One other probllem I am having with dear little Ruby (my staffie) is her love of chewing! She has so far :

1.Half eaten a setee
2.demolished a rug
3.eaten any shoe she can get her paws on
5.chewed a corner off the coffee table
6.chewed the skirting board
7.chewed wallpaper off the walls
8.killed several of the kids toys
9.Eaten her way through a telephone cable
10. Eaten her way through the TV cable!
11. Several plant pots are now deceased
12.Destroyed a pile of ironing!..lol..my fault for leaving it I know
13.chewed the corner off my cupboard

Now, I know many people may suggest getting a crate here, but my problem is lack of space. Although Ruby is doing her best to create extra space by eating everything! I really dont have room for a crate.

I confine her to two rooms when I am out, which is only once a week that I am out for a few hours, the other times she is occassionally left is only for an hour or two, and thats not that often.

Shes a real people lover and I feel sure this is just in protest at being left alone as she isnt so bad if anyone is here. She does not object to the bitter apple spray and it does not stop her. Can anyone recommend anything else?
I do leave her plenty of toys, and have tried a kong but it doesnt hold her attention long.

Could you put a crate in place of an end-table. I know what it's like to have space at a premium, but honestly - if she's costing you that much in damage (not to mention the damage she could cause herself) you really ought to have a look round and see if there's some way you can sort out space for a crate - in the living room, bedroom, kitchen??

Wendy

Crates can be folded up neatly and stored away when they are not in use. You don't have to leave it up like a permanent fixture. Just look for one that collapses down.
If she's chewing through cables she could end up doing herself some harm as well as creating a potential fire risk.
I'm going to be one of those people that are suggesting to you that you still get a crate :) You'll keep her safe and your home protected. Leave toys inside it that she can chew on to keep her occupied while you are gone. You don't leave her for long but she has chalked up quite an unimpressive history of damage. I wouldn't put up with it.
Lara x

The good old fashioned remedy which works well if you can catch them at it is to say no and smack its thigh at the same time, do not smack anywhere else just the thigh, soon enough they will stop doing it when you say no, but, it is really a matter of catching them in the act, if you cannot do that then I think you might be seeing her as something different than a dog.
My idea of haveing a dog was that it would ad to my own life and live around my life, not that I would have a dogs life and live within its whims, fancies and the ruins it left for me.

What do you do when you are out then Dove?

Get a crate for your pup LadyMojo - I have one for my dane.... no more worrying about what he's been up to if I have to go out during one of his mad half hours! :)

some friends of mine live in the weeniest bungalow....they had little room for a crate for their border puppy but ingenious hubby covered it with a piece of attractive sandersons print material, then fixed a lovely piece of reclaimed pine on top & turned it into a sort of coffee table-cum-cupboard (hard to describe but it looks great!) and terrier lives inside.

I fail to see how she can possibly do this much damage if she isnt left alone for long ?
Most dogs chew because they are bored . Does Ruby have lots of chewing toys - kongs are great as they can try to extract the food and so keep her occupied.

A crate will really help, introduce it slowly so she sees it as a den, also tackle the chewing thing from the angle of protecting furniture with Bitter Apple spray, Vicks or oil of cloves rubbed on regularly. Lots of praise when dog chews her chew toys, if you like a sharp "ah ah" when she chooses to have a go at the wrong thing, then give her the acceptable chew toy :)

Become adept at stuffing Kongs and keep an eye on her as much as possible! Tall order sometimes but give it your best shot ;)

Oh - and get a copy of "The perfect puppy" by Gwen Bailey, it's very good indeed and lead owners up to adolescense, that will be next <g>

Lindsay

Don't be so sure lel.
A young adolescent GSD I had briefly ate through the wooden door of a police kennel which are quite solid - broke out and ate through the (then) wooden fence of my dog run and was running about in my garden inside an hour
Lara x

Hi Lel

I can assure you I am not a lier. I really DONT leave her much, I work nights so my hubby is here when I am out at work. I am out from 8.45 until 3.30 on a Tuesday but other than that it is only occassionally if I have to go to the shop or something. Alot of dogs are left for much longer by people who are out at work each day,

I do make sure that I leave her lots of things to chew, I have tried Kongs stuffed with all sorts of things, but as soon as she cant get into it with her tongue she loses interest in it. I also get sterilised bones and stuff them. I even leave old carboard boxes for her to chew up!

I reckon maybe I will have to get one of those collapsing crates, but I just dont like the idea of locking her up in a little crate :( But Id hate her to hurt herself chewing something she shouldnt...not to mention the expense!

Thanks to everyone for their advice :)

Helen

You would never believe just how much damage a dog can do in such a short time! As a puppy, Anna ate my kitchen floor whilst I was in shopping ASDA!

I believe smacking should be an aversion correction and if the puppy sees you do it then all you are teaching the dog is that hands hurt therefore, don't let hands near again! Not the lesson you are trying to teach!

Depending on the weight I have crept around behind seats and tipped them up whilst the puppy is asleap on them. There is carpet on the floor so the puppy is not going to get hurt but it does start to get the idea that chairs are not a good place to be because they are not safe! Things piled onto the chair or sofa will work, make it uncomfortable and the floor will seem a better place to be.

Crates do work but it is essential that a dog feels relaxed in there. She needs to feel that it is her very own den. Never EVER use it as punishment. Put her bed in there and leave the door open during the day whilst you are around so that she can come and go as she pleases. Maybe even feed her in there. Anything to build up happy assocations with it. Only close the door for few minutes at a time when she is happy with it and in a very short time she will be quite happy to be there.

Best wishes, John

Ladymojo, the reason your post was censored is because someone went agains APDT, the regualrs here are all connected in some way to APDT and APDT would loose clients if people found out other training methods were better, this is because an obedience programm such as theirs never ends giving them endless income from any client, it should last no more than 8 weeks. If anyone posts here against the financial interest of connected regulars on this site they argue and the post gets deleted or locked and lost, advice other than treat/reward training is basicaly not freely allowed.

:rolleyes:

What a load of nonsense, I have no connections with APDT at all I just use years of experience and common sense!!!

But I still do not agree with the use of electric collars!!

The trolls are around again! I think the boot is on the other foot Greg3 or Dove1 or whatever you want to call yourself today

Greg, you're talking a load of tosh! I have no connection with APDT whatsoever. Admin is quite right to disallow posts from those who recommend 'training' methods and equipment which are acknowledged to be inhumane.

Oh come on lady of course they censor here if you give advice against APDT methods, it’s always the same, someone offers advice which means APDT methods are challenged, then between one to twelve or so of the regulars deliberately get nastie, usualy Lindsay, John and Digger to start with, they start making irrelevant comments and arguments and the posts just get locked or disappear, I did not read the post as saying ALL people here were APDT connected just most of them and that’s why the Staffi owners first post was done away with because other advice was offered and lost.I might add, I am not an expert trainer of any kind and if I need to use a training method I will use the best for my dog, which means an open mind but as far as APDT methods being the only methods allowed airing in any quantity that is perfectly true.
Its all about money for them, not dogs.

I am nothing to do with APDT Spot3! but I don't need to use electric collars either.

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