Good afternoon everyone, I have a one year old lab/pit mix and we've had problems with bed chewing. To give some background: when I got Kobe (2 months), I had a big towel in his crate to keep him comfortable. This was good for a while until I realized that he would occasionally have an accident or two on the towel. I got a tip to remove the towel because it may seem similar to grass. The accidents in the crate stopped. However, I knew at one point I would want him to have a bed. At six months, I bought him one of the "max durable" doggy beds during a holiday vacation. The bed lasted four days until he ripped the middle out while I was gone for a few hours. About two months later, I tried a much slimmer doggy pad. It was my hope that this bed would be slim enough for him to ignore. I was wrong, this bed didn't make it past the weekend. I introduced him to both of these beds while I would be home for weekend or holiday so I could get him adjusted btw. I really wanted him to have a bed because I started to notice that the fur around his elbows, back paws and though is thinning or gone. I also tried an old bed sheet but of course that didn't last a night. Can anyone give me some tips? He seems ok just laying on the bare crate, but like I said his fur is thinning in some places and I really do want him to be comfortable as he can be. Someone told me that he could be displaying rebellious behavior for being in his crate, could that be true? Any help anyone can give me is greatly appreciated.
Have you tried Vet Bed? Dogs don't think like us, so it wouldn't be rebellious behaviour, more distress at being parted from you. How long does he be in the crate? Have you tried crate games?
I second the use of vetbed. I have it in my living room and hallway as that's the places she likes to lay down.
My puppy Red who is nearly one chews her bedding. Not excessively or consistently but enough to have made me post on here recently. I couldn’t bear the thought of her not having any bedding but we were getting through a few things - towels and blankets. I bought some vet bed and cut it to the size of her crate tray. I have also put some in her day bed. The crate vet bed has had a few corners nibbled but you wouldn’t notice. I can also use the cordless stick vacuum every day to keep it free from hair. It’s great. She loves her crate and her day bed so I reckon she’s happy with the vet bedding .
I haven't tried the vet bed. Normally, he created while I'm at work, so about nine hours. However, I was only gone for about a few hours when he finally decided to destroy his doggy beds.
This is promising. My dog absolutely destroys things in a short period of time. Now I wish I had a picture of him laying in the contents of his chewed up bed lol.
This is a very very long time to be crated. I do 3 hours maximum when necessary except for night time of course.
I agree, nine hours is far too long. He’s chewing out of boredom, frustration or loneliness or a combination of all three.
Whoa, nine hours is way too long! Tale of Murphy: He is never in a crate, doesn't have one. Every couple of hours he needs some attention, ball playing, just paying attention to him, whatever. If he does not get that, then he will go find something, a plant leaf, a sock, underwear from the hamper, handkerchief and he will parade around to get some attention. Since your dog cannot do that, he chews up the bedding, he has nothing else to do to occupy his mind. Dogs need attention. They are not dumb creatures that are content to just lay around for entire days at a time. Edit: Murphy is not crated at night, but interestingly, he hangs out in the bedroom until 3 or 4 am, then trundles off to his bed in the main part of the house. Doesn't bother anyone until we get up and even then he is no big hurry.
With mine (4.5 month old), I bought the Amazon Basics 'indestructible' Bed / Cot... He broke a tooth in half grinding the metal frame... The sheer determination of some of our little ones is mind bending! Nine hours, Yikes! Even for a full adult that's a harsh sentence. What did he do, Triple Homicide? (Joking of course!) Boredom, and destructive behavior go hand in hand. VetBed, very well recommended. Easy to size, and clean / dispose of if needed. What about some toys in there? An empty crate ain't much fun for a puppy. I have at least his Snuggle Puppy heartbeat toy always in the crate. It does get better!
Hi I have a chocolate labrador who is 8month she loves to cuddle up in her bed she is now on her 4th bed by the way because she is the world's best chewed. She pulls it out from where she sleeps brings it into the lounge chewing on route blanket as well. She doesn't chew at night when she's put to bed. Anyone with any ideas please.
A long time for a social animal to be alone in a cage . He must be bored stiff. You might want to consider finding a way to shorten that period. Otherwise you risk other behavioural problems.
I think I’d be inclined to carry her bed through to the lounge myself so she can’t chew and then give her a frozen kong when she’s in the lounge to help divert the chewing and break the habit. My puppy has been a chewer of bedding but only in her crate at night so a different scenario. She only occasionally does this now. Giving her vet bed broke her chewing habit although she has a nibble of it’s corners every now and again.
Inky loves to chew vet bed wherever it was. We tried a piece of carpet, chewed a bit. Now we have a door mat, not the bristle kind but the absorbent kind. It has a ver flat rubber but round the edge which is very flat in the crate. So far so good! It's also very easy to hoover to keep clean.
