chewing out of no where?

neeka is almost a year, she isn't teething and lately has been a terror for chewing up stuff. it started when i stopped taking her to work, so i left her in our bedroom where is was totally chew proof. today i was home ALL day and walked her twice/played with her and i heard her go to the bedroom and get on the bed (we are moving and the bed is packed up so its just on the floor) i had taken the sheets off to wash it, and when i went in an hour or so later she had chewed up our WHOLE matress...seriously i cant even sleep on it...all within an hour, i assumed she was sleeping, i didn't catch her doing it but i still disiplined her (will she remeber what she did? she put her ears back and layed down when i screamed what the $%##@?! but i was told only to disipline her when i catch her) is this just an awful stage? is she getting back at me for not comming to work? i know she was tired from our walk and has a ton of toys which i have been rotating so why else would she do this? should i crate her whenever i am busy cleaning and stuff? im at a loss because she has never chewed anything up and i don't want the couches to be next or when im busy in another room!

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Permalink Reply by alynne on August 11, 2008 at 11:00am

i crated her last night (first time ever at night, she didn't really whine or anything since we use her crate for trips and stuff) and let her out this morning when we went for our walk and a pee and when i was in the shower she chewed up her stool (its got tassle things around it she pulled them all off i caught her doing it soo hopefully she knows why she got in trouble now, she uses it to look out or window and has never chewed it before) this is worse then when she was a puppy!! the thing is, she gets a ton of attention and cuddle time and i get her to do lots of tricks and i try to metally stimulate her but its obviously not enough...usually when im cleaning she will sleep somewhere cool or watch me..i do talk to her alot when i am doing stuff but yesterday i was cleaning on top of the cupboards and stuff like that so i admit i wasn't keeping my eyes on her ive just never had this problem and i have always left her to do her own thing when im in the shower since she was 5 months old. i am going to take her to work with me today but i definitly can't the rest of the week. i hate having to crate her everytime i am busy i wish i could just figure out how to stop this! maybe when we move i will try to find an animal behavorist to help me...

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Permalink Reply by alynne on August 11, 2008 at 3:36pm

no i wish i could though, our house is totally open, there is no hallways or anywhere to put a baby gate.
i had a thought, before when i complained about her chewing (she chewed up a mop and my vaccume wires) someone said to give her a bone when i catch her and praise her for chewing on what she is allowed to chew on, ive taken a couple small things away and given her a bone/toy and praised her when she chews on it..and since then she has been chewing on all her bones/toys (she hardly chewed on bones before, even when she was teething) i also have been praising her when i am busy and she keeps herself busy by chewing on a bone..could she be taking my praise as chewing on everything is good? should i keep praising her for chewing on her bones after taking something away from her?