Expert: Suzanne Harris BSc CPDT - 10/4/2008

Question
Hi Suzanne, I have an 18mth old staffy cross who has started to chew the inner part of his soft fabric bed when left alone for few hours.he doesnt destroy it when we are at home. I got him from rescue kennels 4mths ago and hes only started chewing his bed within the last few days. i walk him for at least 30mins in morning then he is left for 4hrs until i return from work at lunchtime for 1hr when i play games with him to wear him out.then he is left another 4hrs until i finish work when he is walked for an hour.i leave him with radio on and numerous chews and toys. i think he suffers with slight separation anxiety/boredom as he also pees slightly by kitchen door.im also thinking of getting him a new bed but would like suggestions as to which is most suitable? he has a bed in the frontroom which he sleeps on when we are at home - a bean bag which he loves as he can snuggle deep down in it, it moulds around him. im tempted to put this in hallway when hes left home alone but im scared he'll chew it. i didnt think dogs would destroy their own beds as it is their own safety place.please help.

Answer
Dear Rachel,

Sure, a dog will chew his own bed if he's bored with his other chew toys and has more energy than he's exerting.  

Overall you need to find more ways to exercise your dog, despite the fact that you are already doing a better job of this than most dog owners.  Really, your guy is lucky to have such a caring owner.  But he's at the prime of his life and he easily could run -- full out running, I mean -- for 4-5 hours a day, and he's just not getting that energy outlet.  My first bit of advice for you is to find a reputable, cage-free dog daycare where he can run this much all day, and put him in there at least 2 days per week.  The remaining portion of the week you'll need to stuff several Kong toys:  Smear a thin layer of peanut butter or honey on the inside, then cram his daily ration of food into the kongs.  Kong even has "kong dispensers" which will spit out a stuffed kong every hour or so to keep lonely bored and energetic dogs from destroying stuff at home.

Go to my chewing/destruction page at http://www.dogdaysusa.com/mouthtraining.cfm#chewing also described here below.

Many dogs live most of their lives in a crate simply because they "can't be trusted" in the rest of the house - these dogs are wonderful, housetrained pets, yet their owners never taught them what was OK to chew and what was NOT ok to chew! Don't forget to thoroughly chew-train your pup as soon as you bring him home, so that he never learns how satisfying the coffee table, mail, and baseboards are to chew!  

One of the most important tasks you have as a new puppy owner is to spend as much time as possible encouraging your pup to chew and play with appropriate chew toys. It is natural and necessary for puppies to chew -- as long as it's on something appropriate! But if your puppy chews on your coffee table, it's because:

1) puppies/dogs like to chew things
2) you didn't teach him what was appropriate to chew
3) he has nothing else to do
4) you left him access to the coffee table

Don't scold him for chewing your coffee table unless you catch him "in the act". A quick shout is usually enough: Say "Rex, OFF! Find your chew toy!" Then go and get a chew toy for him and praise him when he shows even the slightest interest in it.

If you punish your pup "after the fact", he won't learn not to chew that thing -- all he'll learn is "when the owner comes home, I get punished". This often increases his anxiety during the day, and he may start to chew even more! So how do you teach your dog what's right to chew and what's wrong? Provide many appropriate chew toys. Keep half of them in the cupboard until he's bored with other ones. Then take up the old toys (for use later) and give him the new toys, one at a time with much fanfare.

emember, 10 good chew toys cost a lot less than a new coffee table. Appropriate chew toys are:

Kong or similar hard rubber toy with hollow center. Smear a thin layer of honey or peanut butter inside, then stuff these with kibble, treats, other goodies. We recommend at very minimum 3 Kong toys per puppy. (Don't worry about your pup getting too fat - just take the food your use for chew toys out of his daily ration. As a matter of fact, putting his entire dinner into a kong or two will keep him occupied while you fix your dinner!)

Natural, bleached, or smoked bones with hollowed-out marrow area (stuff with kibble, peanut butter, etc.)

Twisted ropes. Soak in chicken or beef broth, then dry.

Ice cubes (for teething pups) - frozen chicken broth ice cubes too (for outside chewing)

NOTE: Limit rawhide and/or pig's ears to 1-2 per week maximum, and supervise when he's chewing these - take the chew away immediately if he tries to swallow a large piece.

Buster Cube or other similar "puzzle" rolling food toy - your local pet store probably has them, and although they're not really "chew" toys, they're great for keeping him occupied appropriately, stimulating his brain and exercising his body.

Don't give him an old shoe or rag -- they teach him that shoes and clothes are OK to chew. Praise, praise, praise each and every time your pup chews something right. Never take this action for granted. You should also make each toy particularly attractive by stuffing it with kibble, rubbing some kind of meat on it, or waggling it temptingly in front of his nose. As soon as your pup shows any interest in the toy, lavish him with praise.

Even if you're not having a problem with furniture, spray your baseboards, furniture (chair legs, table legs, etc.) with a bitter-tasting aversive like Bitter AppleÒ (available at pet stores) or even hot sauce (if you're furniture is dark wood);  the first time your pup goes to chew any of these items will surely be his last!

Also, make sure your home is truly Puppy Proofed - clear all tables and counters of ALL items your pup might want to chew, for at least 2-3 months and preferably until he's 7-8 months old. If he grows up believing "There's never anything fun to steal or chew up there", he'll stop looking (and vice versa - If he grows up believing "There's always something fun to steal or chew up there", you can bet he'll keep searching the counters and table tops for fun chewables!) What might your pup want to chew? Remote controls, mail, any paperwork, any food or anything that had contact with food, sewing supplies, yarn, cans, candles, books, etc. - basically, anything at all.

Occasionally practice "entrapment": Bring your pup to something you do not want him to chew, and if he sniffs or mouths it, correct him with a quick "OFF!". Follow immediately by giving him a good chew toy and praise when he takes it.

Until he truly understands chewing rules, never leave him alone with access to inappropriate chewables. A kitchen filled with stuffed Kongs, bones and ropes is usually a good place. A Buster Cube or Roll-a-Treat is also a great toy to occupy his mind while you're away or busy.

Important: Keep your hello's and goodbye's very low-key and casual. Never make a fuss when you come home or leave; this will only increase his anxiety while you're gone. Before you leave the house for a while, let him outside to pee, then completely ignore him for the last few minutes before you leave. A low-key, very casual "OK, watch the house, Rover" is enough of a goodbye. When you get home, take him outside and do not greet him until he has peed. After he pees, now you can give him a quick hug hello and start to go casually about your business (reading mail, etc.) This can also help greatly to reduce your pup's chances of developing separation anxiety later in life.

Good luck and thanks for writing!
Suzanne Harris, BSc, CPDT
http://www.dogdaysusa.com