Help! Chiba has taken destruction to a new level. Any tips?

Hi everyone,

Chiba is almost 5 months old now and this past week she started showing some new extremely destructive behavior. When she was younger, the only things she destroyed were books, paper, and her toys. This past week she's been going for the walls. She got through the drywall. She chew holes through the carpet. Albeit always in perfect circles, but circles with 3inch diameters. My apartment can't take much more damage. I punish her (say bad dog and put her in isolation), but she doesn't seem to listen. She just keeps making new holes (if i cover all the holes she made with something). She basically lost all her puppy teeth except for her fangs (she still has her baby fangs). Any suggestions? I'm looking for anything, maybe I punish her differently?

0 members like this

▶ Reply to This

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Bogart the Cardigan on September 27, 2013 at 6:01pm

What about a "safe" room? Bogart is a year and a half but if he is home alone he stays in the laundry room. That is also where he sleeps. He gets antlers to chew on and a Kong with some cheese or peanut butter inside, to keep him occupied.

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Brelee Miller on September 28, 2013 at 9:46am

I don't like crating either. We do agility with both of ours...no jumping until they are one, but they can weave, tunnel, teeter, and more. Corgis are diggers so a dig box built and made just for that may be an option, like a sand box. They have to be taught that is the purpose. We hike with ours as well...maybe a more stimulating place, like a dog park where she can run. Just some thoughts.

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Chris Payerl on September 28, 2013 at 9:47am

Since Chiba is chewing on dangerous things (drywall and carpet cannot be good for a dog to chew on; a neighbor's German shepherd puppy died from swallowing the yarn from the carpet -- it got tangled up in his intestines) putting her in a crate when you are not able to keep an eye on her is best for her safety. Even a safe room, if she has access to drywall and carpet, is not safe. If she already knows how to sit, stay, down, etc. you need to keep practicing; once kids learn to add, write and read, we keep having them practice and not just say they know how so they don't have to practice anymore. Our first puppy was crated when we were gone until age two; Sophie until nearly two. they both still had some "incidents" after that, though. Err on the side of Chiba's safety over anything else!

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Anna Morelli on September 28, 2013 at 10:23am

Chiba may have developed some separation anxiety as well, so you may find some helpful hints on the site that you can combine with the crating to create a soothing routine.

▶ Reply

Permalink Reply by Karen Dadisman on September 28, 2013 at 12:28pm

She is a baby. You don't leave babies loose in the house while you are gone and puppies fall into the same category. Put her in her crate, give her a treat and leave. She might fuss at first but if you don't make a big deal about it, neither will she. She will settle down and go to sleep. Dogs usually sleep while we're gone anyway. She will be fine. You will feel worse about it than she will but it's for her own safety so buck up and do it! If she chews her bedding, take it out and leave her in a bare naked crate. You are going for a safe dog. We crated Rosie and Rocky until they were over a year and now at 5 & 6 years, they are still gated apart from each other. Rosie can be a bully so for Rocky's safety and to avoid potential fights, they are gated in separate rooms.