hello all
i hope some one can advise me i have a eight month old standard poodle who's behavior is excelent right up till we go to bed he chew's and chew's i had a lovely dinning table with huge carved legs he's eaten all three leg's the skirting board gone numerous kid's toy's gone and last night he had a very exspensive digital camera i cant understand why he is chewing ive tryed everything to lot's of chewy to'ys saving favorite toy for bedtime but now ive come to the conclusion of muzzleing him at bedtime i realy dont like the muzzle and nor doe's he do i put it on him every night or just as a punishment for when he has chewed how do i use a muzzle to train him not to chew as i say he only does this when we go to bed and he does not chew everynight
any advise on this will be a great help
louise

I wouldn't feel comfortable leaving a muzzle on a dog for that length of time. Dogs chew for a variety of reasons, teething, boredom and stress are the main reasons. I would suggest that the best thing to do would be to either find a room such as a utility room or the kitchen to put him in at night, where it would be difficult for the dog to find anything to chew of any value, or even better buy a large crate for night time. Most dogs don't mind being crated at night, many even come to view it as their den where they feel safe, and when the door is closed and locked the dog has no option but to chew their own toys. He might whine for a bit while he gets used to it, just like any puppy learning to be left for the first time. When you introduce the crate, put his bed, a few toys and a water bowl in there. Try putting him in the crate during the day for short periods of times, feeding him in it and giving him treats so that he associates the crate with good things. It would be very difficult to train him not to chew things when you are not around but another option is to buy some bitter apple spray or chew deterrent spray available from pet shops to spray on the furniture that cannot be removed and put everything else out of reach. (I know it is not easy.) Good luck.

to all
thank's so much for the tip's did try the muzzle for one night but we had a realy lousy night's sleep fretting over the dog he was fine with the muzzle but we realy did'nt like it so we have bought a huge cage put his bed init and toy's water etc he's whined a bit through the day so tonight is his first night
thank's again hope this works
could of warned me though as these dog cages are very exspensive
cheer's louise

Expensive really ? just bought a 36" long one for £50

this one is 41inch long and 36 inch wide ive luckly got it on loan from a friend she paid £250 for it she want's to sell it and she want's me to make an offer how much do you think i should offer it's in very good nick
cheers louise

I personally wouldn't pay £250 for what is basically a second hand crate good grief you can get brand new ones for a heck of a lot less, methinks your friend had seen you coming. There is a good cage site on Ebay and the crates there are very well priced and look to be very good strong crates. There are also some really good crates in Dog World this week don't know if you get either of the dog papers, if you want you can email me privately and i will give you the phone number of one of the companies

hi

that eveey expensive for a create........ i got a 42inch create off ebay for £51.00 and thats including the p&p...........its quite strong ........ ive never seen any create advertised for £250.00

If you want a crate for cheap, go onto ebay, there are always loads on there. Just search for dog crate...or words to that effect...are you sure your friend paid £250 for hers?? Seems like an awfully large waste of money for something you could get for much less.

ace and anne
thankyoooooooooooo went on e.bay to have a look and i think's my friend has a sense of humour.....
i think's i will be getting one of there cheer's for the suggestion's
thank's again
louise x

dont mind me then ;)

steph
thankyoooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo very much (sorry for the delay)
had our first night in the crate and what can i say but we were all very happy this morning (a miracle in itself we are not morning people)his bottom was wiggling ten to the dozen with excitment at what a good boy he was so took him into town to his favorite toy shop bought him two kong's and a squeeky duck (could'nt resist)going to save the kong's for bedtime so hopefully that will keep him ocupied when we are sleeping
BUT now got another problem a jelous daughter 'why does the dog get his own room'she love's the cage so there are argument but fun ones in the crate beetween dog and daughter ho hum
cheer's again to all
louisexx

hiya louise... just pulling your leg :)
Glad everything has sorted itself out! Good luck and I wish you many sleep filled nights! :D
steph
x

Your welcome glad to have been of help.

I wouldn't advise a muzzle either. Is there anywhere you can leave him where he has less access to valuable damagable objects? At 8 months he's probably teething, and coupled with being on his own for long periods he's relieving either pain or boredom by chewing........... Many dogs enjoy a toy called a Kong which comes in various shapes and can be stuffed with dog food - this makes the dog work for his daily ration and helps relieve the boredom.

Sorry but no way should you a muzzle use a crate it's that simple.

I really wouldnt advise it to be honest. Even a baskerville muzzle would be unadvisable when unattended. At night, the dog would want/need to do simple things like yawn, clean/lick itself etc. A muzzle would prevent this, thus causing a great deal of stress.
Is there another room you could use?

Hi all,
On reading this section and noticing it written some time ago, and noticng most of you say cage not muzzle this is all well and good but when i put my year old viszla x doberman in his cage he procedes to eat his bedding even with toys and chews etc in there for him.

any advice on this would be greatful.

Remove his bedding :D

HI, I also have a question about muzzles and crates.. I have a 18mth old Male Cane Corso.. He is fully house broken when I am home.. But when I leave, I put him in his kennel he Cry's and Cry's..  ( I am in a apartment..) so i put him in the storage room.. I stuffed his kong with food and snacks.. This did not work.. ( My x boy friend broke in and stole the dog kennel.. Funiture and some other things..). He could not take the dog.. (thank God).. But It took me a month to save the money to buy another kennel.. I borrow a friend's kennel and he tore his face up getting out.. So let him stay out for about 2 weeks.. The first week was great.. the second week.. Well I stayed gone a little more then the usual time.. ( stopped to pick up some stuff.. ) and I came home to the xmas tree on the floor.. Bulbs eatten.. and 3 holes in the wall.. I tried bitter apple stay away dog stuff.. While he does to touch the other items any more.. He chews drywall.. HHHHHHHelp.. I love him to death.. I have learned how to drywall.. I paint really well.. I run him.. I walk him.. He hates his cage.. He loves me any my son to death.. Hates for us to go for long periods of time.( Then normal 8 hour work day..) I even come home at lunch to walk him.. He cry's about 15 min after I leave.. ( I am told..) I rescused him from a farm when he was 8mths.. He was sick and near death.. He has really bonded with me and my son.. Truth is we need him as much as he needs us.. Please help.. He is cool outside the kennel.. Just chews drywall.. I have moved the kennel outside of the storage room, I leave Jazz on when I go.. I stuff the kong.. I give the newest toys when I leave.. Next thought.. Leave him out.. Put a plastic cage muzzel on so he can run free but not chew.. HHHHHHHHHHelp I know this is not the best way.. But this is my thought.. A happy median if you will.. Dog is loose, no crying .. I keep my deposit.. ;) What do ya think?
Loved1corso

It is not really reasonable to expect most dogs to be happy alone for 8 hours; some can adjust others cannot, especially at this age.  This is one issue.

The muzzle is another; suppose your dog vomits when it has a muzzle on, even a basket muzzle would not save him from choking.  Muzzles should only be used whilst supervised.

Understood.. But the question is.. He was in a kennel for more than that.. At the place he was at before.. I got him at 8 mths.. I placed him in the kennel till i moved he was only let out 3 times a day there but was confined the rest of the day.... He is not in the kennel or alone for a full eight hours.. I come home and walk him and let him out every day at about 1:30.. So I leave at 10 and I am back at about 1:30..  I leave again at about 2:30. Then I am home at about 7:30.. Eight at the latest.. Sorry the question is: What can be done to help fix this issue? If the muzzel is still to be seen as a hazard.? The only real issue with him out is the dry wall.. I belive that alot of this comes from him not wanting me to go.. I do belive that he can adapt..

Train him so he accepts his crate as a good place to be, not somewhere he is 'Put'........