My boxer pup is 8 months old and is having a jolly time destroying his beds in his crate He is not bored, has plenty of mental and age appropriate stimulation, not left for long periods and has a variety of chew things in there with him.

I genuinely think he does it because he enjoys it which is fair enough but what can I give him to lay on? He’s got through a piece of vet bed too as I thought that would work but nope. He doesn’t eat the shreddings just has fun making them. The next step is a duvet as I know lots of dogs that will not touch them. I know the filling is bad but he never eats any of it so I’m prepared to let him have one as a trial.

If he shreds the duvet am I a meanie leaving him with just a couple of towels to lay on or will he be okay and it’s a case of try a bed again when he’s a bit older? He looks so happy when he’s doing it but even though I’ve been buying cheap beds they work out as expensive toys! He doesn’t try to kill any of his toys, just his bed.

He doesn’t do it when we are there so we can’t stop him; I think he was told off once and now I feel he does it in secret I’ve recorded him and there are no separation anxiety signs just a dog having fun at my expense. He does chew his other toys and freely goes in and out his crate but is shut in when we are out and at night.

So my plan was duvet, if that fails then towels or even nothing but your wisdom is appreciated.

> So my plan was duvet

He will love that the fluff will make it look like a snow storm.... I have 3 sisters & at least 2 of them will chew bedding & they are 5! They have a duvet at night but its taken away as soon as possible in the morning or they will chew/defluff.

This was another option. Comfy at night and well tough during the day. He honestly loves it. I was thingkinf about putting something with him he could safely rip but I’ve no idea what as I don’t want him getting hurt.

Why don't you  hit your local Charity shops - quite often they have old blankets or quilts (again ? extra mess) which may still get ripped up, but at least that's cheap!!   Mine always make their bedding into a huge ball overnight, as said.  But thank goodness, that all - no chewing up.  There always a worry re chewing and swallowing and choking.    I think it's a bit rough to have them sleeping on just towels, especially with this brrrr weather!

I know I feel sorry for him. I might leave it in at night. He does have his crate next to a radiator though. And I sort of don’t want to stop his fun either

Please be careful of u use a duvet as the micro fibre ones can be dangerous .it's very easy for the dig to swallow fibres which don't digest but tangle in the gut.i know someone  who lost their dog this way .personally I would never use a duvet for a chewer.mine don't sleep in crates but sleep on the carpet no bedding or beds as they don't stay in them anyway at night

Rubberbacked Dirt trapper type doormat.

You can get the doormats at shows (think they are shop mats).  handy in the house and car and can be cut to size as usually pretty cheap between £5 and £15 depending on size and if plain or with writing on.

That’s another idea thanks. He’s too dim to realise that bed chomping equals nowhere comfy to sleep. He’s got a beanbag in the living room but I’m not leaving him alone with that......!

My four year old shreds all bedding that is put in his crate in the car. Duvets or any bedding with stuffing create a snowstorm as he pushes all the bits through the bars. The piece of vet bed that he came with from his breeders was the first to be shredded. At first he just insisted on peeing on it, the only place indoors that he did. I just use old sheeting and towels now and throw away when they get too bad. He sleeps on the carpet in the house. Hadn't thought of the dirt trapper mats for the car, I have a couple that I use as doormats.

beanbags... only did that once with our last dog,, a dedicated shredder. aside from the sea of beans all over kitchen she ate loads & was pooping white beans for days to horror of other dog walkers who all thought worm eggs! same dog also destroy door mats & vinyl kitchen floor (& ate them)  I spent a lot of time on phone with vet with that dog.  also ate friends purse (& credit cards ) and an multi pack of soaps...

my current girl  with one notable exception is not a shredder.  the one thing she did bite though was really  bad.  I had a large bale of hay  delivered for rabbits= left it in kitchen unattended for no more then couple of minutes- came back to whole room 3 foot deep in hay with  jubilent weimaraner leaping up & down in it.. she had clean bitten through all its strings.  took hours to clean up