Help! My puppy is destroying my kitchen...
Discussion
Ladies and gents, in case you haven't seen him in the show us your dog thread, this is Yoda.
Looking a little sheepish, wouldn't you agree? Here's why:
He chews up something in the kitchen maybe once or twice a week. He is 8 months old, and only does it when we are out at work. A typical day would be:
- 40 minute walk first thing, rest then feed
- Kitchen sprayed with horrible tasting stuff, toys prepared to keep him entertained
- Leave around 8:15, back home at 12:45 for 10 minute walk and lunch. Prepare more toys for the afternoon
- Leave at 1:30, back by 6 then a good hour work with training and food and play time
In terms of toys, we have kongs stuffed with a little peanut butter, various toys stuffed with treats, boredom balls with food, occasionally a pressed rawhide bone (this keeps him busy for a while). We also try and rotate his normal toys.
This is our first dog, and otherwise he is pretty good! We have done puppy foundation class and just passed bronze class, now moving onto silver. It's just the kitchen chewing!
Is this a phase, that he will grow out of? Or are we doing something badly wrong?
Looking a little sheepish, wouldn't you agree? Here's why:
He chews up something in the kitchen maybe once or twice a week. He is 8 months old, and only does it when we are out at work. A typical day would be:
- 40 minute walk first thing, rest then feed
- Kitchen sprayed with horrible tasting stuff, toys prepared to keep him entertained
- Leave around 8:15, back home at 12:45 for 10 minute walk and lunch. Prepare more toys for the afternoon
- Leave at 1:30, back by 6 then a good hour work with training and food and play time
In terms of toys, we have kongs stuffed with a little peanut butter, various toys stuffed with treats, boredom balls with food, occasionally a pressed rawhide bone (this keeps him busy for a while). We also try and rotate his normal toys.
This is our first dog, and otherwise he is pretty good! We have done puppy foundation class and just passed bronze class, now moving onto silver. It's just the kitchen chewing!
Is this a phase, that he will grow out of? Or are we doing something badly wrong?
JFReturns said:
Or are we doing something badly wrong?
Yes, you selfishly bought a dog when its completely incompatible with your lifestyle. The poor guy is bored to tears in there on his own... no wonder he's wrecking the place.If you needed to have a dog you should have took an older one from a rescue centre.
icetea said:
JFReturns said:
Or are we doing something badly wrong?
Yes, you selfishly bought a dog when its completely incompatible with your lifestyle. The poor guy is bored to tears in there on his own... no wonder he's wrecking the place.If you needed to have a dog you should have took an older one from a rescue centre.
t up and troll other members?icetea said:
Yes, you selfishly bought a dog when its completely incompatible with your lifestyle. The poor guy is bored to tears in there on his own... no wonder he's wrecking the place.
If you needed to have a dog you should have took an older one from a rescue centre.
Do you really mean that, or are you looking for a reaction?If you needed to have a dog you should have took an older one from a rescue centre.
We really did our research and thought we would be ideal owners - plenty of love, walks, attention and training
Silent1 said:
icetea said:
JFReturns said:
Or are we doing something badly wrong?
Yes, you selfishly bought a dog when its completely incompatible with your lifestyle. The poor guy is bored to tears in there on his own... no wonder he's wrecking the place.If you needed to have a dog you should have took an older one from a rescue centre.
t up and troll other members?It's much blunter than I would have put it but, I have to agree, keeping a very young dog shut in a kitchen for 10 hours a day with 45 minutes of stimulation in the middle presumably 5 days out of 7 is not my idea of ideal ownership and I'm not at all surprised that the dog is trashing the place.
OP have you thought about a puppy walker or someone who could give the dog some care and attention during the day?
If you are getting home at lunchtime, if someone could come in as well you'd be cutting down the time that he's alone.
Sorry.
OP have you thought about a puppy walker or someone who could give the dog some care and attention during the day?
If you are getting home at lunchtime, if someone could come in as well you'd be cutting down the time that he's alone.
Sorry.
JFReturns said:
Do you really mean that, or are you looking for a reaction?
We really did our research and thought we would be ideal owners - plenty of love, walks, attention and training
I meant it. I've no idea how you could possibly have researched it and came to the conclusion leaving a dog stuck at home on its own for all that time would make you an idea owner! We really did our research and thought we would be ideal owners - plenty of love, walks, attention and training
Its too late now but an older dog from a rescue place would have been a significantly better option for someone who has to leave a dog home all day like that.
I suppose now you just need to make the best of a bad situation... for me I'd make sandwiches for lunch and eat them while I walked the dog a lot further - 10 minutes walk in the middle of the day isn't enough. I'd also get up 20 minutes earlier and walk him for an hour in the morning. The more you can tire him out, the better.
How do you leave him when you go to work? Do you acknowledge him and pat him ,etc?
You need to try and get into the habit of leaving the house without any acknowledgement to the dog at all. This shows that you leaving the house is a natural thing to occur so that it doesn't appear unusual. A lot of affection before leaving gives the dog the feeling that somethings wrong and can cause this behaviour.
Also try feeding him just before leaving the house so he's preoccupied.
Ignoring him may seem a bit mean but it should help.
Also when returning home make sure you are stern with him if he is bad and a big fuss when good. Sounds obvious but makes all the difference!
You need to try and get into the habit of leaving the house without any acknowledgement to the dog at all. This shows that you leaving the house is a natural thing to occur so that it doesn't appear unusual. A lot of affection before leaving gives the dog the feeling that somethings wrong and can cause this behaviour.
Also try feeding him just before leaving the house so he's preoccupied.
Ignoring him may seem a bit mean but it should help.
Also when returning home make sure you are stern with him if he is bad and a big fuss when good. Sounds obvious but makes all the difference!
carlpea said:
Also try feeding him just before leaving the house so he's preoccupied.
That can lead to a different set of problems... if he needs to st he's going to get upset as he knows he's not allowed to do it indoors but can't let himself out. I wouldn't be very happy feeding a young dog knowing he's going to be stuck home for 4 hours after that - I'd rather feed him before taking him on the morning walk.Thanks for the constructive advice. I really thought we were in an ideal situation for a puppy, maybe I was wrong but I could never be without him now, I honestly love the silly mutt!
To answer a question above; yes, between us my fiancee and I had three weeks off when we first got him, and left him for progressively longer periods each day. I forgot to add that we have family coming over twice a week for a walk and play for a couple of hours at lunch so it is three times a week he only gets a short walk at lunch. We leave the radio on (SWMBO insists Radio 4, maybe that's the problem!). He was fine for the first few months, it all started when he hit six months old!
I've talked about our situation with our vet and trainer, and they see our situation as typical in terms of time left alone. I know loads of owners who leave their dog all day, I would never do that.
The dog walker is a good idea, I'll look into it.
To answer a question above; yes, between us my fiancee and I had three weeks off when we first got him, and left him for progressively longer periods each day. I forgot to add that we have family coming over twice a week for a walk and play for a couple of hours at lunch so it is three times a week he only gets a short walk at lunch. We leave the radio on (SWMBO insists Radio 4, maybe that's the problem!). He was fine for the first few months, it all started when he hit six months old!
I've talked about our situation with our vet and trainer, and they see our situation as typical in terms of time left alone. I know loads of owners who leave their dog all day, I would never do that.
The dog walker is a good idea, I'll look into it.
icetea said:
Yes, you selfishly bought a dog when its completely incompatible with your lifestyle. The poor guy is bored to tears in there on his own... no wonder he's wrecking the place.
If you needed to have a dog you should have took an older one from a rescue centre.
Bluntly put, but try sitting on your own in the kitchen for 4 hours straight, no opening cupboards, reading a book or playing with your phone etc. I'm pretty sure you'd get bored as well.If you needed to have a dog you should have took an older one from a rescue centre.
I'm sorry to say that I disagree with your trainer saying that the length of time for a young energetic dog is ok, just becasue lots of people do it, does not make it ok. I understand how most of us have to work away from home but that doesn't make it ok to take on a dog and shut it in a room for hours on end.
Almost 10 hours a day looking a four walls, no wonder he chews them.
Maybe if he was 8years old the set up would be ok, but bless him he is going to potentially end up with issues. Though I am aware that sometimes younger dogs actually do better in craates than in rooms.
You need to look at your lifestyle for him again.
I think it may be worth looking at the middle part of your day, there are day boarders for dogs that may be worth looking into, they can have your dog (doggy day care) along with other compatible dogs.
He should grow out of it but you must be able to see why he is doing it. Hope you can get him over it soon.
Almost 10 hours a day looking a four walls, no wonder he chews them.
Maybe if he was 8years old the set up would be ok, but bless him he is going to potentially end up with issues. Though I am aware that sometimes younger dogs actually do better in craates than in rooms.
You need to look at your lifestyle for him again.
I think it may be worth looking at the middle part of your day, there are day boarders for dogs that may be worth looking into, they can have your dog (doggy day care) along with other compatible dogs.
He should grow out of it but you must be able to see why he is doing it. Hope you can get him over it soon.
carlpea said:
How do you leave him when you go to work? Do you acknowledge him and pat him ,etc?
You need to try and get into the habit of leaving the house without any acknowledgement to the dog at all. This shows that you leaving the house is a natural thing to occur so that it doesn't appear unusual. A lot of affection before leaving gives the dog the feeling that somethings wrong and can cause this behaviour.
Also try feeding him just before leaving the house so he's preoccupied.
Ignoring him may seem a bit mean but it should help.
Also when returning home make sure you are stern with him if he is bad and a big fuss when good. Sounds obvious but makes all the difference!
I always say 'see you later' to Jimmy dog when I leave the house, it's his signal that he can go and jump on our bed for the time he is out! There is nothing wrong with a pat on te head but I agree the departing should be played downYou need to try and get into the habit of leaving the house without any acknowledgement to the dog at all. This shows that you leaving the house is a natural thing to occur so that it doesn't appear unusual. A lot of affection before leaving gives the dog the feeling that somethings wrong and can cause this behaviour.
Also try feeding him just before leaving the house so he's preoccupied.
Ignoring him may seem a bit mean but it should help.
Also when returning home make sure you are stern with him if he is bad and a big fuss when good. Sounds obvious but makes all the difference!
He has never been shut in a room/ crate.
On return there really is no point being stern if he has been bad, this just reinforces the dogs fear reaction. But a played down greeting should be applied so that the dog doesn't feel that is has been a big deal that you left in the first place. Again using Jimmy as an example (as he has never chewed walls/ furniture ect) when I return once he shows his face I just say hi Jimmy and another pat on the head then let him out in the garden.
Separation anxieties are common in puppies when then have been removed from the pack. Try to understand they need to know they are safe, t shirts with your scent on them, a radio playing and toys that are stuffed with treats to test their minds help. It could stop tomorrow or 5 years down the road, or even stop and restart. Me mutt ate through a door, the plasterboard walls and a 240 volt cable before he chilled, he now sleeps in the bedroom all day, the pack room, and also at night. They need to know the have a place in the pack and how low/high they sit in it.
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