Does your sheepdog eat furniture?
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| It sounds like your guy is just plain bored! Freedom and boredom are not a happy pair for a young dog. I crate my OES when I'm not home for his safety and the safety of my furniture! He's 10 months old and used to hate the crate but now he knows it's the routine while we go to work and he doesn't mind at all. He knows it's the only time he has to go in there and I think that's comforting to him too. I feel better knowing that he's safe while I'm gone and I don't have to come home to surprises. |
Do you have a "safe room"? Maybe you could give that a try first? Gucci George is left in the basement only when we are away. The furniture down here is not our "good stuff" and there is nothing he is able to get off anything! As a matter of fact, it kind of looks like giants live in the basement!  We've put up shelves that are really high up and stuff like that! There normally is a lot on top of the big TV as well that he can't reach!
Guc hated his crate and I'm a big suck, so we tried this and so far so good! He does have a tendancy to steal the pin out of the Universal Weight stack which just seems to boost my ego when I first go to do some and think I've gained all this incredible strength, then realize I'm not using any weights! 
Good luck! Colleen and Gucci George=>I live to make Mommy feel silly! |
| We crate Bailey during the day when we're at work (he gets a little break at lunch when our dogsitter comes it to play with him). He doesn't chew on furniture - have you tried the Bitter Apple spray? Works wonders for us. He's a chewing maniac so we make sure he has lots of Booda bones and rawhides, although we can't leave those in the crate with him because he will eat them when they get to a manageable size/consistency. He also loves to chew on tennis balls and now he's getting into rope toys. |
| Furniture, clothing, electronics, plant life, people; Frodo is an equal opportunity nipper.
I use of "Bitter Apple". I spray it everywhere and it works for the most part. |
| I think the behavior sounds like more than just chewing being the problem. If he didn't do this before, there's a reason for why he's starting now. |
| I would agree if this is a recent developement there is something else going on in his life. Possibly stress, changes around the home, changes in schedule, boredom, not enough exercise, could be a toothache, something stuck in his teeth that he may be trying to work out. He may have an upset tummy, or just about anything else going on.
I crate my girls when I'm not home, they don't mind it at all, they love the security, privacy and peace and quiet of their own little room (their crates) Welcome to the forum!  Good luck and please let us know how it goes! |
| HI,
I was just reading something last night in regards to discipline and why it doesn't work with dogs, if it's after the fact. Your furball probably had no idea as what made you upset. The book stated all the research that has gone into this and all came to the conclusion that unless you catch them in the act..being upset or punishing them after has no effect. They know you're upset but have no reason why. When people do this they are thinking in human terms and emotions..you have to think in dog terms to find a way to prevent him from doing this. I've never used a crate and let my three roam freely but I use babygates to keep them out of rooms that I feel has too much potential for them to get into trouble. A tired dog is a good dog. I'm almost betting he is doing this because he's bored. A walk before you leave or lots of toys to keep him occupied. Kongs would really good, do you have one? They're the rubber ball looking things with a hole which you can fill with all sorts of stuff for them to spend time licking and chewing to get out. Telling them No is not enough, you then have to show them what is acceptable. They always need an alternative to show what you expect of them. Lots of people on here highly recommend getting the book the Dog Whisperer and there's another by Stanley Cohen which is the one I'm reading at the moment. Good suggestions on how you can modify your dogs behavior. Good luck and let us know how it's working out. Marianne and the boys |
| When my parent's sheepie discovered the new world of chewing, he went as far as chewing a huge hole in the wall in one of the bedrooms as well as chewing up bedding in one of the bedrooms. After awhile he quit chewing on odd stuff (except for drier sheets!). I wonder if there is a developmental stage where sheepies kind of discover the art of chewing, go for it like nuts for about a month or so and then get bored of it and move on to obsessing over what they discover is a new thing they can do. |
| Dryer Sheets, I thought only Bunkie liked the taste of those. She also likes SOS Pads. Their right next to the cookie jar under the sink.
Bunker chewed the brand new bedroom furniture when I first got her. She also loves to rip carpets. (I had berber in the last house and she found a raised loop and pulled) I can just see her pulling it and wiggling her butt thinking, Mom and Dad are going to be so proud. I have to buy new area rugs every few months. She's been good lately. I think its just boredom. [/quote] |
Dryer sheets are a delicacy in Bailey's book! Mmmmmm....  |
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