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ksoxgrl

Need advice....dog chewing furniture!

ksoxgrl
13 years ago

Sophie is our beautiful 8 month old goldendoodle whom we love dearly. The family is away from the house 8 hours a day during the week, which yes I know is not the most ideal situation for the dog. She has the run of three rooms in the house while we are away. Within the last 2 weeks she has begun to chew door casings, the bottom of kitchen cabinets, etc. I've tried leaving her chew toys sprayed with a little olive oil and sprinkled with garlic salt, leaving her kong stuffed with treats, her jollyball and some stuffies. I've tried spraying the bottom of the cabinets & casings with bitter apple. Last night we returned home to find the bottom of the back door scratched and bitten. Should I go back to going home at lunch, should I go back to crating her again. My husband takes her to work with him occasionally when he can. My two children will be home on occasion when out of school so with summer coming she shouldn't be left alone so often. Any advice is welcomed!

Comments (14)

  • murraysmom Zone 6a OH
    13 years ago

    Sounds like separation anxiety. I would crate her. She is beautiful. It sounds like you have crated her before. Does she get a good long walk before you leave in the morning? If so, she should be fine in a crate for 8 hours. Even better if someone can easily come home at noon and let her out for a spell. I crated my shelter dog for a year while away at work until he had enough confidence to be left without any destruction. Just make sure she gets lots of exercise to work off the energy.

  • ksoxgrl
    Original Author
    13 years ago

    Thanks murraysmom! I feel so guilty going back to crating her since she hasn't been crated in quite a while. I don't walk her in the a.m. just in the evening. Maybe I'll get my butt out of bed early and walk her before going to work now that the weather has warmed up a bit :)

  • annzgw
    13 years ago

    Cute dog! Sounds like she has a lot of pent up energy, plus, she's still a puppy. That breed usually needs LOTS of exercise and if they don't get it they'll find other ways to release their energy.

    I'd probably go back to crating at this time, but only after she's had a good run in the morning, chased a ball for awhile, or done some type of activity that gets her tired. It'd be great if you could go home at lunch and let her run around.

    Does she get to run around and play with other dogs? Do you have a dog park nearby? I feel she needs some other form of exercise besides a walk in the evening.

  • timbulb
    13 years ago

    Three words...

    Exercise, exercise, exercise.

    That breed is high energy, she has to release it somehow.

  • ksoxgrl
    Original Author
    13 years ago

    Thanks everyone! She does go out in the yard in the morning which is a good size to run and play with her jollyball with my husband before we leave for the day. You're right, it's probably not enough. I'll get up earlier next week and take her for a brisk walk before leaving for the day. We don't have a dog park near us although my daughter does take her for a run several times a week with her. I do the walking along with my husband and she does get quite a bit of exercise playing in the yard when we are home. She's good as gold otherwise! I'll take her for a walk on Monday morning and not crate her and see what happens. If she still chews, I'll have to crate her I guess :(. I'll keep you all posted. thanks again.

  • calliope
    13 years ago

    I had a wirehaired terrier mix who got bored as well. He did his chewing to relieve boredom. Excercise and stimulation. She's a doll.

  • GammyT
    13 years ago

    ksoxgrl, take her for a walk in the morning, make sure she goes then put her in her crate for her own safety.

    My next door neighbors goldendoodle was 6 years old and still, no matter how well trained, or exercised or anything. She would get into trouble and chew things.

    A night came when she wasn't acting right so my neighbor rushed her to the vet. Turns out she had swallowed a sock, probably days earlier, and the vet gave her THE shot. She was 6 years old and a perfect girl but that goldendoodle bordom would hit her every once in while.

  • weed30 St. Louis
    13 years ago

    The morning walk will do wonders for YOU too. I noticed a definite change in my overall mood when I regularly walked my dogs before I went to work. It wasn't even a long or brisk walk, but it helped all of us :)

  • ksoxgrl
    Original Author
    13 years ago

    Well it's Monday morning so we'll see how it goes today with Sophie not being crated. I'm not overly optimistic though because during the night on Saturday she actually chewed the wooden surround enclosure for the bathtub, ugh! She likes sleeping on the tile floor there. She was really tired that night too after having been out with us all day in the yard playing and had a good long walk. Last night we kept her in our bedroom so if she started to chew something I would hear her as I'm a light sleeper. She has the run of three rooms today and I left her with her kong and many other chew toys as well. This is her last shot at freedom though, if she chews today my husband says she'll have to be crated :(. I feel soooo bad, but I can't have her destroying the place! I'll keep you posted and still welcome any other suggestions. I was hoping it would only last until she reached two years old or so but having read the post about the 6 year old goldendoodle still chewing things, I'm not feeling to optimistic.

  • mazer415
    13 years ago

    Good you are working on things. Her behavior sounds like one of 2 things, either she is not stimulated enough or has OCD. Either way, while you are at home, carry some trets with you. teach her sit and stay and leave it while you are doing your errands around the house. Teaching a dog stupid pet tricks is the best way to stimulate your dog, reinforce the bond you will have and it is stimulating and will help tire her out. Teaching your dog the basics, sit stay leave it and down are great tools. Once you have the leve it part down, you can apply it to her chewing. When you are home, listen intently for her to start chewing, tell her leave it, have her come to you, give her a treat and a toy for her to play with. This way you are replacing the negative chewing with teaching her what is okay to chew on. You must be vigilant. If you nip this now, you wont suffer so much later. My friends beagle is constantly chewing on things she is not suppose to, you can tell the dog is bored to death and just needs stimulation - my friend ignored the behavior when her pup was young and now the dog wont even listen to her at all while the dog is chewing - the dog is 8 now!!! Spend the time now, everyone will be happier for it later - good luck and keep posting, I know Im interested to see how things work out.

  • Elly_NJ
    13 years ago

    I'm sorry, but 8 hours is a long time for a puppy to be alone. Even in a crate, that is a long time. Puppies need training, interaction, stimulation, play and exercise. 8 hours alone during the day and then 8 hours at night gives only 8 hours to interact with her during breakfast and dinner.

    You asked if you should "go back to going home for lunch." Yes, you should.

    Good luck, whatever you do.

  • Georgysmom
    13 years ago

    I have a seven month old goldendoodle and would never give her the run of three rooms when I'm not at home. She's still a puppy and I would be afraid of her eating something she shouldn't be suppose to. Not only destroying furniture, but getting something caught in her stomach and needing an operation. When she gets older she will have the freedom of the house but now I'm always chasing her to retrieve something she shouldn't have from her mouth. She's not really destructive but at least ten times a day I'm removing a tissue, a sock, or something else she shouldn't have. Puppies will be puppies and crating seems the safest thing for your dog. Just make sure that when you are at home, the dog gets plenty of exercise. Walking, frisbie, whatever.

  • donaldsg
    13 years ago

    It's simple. No need for human psychiatric diagnoses like separation anxiety and OCD. The poor dog is bored and needs exercise. I would walk her in the am, and come home to walk her in the middle of the day or hire a dog walker to do it. A tired dog is not chewing the baseboards.