[Kari]

O.K. maybe you can help me with this. When I leave and go somewhere, sometimes only gone for 15 minutes, Mr. Peepers will tear up my couch. I don't mean mess it up, I mean all 3 cushions on my couch are turned over because he tore them up, badly (see pic). He did it before Buster came so I don't think it's a jealousy issue. It started to where he would 'just' chew up the seam and then I came home to huge holes ripped in them.

Before Mr. Peepers broke his leg he was completely crate trained. When he broke it, it was hard almost impossible for him to get in it, even after the cast came off his leg was extremely stiff. So I didn't use his crate anymore. Buster is not crate trained at all, he won't even go in small spaces unless it's my blanket . I am positive Mr. Peepers is the one doing it because as soon as I walked in today I just looked at the couch and Mr. darted off to the bedroom. When he is guilty of something it is very obvious. Actually both of them give themselves away when they are naughty.

I just don't know how to get him to stop. We don't hit them, we discipline them by raising our voices and putting them in a sorta time out. I provide stuff for them to chew on and lots of toys, so boredom don't make sense. Do you think it's unfair to have Mr. in his crate and have Buster out? I don't want to favor one over the other and it would sorta seem that way. I would appreciate ANY suggestions anyone might have. It is very frustrating.

 

[absolethe]

He may understand that he's being punished for bad behavior if Buster is out and he's confined.

Is there another room you can confine them in so they don't have access to things they can tear up?

I can't tell if that's cloth or not, you might be able to try some bitter apple spray on it.

 

[Kari]

Yeah, it is just a cheap couch, made with regular cloth I'm assuming.

I sometimes confine them in my bedroom but there is a problem with that too. I keep their pad by my door and if they get excited they don't watch where they step and needless to say it gets messy. I am sorta nervous to move their pad because I don't know if they'll move with it.

The apple spray sounds like a good idea. Does it taste nasty to them? And do you know if I can get that at any pet store?

 

[Kelly]

I would definately crate him! You can try the bitter apple, Mikey seemed to like it, we used to spray it on his splint so he wouldn't chew but he loved it. The vet had a spray that they would apply and he hated it and wouldn't chew. I don't know the name but you could only get this at the vet.
Maybe could it be a seperation anxiety from you or Alex? I would have to keep him in his crate. Like Absolethe said, maybe he would see that as a punishment.

 

[Kari]

I would definately crate him!

Maybe could it be a seperation anxiety from you or Alex? I would have to keep him in his crate. Like Absolethe said, maybe he would see that as a punishment.

I won't have any choice if he doesn't stop. We are getting very irritated over it. I thought of the seperation anxiety too but he did it when I was gone not even 10 minutes before! I have been gone for a few hours at times and he won't do it. I guess he just does it when he feels like it. :roll:

 

[Kelly]

Kari, the only other thing I can think of is maybe getting him a special toy that he only gets when you leave. Like a kong filled w/ something good?????
I would be irritated too! :x

 

[KB]

its definately a sign of sep anxiety in my opinion. They have training for that maybe you can talk to a animal behavorist!

 

[absolethe]

That is an "anxiety" related behavior. But it depends on how you're looking at it--it's related to your separation. Some dogs get upset, some dogs "act out."

I've heard SOME dogs like bitter apple, but in general they don't. It generally tastes pretty awful to them. I'm not positive you can use it on cloth, you'd have to check the label.

Crating them might end up being your only option. But it may be possible to wean him away from this behavior... I just don't have too much experience in it.

 

[Kelly]

If it were me I would just have to crate him. You'd hate to experiment w/ different ways to maybe occupy him at the expense of your belongings. What if you got a gate or x pen and just kept him away from stuff that you don't want damaged if your against totally crateing him.

 

[absolethe]

Well, if my dogs did that I would probably crate them. But you may want to seek a solution to the separation anxiety. I know I don't like leaving my dogs knowing that it upsets them. Kemo's Momma had a good idea to find some training about it. (My new puppy might need that...she freaks when I leave or head toward doors.)

 

[Vala]

Stinky sometimes goes crazy scratching at stuff and what we learned is that when he does this is time for us to cut his nails..he scratches like he was massaging his paws and he usually does it on soft materials..after we cut his nails he doesn't do it anymore until they grow too long..

Another time he did this (when his nails were short) he was scratching like crazy on my pillow...like the dogs in cartoons when they wanna bury something...and he was doing that because he had left his greenie UNDER the pillow :roll: crazy dog was only trying to get it back..

Maybe Mr. lost something too..? Sorry, if I'm not much help but maybe there is a less complicated reason as to why he does this maybe he smells food? or just wants to get under the pillow?..personally I think all dogs are crazy..

 

[Kari]

Those are some great ideas. I like the idea of a toy for him only when I leave and also the training. The thing with the training is our finances are low right now (tattoos are slow in the winter time, as Kelly knows ) and Christmas is coming up.

Seperation anxiety is interesting. I first thought that but then I thought since he has a friend now, he wouldn't be lonely. But chi's do crave human attention. I always say chi's are like kids and I guess they really are. I wonder what the trainers do to help with that though?

 

[absolethe]

Yeah, you said he did it before Buster came. So even though he has the company, he still acts out because he's upset you left. He already had the habit. Buster might distract him so he's not quite as destructive.

You do tattoos? :shock: Where do you live? I need another one.

 

[Kari]

Vala- great idea! It just dawned on me that he goes on that couch even when I'm here and scratches at it, like he's digging to China, and just like when he goes to bed. I think I'll wash the cushions and check in the crevices for a hidden treat since he loves to stash them.

Absolethe, I don't do tattoos but my bf does. Kelly's hubby does them too and she lives in Louisiana, alot closer to you. :wink: I live in California. I always think I need another but I am covered. I want to get my left arm half-sleeved too. I just have to think of what. I have a STUPID tattoo that I hate, I got when I turned 18 (not from my bf), on my upper arm.

 

[Kari]

Guess what??

It's me again. Vala suggested maybe something was in the couch. And that got me thinking. The cushions were all in the middle spot when he tore them up. So I take off all of the cushions and right in the middle spot, way in the back, like inbetween the wood frame was a BIG rawhide bone thingy!!! I don't get those for him (I get him little ones for his little teeth) so the only thing I can think of was when my sister-in-law was here and got one for her dog, Mr. Peepers must have hidden it inbetween the cushions and it got pushed to the back. And that was before Buster was here, like 2-3 months ago or something. I showed it to him and he got sooo excited. He is chewing that thing up like there is no tommorow.

If he was just trying to get that thingy, that is soooo cute! I hope that was all it was. I may be stupid but I think I am going to leave him out to see if that was it. That's funny we were all trying to analyze his behavior and it may have turned out to be a rawhide thingy. :lol:

 

[Vala]

THAT IS SO CUTE!! :wink: well, except all the suffering the couch went thru..

Sometimes you just gotta try every possible explanation and take it easy...boy, if I jumped to the vet or the doggy psychologist every single time I was worried about what Stinky is doing...I totally be bankrupt and living in a fridge box by now! Hopefully that's all it was and Mr.'s destruction days are over..

 

[KB]

Well I will definately keep all this info in the back of my mind :shock:
I am glad you found the solution! :wave:

 

[absolethe]

Haha, that's funny. Come to think of it, if it were an anxiety related behavior--more than the couch would probably fall victim. Puck's done something similar (though without that much damage) when his bones get lost in the couch.

 

[Kelly]

That is too funny! That's probably all he wanted was that chew toy!!!!!!
I hope the destruction stops now.

Kari, the shop where Paul works has slowed down. it probably won't pick back up until mardi Gras and luckily their new location is on Canal St. in the city and it's on a parade route so he should pull in a lot of $$$$$$'s.

 

[Pookies mom]

oh hehe.thats so cute...... :wave: