[simplymeKim]

Hello everyone,

I am new to the forum but not a new dog owner. I have three small breed dogs. I have a huge problem.

My four year old miniature poodle can't get enough of our pants and boxers. He chews through them in seconds! It doesn't matter if they are clean or dirty.

Most of the time we keep our laundry up but I have to do laundry sometime! He will sneak into the bedroom or bathroom hamper and steal clothing. I've even caught him opening up our closet (it doesn't have a knob) and pulling down pants that are hanging up! It doesn't matter if it has a door knob anyhow I have watched this dog open doors, cabinets and dressers.

At one point we had to change the gate on our fence because he figured out how to get the gate open.

We've tried everything. We adopted him when he was a little over a year and a half old.

Toys don't work (praising and giving a treat does not work)
Bitter apple doesn't work
Keeping our clothing out of reach apparently doesn't work
Treats don't work
Catching him in the act and replacing the item with a tennis ball does not work he still goes after the clothing.

I am going out of my mind! He doesn't like toys except for tennis balls. He is too smart for his own good... I just found another pair of pants torn up and stuffed UNDER the couch... We spend plenty of time with him and our other dogs... So why is he doing this!? And how do we stop it? He doesn't chew anything else up just the crotch of our pants and boxers. He is going to get sick!

[piratekitty]

My min pin started doing this at year old. He would only chew my clothing, shoes, socks. He would take them from the hamper also. I figures he would grap them because it had my smell on them and then he would start to chew. I couldnt leave anything lay around. I would give him things to chew, but not unsupervised because he is a agressive chewer and try to eat what he was chewing. He too would still take my stuff only. Hes now 3 and has stopped taking my things, and will only chew on what I give him thats healthy. The only thing I could figure out why he took my stuff only was he wanted to be close to me and my things had my smell on them. Because once I had him in trainning for a year he stopped. Hes more sure about things and not as fearful. Dont know if this helps but thats what I kind of figured what was going on with my dog. Good luck Its tuff when they chew and its $$$.

[anusk1313]

Your dog is probably chewing stuff when it is alone at home and gets bored. And maybe because it doesn't have enough toys it chew things,especially that ones which smells like you(the door you went out,the clothes you wear,the coach you use to stay)

Whwn it's a pup it need to chew ... and will be the best to chew toys. You could put some peanut butter in them

Solutions:

1) Leave it alone for short periods of time (5 min) and before you go to work give it toys to play and chew

2) When you leave the house don't offer to it a special attention. Just let the toys on the floor, close the door without saying anything

3) When you come back, even it is enjoying a lot to see you, ignore it 1-2 minutes

!!! Your DOG should see the fact that you leave it alone as a reward -> It will receive toys! (not your coming back)

4) If you see that it starts to chew something, to bark, to scratch, don't interfere immediately. Because it will think that such a behaviour will be always rewarded


As a joke:

"What did Pavlov after its dog died?"
"He continued to bring it food"

5) Use the dog with the routine. It must see you going out more often, for not feeling abandoned

6) There is no meaning to reprove it, if when you come home, the house is untidy. It will not understand why it is reprimanded

7) Don't let it to follow you in the whole house, because it will think that it's its duty to take care of you, and in the moment you leave it will have more reasons to concern.

8) Show your dog what is its place in the family and who's the master. Don't let it to sit everywhere it wants

9) Make sure it did its needs before locking it in the house

10) Take it to a walk before you go. A tired dog is an obedient dog