Chewing on things - when by himself

giggles8605 · 09-25-2008, 07:41 AM

Before I state my question, I would like to give you a little background on myself, and tell you how I came to get Teddy.
I am a fourth-year music education major at Missouri State in Springfield, and am active in extra-curriculars. I'm in the University Community Band, Flute Choir, Flute Society, Collegiate Music Educators National Conference, and Gamma Alpha Lambda (a christian sorority founded on our campus five years ago). Although it may not seem like it by the amount of credit hours I take, I am a very, VERY busy woman. I practice three hours a day for the most part, and take three technique classes on top of taking a piano class to pass my piano proficiency. Each of these four classes are an hour of credit, but require much time outside of class. So me and free time don't know each other very well at all.
My boyfriend of nearly three years and I actually inherited Teddy. Three days after my 22nd birthday in late July this summer, two really awesome people ended up being killed in a car accident. Bonnie, my best friend since Kindergarten and her grandmother, whom I will always refer to as Grandma Shirley, were both very avid animal lovers and were the original owners of Teddy. If I remember my facts right, he was a rescue from an abusive home.
Anyway, Paul and I are very good with Teddy, although this is my first dog - ever. Having a dog was not an option growing up, as my mother and I have allergies.
Although this day has just begun for me, yesterday and today have proven to be nightmares. I love the grace and beauty of dolphins, and this is pretty noticeable in the apartment. Anyway, the past two days, Teddy has been very mischevious while I have been asleep and in class. Yesterday morning, I had woken up to a mess in the living room - he had gotten hold of a dust cover meant for the underneath of a couch Bonnie's parents had given me. Last night, when I returned, some seashells I had collected from Texas were in ruins on the floor. This morning, I found the plug and remnants of a wire from where he had chewed the plug of a lamp my grandmother gave me before her stroke.
I think I know - Mr. Teddy here needs a chew toy. That's just it though - when Paul and I take him to the store, he shows absolutely no interest in any toy. Being at home all day, every day is not an option for me, as you can tell. But yet, the past two days he has proven to be untrustworthy in the house. Are there ANY suggestions someone can give me??

wabanafcr · 09-25-2008, 08:19 AM

Sounds to me like Teddy needs to be crate trained. A crate is not cruel--it gives the dog a place of his own to be, and you know he is safe (and your house is safe) while you are not able to supervise him.

http://www.canismajor.com/dog/crate1.html
http://www.siriusweb.com/AAD/crate.html

giggles8605 · 09-25-2008, 09:18 AM

As much as my boyfriend and I don't want to, I personally think that's probably the way to go. It might be wise for him to be trained while my boyfriend's down - he'll be in Sunday afternoon through the majority of the week at least.

Not to put down your idea or anything, but if there are any other options, I would like to know as well, just so I've got an idea.

aero4ever · 09-25-2008, 10:11 AM

Yep, pretty much the best thing to do is the crate training. I've had to deal with this issue and it's really the best solution. Not only does it keep your stuff safe, but you won't be stressed about what he might get into and if it'll hurt him.

giggles8605 · 09-25-2008, 10:17 AM

Ok then.....
I have 2 questions.
1) How much will one cost? Teddy is a poodle-beagle mix and over a year old. Momma Sandy, Bonnie's mom, said that's as big as he's getting is where he is now.
2) About how long will it take to train him??

Cheetah · 09-25-2008, 02:10 PM

If you don't like the crate and your dog is potty trained, then another option would be an exercise pen. This will provide him with more room while you are gone, while still safely confining him so he can't get in trouble or hurt himself.
http://www.drsfostersmith.com/produc...cfm?pcatid=872
They come in different sizes, etc.

As for chew toys, just go to the store and get a few toys of different textures and materials - Like a nylabone, a plush toy, a rubber chew bone, a Kong toy, a treat ball, etc. and put them all in the pen with him. He may not show interest in the store (mine usually don't), but when you leave him alone with them and he gets bored enough, he's almost guaranteed to chew on at least one of them. And that way, you can figure out what his favorite kind of toy is.

AkiraleShiba · 09-25-2008, 02:47 PM

How many walks does he get daily ? Chewing is probably caused by boredom, poodles and beagles are pretty active breeds. Take you dog out in the morning before you leave and leave him a chewie like a pig ear or bully stick.

giggles8605 · 09-25-2008, 04:16 PM

Wow - thank you all for your help and input so far!!

As my apartment is small, like I was saying earlier, it might be best to get a crate - if he doesn't like that, then my boyfriend and I might try something else.

As for the walks, I take him out to use the restroom immediately after I get up, which is 6:00 am most mornings. That is a relatively quick one, as I also have my boyfriend's cat, Precious, here too, and I typically have to go as well. On top of which, it's getting colder here in Missouri, and it's really evident in the mornings. However for good measure, I take him out typically once before I leave. I try to time that one about 7:15, and we're out for about 10 minutes, and we typically go around the apartment complex a bit. He'll then get another walk when I come home for lunch, after I'm done with classes for the day, one maybe two more, and I'll take him out one more time before I go to bed.

With being in Springfield, I'm unsure of many pet-friendly parks in the area where he can actually roam around on his own - the apartment complex is strict about dogs being on a leash. And I have mixed feelings on that one - I think it's for the dog's safety since there's three major streets, discluding the road into the complex, within about a mile or two of the complex. However, Teddy has done pretty decently at staying within eye contact or earshot, and even then, he comes back when he's called. I've got a friend helping me on that search, and I'm thinking maybe making that a three to four-time a week thing would be fun for him. It'll help him socialize, help him to know what to expect from me, help me learn what to expect from him, la dee dah.

Oh - one other thing I wanna mention.....

Once my loan money hits my account, I'm planning on having Teddy neutered. That's something that Bonnie and Grandma Shirley tried getting done, but never had the money for. I know it'll calm him down - Paul's said that, Bonnie said that on many occasions, and I've heard it on here. But Paul, my boyfriend, seems to think that that'll solve the problem of chewing too. I don't agree. Your stands, anyone?

rosemaryninja · 09-26-2008, 05:28 AM

I'm pretty willing to bet that neutering is not going to change the chewing problem. In fact, I'm about 99% sure.

Teddy definitely needs to be crated when you are gone. Leaving him in the apartment unsupervised is just going to create more messes for you, not to mention it can be life-threatening for him (especially those wires! You're quite lucky he escaped unharmed.) If a crate is absolutely out of the question, then try an X-pen -- it will confine him, but bear in mind it won't help with potty-training like a crate will. Crates and pens are both relatively inexpensive and you can often score secondhand ones for cheap or even free off Craigslist.

I would also be extremely wary about having Teddy offleash until you are absolutely certain of his recall, or until you are in a safe fenced area. Beagles are notorious for going deaf once offleash, and although he might be decent at it now, you can never be precisely sure.

giggles8605 · 09-26-2008, 07:30 AM

Rosemary, thank you so much for your insight!
Ya know, the whole neutering thing...that's what I was thinking. Besides, that's a risk I don't feel like taking. I wanna nip this in the bud so bad..... I will say this though, last night I had a book/bible study at GAL's philanthropy, I was gone for about two hours, and came back to a clean home. I haven't been able to get the crate yet - I just got paid today, so I'm thinking along with a some shelves to get things put higher, today's the day.

I know he was really lucky - that lamp I don't keep plugged in. All I have to say is, not only thank heavens for that, but thank heavens my grandmother hasn't seen that and that my Paul, my boyfriend, is a major techie. He's planning to fix that for me when he comes in Sunday afternoon. I'm also planning on buying some child-proofing things for a couple cabinets that have chemicals underneath them. The only reason I haven't been able to yet is because my part-time job has been my only money coming in until my loan money, which is in the mail, on its merry way. So, now that I know it'll be in by mid-next week, I can get them knowing I'll have enough to go around. Which takes a lot off my shoulders.

The part that baffles me is the timing of Teddy's...shall we say mischief. He's been here in the apartment for about two weeks now, and I'm just now having this issue. Maybe I was expecting it sooner, I don't know.

Today I'm particularly nervous for. Last night, I put him on his stationary leash, which I put in the kitchen near his water bowl, and all he did was whine, so I brought him in the bedroom with me. Luckily, nothing got destroyed. However today, I'm going to be gone for four hours at a time twice. I've got class, 2 hours of practice and convocation this morning on campus, then I leave for a four-hour shift at work at 1. How should I work that? I know the crate training can't happen in an hour.

rosemaryninja · 09-26-2008, 08:07 AM

I wouldn't force him into a crate right now if he's not yet acclimatised to being in one. You will just get a very unhappy dog, some even unhappier neighbours and it will set the acclimatisation process back by a LOT. For now, just confine him to a bathroom or a small room with the floor lined with newspaper. Try to remove anything he shouldn't be chewing or spray bitter apple on pieces of furniture he can get to. Leave him with toys if you can. Even a homemade one is better than nothing -- grab an old towel, soak it in water, twist it up and freeze it. He can use that for today, till he gets some "real" dog toys.

Honestly, check Craigslist before you go out and buy a new crate -- I've read that it's quite common to find secondhand crates there.

Regarding the timing, it's possible that he spent the last two weeks getting settled in. The change in environment must have been quite sudden for him, so he probably took awhile to adjust to his new home, new owners...and is only just starting to be himself again.

skelaki · 09-26-2008, 08:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by giggles8605

As much as my boyfriend and I don't want to, I personally think that's probably the way to go. It might be wise for him to be trained while my boyfriend's down - he'll be in Sunday afternoon through the majority of the week at least.

Not to put down your idea or anything, but if there are any other options, I would like to know as well, just so I've got an idea.

You are thinking in human, not canine terms. Teddy is a dog not a child and to him, once trained, a crate becomes his den. I understand where you're coming from because my mother refused to crate train until she was forced to because she was flying back and forth between San Diego and Sun Valley (ID) and had no choice but to do so. Believe me, once you crate train, and it will probably take some time and patience, you will never again be without a crate in the future. Besides keeping your house safe, if Teddy's crate trained he won't be able to chew anything that could harm or even kill him, he'll be less stressed if he ever has to stay overnight at the vet's office or be boarded, and in a crate is the safest way for him to travel (both for Teddy and for you and your boyfriend).

Other options would be to tether him on a short tether or to use an ex-pen instead of a crate but neither of those options is as good as crate training him.

giggles8605 · 09-26-2008, 08:22 AM

Skelaki, you sound a lot like my friend Bonnie. She would've told me something very similar. After I get off work today, that'll be one of my stops: to the pet store! Who knows, I might take him along!! At least now I've got money to do it with.....

And yeah, the change was quite sudden for him. He was in the van with Bonnie and Grandma Shirley when the accident occurred. He was thrown 75 feet, and didn't have a broken bone. As it happened on the way from the vet - he had just gotten his first set of shots - they took him back to the vet until someone was able to pick him up. That was when Paul and I were introduced to him - we picked him up from Momma Sandy. He took to us really well, and it just went from there. He was up at my boyfriend's dad's house for the first month, month and a half, then when Paul moved his stuff, Teddy came along and stayed.