Hi

I have a wonderful puppy almost a year old. We got her from the pound at around 6 months of age.

I had no trouble training my old dog but she had a quieter calmer temperament than this one. She was also a pound puppy and was a bit needier than the new one - she was my big old sook!!!

She's good in general. but every time we leave the house whether it be to duck to the shops for 5mins or to go to work for 8 hours, she becomes very destructive.

It started with chewing books and paper and dragging clothes around, which progressed to chewing shoes and other things - she has gone as far as chewing my jewelery holders which sit on a tv so yes, she climbs up to get things. She's chewed holes in the couch to pull the foam out to chew that into tiny peices. she has chewed the legs of the fish tank stand, but I think the worst to date is she clawed at the wall and peeled layers of and chewed those into tiny peices. She has even gone into the bathroom and started chewing her shampoo bottle and my makeup (she has to climb in the bath and put paws up on the bench behind it. She also ate the couch cushions so that when i got home from work it looked like it had snowed in my house!!!! She chews power cables for lamps and xmas lights, extension cords etc but only the ones that aren't plugged in as she seems mainly like chewing the actual plug part.

I have tried various things, leaving her with a kong filled with things she has to try and get out, chew toys from hard to soft rubber and material chew toys including baby toys. I have also bought tennis balls, beany bears, rubber balls, bones, a rope and a half-filled small basketball. And her favorite toy is my old 50cm teddy bear but even that wont stop her.

Makes no difference if you walk her or not and she is actually worse the next day after you walk her.

Someone please suggest something as I am at my wits end!!!

Thanks

How about a crate?

I have heard of these crates but have always been one of those people that dont really agree with chaining dogs up or sticking them in cages.

we had been putting her in the garage with a barrier at the kitchen which gave her the laundry and garage - quite a large running area, this was until she started chewing things in the garage we thought she never would and not really safe. plus qld summers get quite hot and were worried she would overheat.

i am now thinking about a run in the backyard??? the only reason we dont leave her outside like we did the old dog is that she is a bit of a digger and has already marked some 'spots' under the front fence she thinks are 'suitable escape routes' i can only assume!!! and because of the long giraffe like legs we're not too sure on how high she can jump just yet. but then i have to worry if she will dig up pipes or if she will drive everyone insane with barking like our neighbours dog - but then again no dog could be worse than him!!!!