No, you're not the worst owner ever. You're struggling to control a destructive dog. Been there, done that. However, I don't think leaving a dog in a muzzle is a good solution. Like Parus and LeoRose, crating crossed my mind, but IMO you're talking about too many hours per day for that - all the time you're gone to work and then the hours you sleep.
Would it be possible for you to set up a kennel with shade and shelter in your fenceless backyard? I don't know how expensive they are, but I've seen things like that at the PetsMart here. You'd need tall or with a roof and then only have to be sure the bottom discourages digging. That's what I ended up doing with my turbo-destructo dog while I was at work. A friend, bless him, made me a chainlink kennel.
Or perhaps you could set up something inside safely confining but less so than a crate. The breeder of one of my Rottweilers has kennels in her basement for when she's gone. Good luck finding your solution.
Would it be possible for you to set up a kennel with shade and shelter in your fenceless backyard? I don't know how expensive they are, but I've seen things like that at the PetsMart here. You'd need tall or with a roof and then only have to be sure the bottom discourages digging. That's what I ended up doing with my turbo-destructo dog while I was at work. A friend, bless him, made me a chainlink kennel.
Or perhaps you could set up something inside safely confining but less so than a crate. The breeder of one of my Rottweilers has kennels in her basement for when she's gone. Good luck finding your solution.
