My dog chews the furniture whenever we leave

Julisaxel
Julisaxel Icon representing the flag French
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Hi everyone,

We have a 10-month-old puppy who chews the furniture as soon as we head off to work.

- He gets plenty of exercise (at least an hour and a half a day, socialising with other dogs, playtime, mental stimulation...)

- We’re working on his training and teaching him tricks

- He’s home alone (with his five-year-old sister, who has no issues being by herself) from 9 am to 2 pm, Monday to Friday

- They both stay in the kitchen, which is about 270 sq ft, with French doors looking out onto the garden. My five-year-old dog is his role model; they’re always together.

- We live in a large house with a garden (when we’re home, they have the run of the house, but we’ve had to start keeping them in the kitchen when we go out because of the little one’s destructive behaviour)

- We give him a good walk before leaving in the morning (playing fetch, running around with his sister...)

- When we leave, we give him a treat, a chew bone, and his favourite toys that he loves to gnaw on

- We’ve tried 'anti-chew' spray, but he couldn't care less and still damages things anyway

- When we’re at home, he’s very well-behaved and doesn't chew anything, so we never get the chance to tell him 'no'—it only happens when we’re away

- We don’t think it’s separation anxiety; when we leave, he’s quite calm and usually sleeps for a few hours, then wakes up and starts destroying everything. It seems more like boredom, or maybe he just thinks eating the furniture is fun...

We’ve thought of a few solutions but aren't sure if they're right:

1) Setting up a playpen in the kitchen so he can’t get to anything (the kitchen is very large, so he’d still have plenty of room to play)

2) A muzzle that allows him to drink water... but we really want to avoid that...

3) Leaving him in the garden is out of the question because we live in Madrid and it hits 40°C in the shade during the summer; plus, we have lots of plants that could be dangerous for him (cacti) and a swimming pool he could fall into (he can swim and get out fine, but his sister is terrified of water—we’re worried he might knock her in while playing and she wouldn’t know how to get out).

4) Protecting the furniture with tape or rubber... but we think it’s pointless as he’ll just destroy that too...

At the moment, we’re moving all the furniture out of the kitchen every single morning... but that doesn’t solve the problem and we need a long-term fix. We live in a fairly remote village and don't know anyone nearby who could dog-sit or pop in to see him.

We’re not sure if he’s just doing it because he’s a 10-month-old puppy and thinks chewing everything is a game.

Any advice?

Thanks everyone...

🥱

Translated from French
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18 answers
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    • Julisaxel
    Julisaxel Icon representing the flag French
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    Cardboard boxes (especially pizza boxes, they love those), and things to chew like buffalo horns (large enough to keep both dogs safe). It’ll give him something to do other than the furniture, especially if you use it alongside @Piotr’s repellent. There’s a good chance he’ll grow out of this behaviour once he’s over a year old. Another option is a little camera with a speaker (around £35), which will let you catch him in the act.

    Cardboard could be a good shout, we’re just a bit worried about him swallowing bits of it haha, but we can definitely give it a go! The camera is a great idea too, I think I’d be able to calm him down by talking to him.

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    Julisaxel
    Julisaxel Icon representing the flag French
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    You can also make your own homemade repellent: Dilute a bit of mustard in some water. Boil 2 or 3 cloves of garlic. Once it's cooled down, mix it all together and spray the legs of your furniture. Tested and approved by me 😝

    I’d already tried vinegar, lemon and cayenne pepper but he couldn't care less haha! I’m going to give your repellent a go tomorrow!!

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    Emla
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    Cardboard boxes (pizza boxes are a winner), and things to chew on like buffalo horn (make sure it’s big enough to be safe for both dogs).

    It’ll give him something to do other than the furniture, especially if you use it alongside Piotr’s repellent.

    There’s a good chance this behaviour will stop once he’s over a year old.

    Another option is a little camera with a speaker (about £35); that’ll let you catch him in the act.

    Translated from French
    P
    Piotr06 Icon representing the flag French
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    You can also make your own DIY repellent:

    Dilute a little bit of mustard in some water.

    Boil 2 or 3 cloves of garlic.

    Once it’s cooled down, mix it all together and spray the legs of your furniture.

    Tried and tested by yours truly! 😝

    Translated from French
    Kikaah
    Kikaah Icon representing the flag French
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    Maybe try giving him some enrichment toys like a snuffle mat or a Wobbler... you aren't away for very long but he's a young dog, and he should settle down more as he gets older.

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    Julisaxel
    Julisaxel Icon representing the flag French
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    Hi, how about a decent-sized and properly secured outdoor run? With two well-insulated kennels, a large shade sail for some cover, and a concrete paddling pool for him to have a dip in. Yes, that’s one of the options we’re looking into, but we’re actually thinking of setting up a pen in the kitchen because it gets far too hot outside in the summer... it’ll probably end up being the solution, but we’re going to keep trying for a bit to see if we get any other ideas or if we’re doing something "wrong" with him.
    Translated from French
    Julisaxel
    Julisaxel Icon representing the flag French
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    Hi Paul, thanks for your reply... however, I’m wondering if you’ve actually read the post I put up...

    Thanks anyway

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    ProvetoJuniorConseil
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    Hi there, Firstly, to tackle this destructive behaviour, try dog-proofing your home by hiding any valuables or spraying them with an anti-chew deterrent spray to stop your dog from wanting to chew on them. While these methods can help, they should only be a temporary fix. In reality, destructive behaviour is often mainly down to boredom: dogs that don't get enough physical and mental exercise will find their own way to keep busy. Your dog likely needs more to do: try to ensure he has more stimulation and can burn off some energy every day with long walks and play. Don't hesitate to leave him some toys as well: chew bones, ropes, or a Kong stuffed with dry food that’s a bit of a challenge to get out... Once your dog has had a good run around and tired himself out, he’ll be much more balanced and calmer when he’s back indoors. Finally, another cause could be separation anxiety. In this case, try leaving out an old bit of clothing that smells of you, or even leaving the radio on for background noise. In any case, I’d suggest speaking with a veterinary behaviourist or a dog trainer who will be better placed to help and give you the right advice to resolve this destructive behaviour. Hope this helps! Have a lovely day, Paul
    Translated from French

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