Please help. My 7 month old bitch has just started to chew our sofa and I'm gutted, she's never done anything like this before and now I worry about leaving her alone. She's definitely at the start of adolescence because things like her near perfect recall and general obedience have declined. She also doesn't settle as easily as she used to. This seems to mainly happen in the mornings now when she's wakes up at around 7am and I hear the camera we have go off because she has started moving and having another nibble on the sofa, I quickly get up as soon as I see her doing this and go and stop her but I feel completely on edge all the time now and can't sleep in worry I won't get to her in time to stop her. She was crate trained but this was removed about a month ago and until 3 days ago when this started she had been perfect and would just sleep the night or when we went out then cry when she was ready to get up. We tried the crate yesterday again but she became so stressed in it she ended up making herself sick and destroyed her basket. I've used an anti chew spray and we have covered the arm of the sofa she has been going for but are there and other suggestions out there on how to stop this happening. Shes doesn't settle as easily now either so when she wakes up she is really awake, she has plenty of different toys too. Thank you in advance to any suggestions
This is probably not what you want to hear, but I would get up earlier! I consider 7am to be a very reasonable waking time for a puppy/young dog and she's almost certainly just had enough sleep and is ready for some entertainment /company. Eventually you will be able to stay in bed for longer but young dogs (like young children) just seem to be early risers. As well as getting up before you hear her move, take other physical steps to protect your sofa. If your dog no longer likes her crate then try a large pen, or barricade the sofa with something like a large fire-guard. Alternatively have your dog sleep in your bedroom as then she will either wake you and you can get up or she may sleep on a bit longer. At other times of the day, make sure she has had sufficient exercise and attention before you leave her and consider a dog walker if she has to be left for a longer period.
