outside and will have a little more entertainment. We were told by another dog owner to go to Wal-Mart and buy some apple spray in the pet department, and spray it on things and she will be repelled by it. It doesn't stain furniture and carpet, and it helped stop his dogs from chewing everything up. Good Luck.
2007-06-21 11:25:37 · answer #3 · answered by kt 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I am going through the same thing with my puppy. I have an older dog (jack russel terrier) and she has outgrown that. My pup chews everything. I buy him chew toys and he still prefers my shoes, magazines, baskets, everything. He is in his crate everyday until I get home. I try not to crate him after I get home. You just have to be patient, use the crate when necessary and make sure when you are home you give him lots of love and pay close attention to what he is doing.
2007-06-21 11:40:32 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
I have a dog too, and he chews on anything he can practically find. All you need to do is give your dog lots of chewy toys and -some- treats, and that will reduce your chewed furniture. Also, at the petstore, you can buy a special spray that if you spray it on an item, your dog won't want to chew it because it tastes bad/ smells bad to them. The spray can also help for cats, too, when they scratch.
2007-06-21 10:55:28 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
You have to make sure that whenever you're home from work your watching your dog. If you see him chewing you have to tell her in a firm voice, No. You have to remeber that all dogs chew until they are older and know that their not supposed to do that. So keep working on training her, and good luck!! =]
2007-06-21 10:59:59 · answer #6 · answered by Isabel 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Get some hard toys or bones that she can chew on, and restrict her to certain parts of the house with babygates/dog pens, (my dog stays in a dog pen) you can find dog pens at most stores where you can find crates and kennels
2007-06-21 10:51:16 · answer #7 · answered by CCrunnah 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
What breed is she, how old is she and how much exercise is she getting?
I would only crate for 9 hours if the dog got out to potty and exercise at least once during that period.
2007-06-21 10:49:22 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
A great suggestion that works for many is to buy one of those Kong toys and put something like peanut butter inside. She will work all day trying to get the peanut butter and that will help keep her mind off other things. It may be beneficial for you to walk her more so that she takes a good nap after you leave for the day.
2007-06-21 10:52:42 · answer #9 · answered by Macho Duck 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I hope someone has a good answer for this one. I'm in the same boat, except I do go home for lunch and let her out for about 45 mts., and I have to watch her like a hawk. And yes, she has chew toys and two rawhide bones.
2007-06-21 10:50:10 · answer #10 · answered by Chris H 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋