I’m the proud owner of a Golden Retriever pup who is exactly 6 months old. She’s an absolute sweetheart, very obedient, playful and full of beans. However, I’m running into a bit of a problem.
Even though she has never destroyed anything else in the house, I can’t seem to find a bed that works for her because she seems to use it to let off steam. Let me explain:
Her first bed, a small, well-padded puppy bed, lasted a month before she started tearing it apart and eating the foam inside. Fair enough, she was a teething puppy. So, I replaced it with a large cushion, which lasted all of three days before she started eating the foam again. Then I switched to blankets. This time, she’s chewing the edges, and when she does her business, I have to pull threads from the blanket out of her... so we’ve moved on to a hard plastic bed, but she won’t use it because there's nothing soft inside...
She’s not allowed on the sofa, which she respects, but it bothers me because she has nowhere to sleep and ends up on the floor.
Have any of you dealt with this? (I imagine so! ^^) How long does this phase usually last? Or can you recommend a chew-proof bed?
Thanks
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Thanks everyone for your replies, I’ll take note and try to find THE solution. I like the idea of a ‘sacrificial bed’ but the problem is that madam isn't just happy shredding the fabric, she seems to enjoy eating it! :( So it ends up in her poo, which isn't exactly ideal... we'll see if she settles down as time goes on, but in the meantime I'll keep telling her "no" when I catch her in the act.
Hi there,
We didn’t have exactly the same problem with our Golden, Blue, at first, but it was quite similar.
In our case, he treated his bed like a toilet. So we’d have wees and even a poo in his bed once. We tried a few different options as well, before eventually giving up because he always preferred sleeping on the floor anyway.
For us, he eventually just grew out of it. About 2 or 3 months ago, when he was around 18 months old, we noticed him sleeping on a rug while we were staying at a hotel. So we’ve bought him a blanket now and he really likes sleeping on that, even though he still spends most of his time sleeping on the floor.
With our retrievers, it's the same advice: an old folded-up duvet that you don't mind sacrificing... it takes a while for them to "settle down"
and some training (using "No! Leave it!") and swapping it for something better to chew on or a toy... those sturdy knotted rope toys are great...
With a Golden or a Lab, forget about wicker baskets ^^ it saves you a trip to the vet...
A cot mattress (well-wrapped in a fitted sheet, with a duvet or some old heavy velvet curtains or thick fabric around it..)
Then there’s the symbolic little whip for when they’re naughty, or a deterrent tea towel used just to make a sharp "crack" sound... near or on the objects they aren't allowed to nibble... ^^ accompanied by a firm "NO".
Oxane, my Lab who's just over 2, is almost an ex-destroyer and a total ex-"land shark" with us (the biting stage). She knows the word for her little whip well!
Just placing it on an object shows her it's off-limits.
The tempting cushions with all the textures have been spared so far...
😌
😉 Oxane still flips her mattress over to play sometimes... in the evening, it's her way of letting off steam; she tosses it all over the place, making little grumbles just like her "Oink Oink" Mr Pig toy..
@Flip I wasn't saying that chews are useless—far from it. They’re actually really important for dental health.
But when a dog is in the mood to shred fabric, I don’t think they’ll be satisfied with a bone instead. I mean, when my dog wants to rip up fabric, he really wants to rip up fabric! If I try to swap his rag for a bone... he won't even take it. If I trade it for a piece of fabric he's allowed to have, though, then it works. He takes it and has a great time shredding it.
Maybe I didn't explain it very well.
It’s just like us—if you’re dying for a strawberry tart and someone offers you steak and chips instead, even if you love steak and chips, you won't want it. You want that strawberry tart!
Yes, mine loves fabrics too. He shreds them left, right and centre. So, he’s always got one of his own plus a soft toy, on top of his ropes and other bits. Mind you, bones really keep them busy and there’s nothing like a good chew to help them relax. Usually, after a good session, they’ll have a nap. So bones are useful in the sense that they keep them occupied and reduce any potential boredom. Plus, it’s an essential need that needs to be met anyway! ;)
I'm afraid not, Rose – they don't always calm down with age ;)
A friend of mine had a Lab cross who was destructive pretty much until the end. Plastic dog beds were gnawed, blankets torn to shreds, cushions, the lot...
At home, the dog had his own armchair, which ended up pretty chewed after a while, and a plastic bed with a blanket (which we used for holidays when I was dog-sitting).
I’d go with what others have suggested: have a 'sacrificial' bed and catch her in the act – 'No! Leave the bed!' – then give her something else she is allowed to destroy. But if she loves tearing fabric, I’m not sure giving her a chew bone will really do the trick. An old sheet she’s allowed to shred would be better.
My dog loves shredding fabric too; he goes through phases. He’s got a rug he’s allowed to rip up and a few old scraps of cloth. It works really well with my boy. When he picks up something he shouldn't, usually a 'slobber cloth' (a tea towel I use to wipe him when he drools), I tell him 'No, that’s not a toy' and give him the thing he is allowed to destroy. So far, he hasn't ruined anything he's not supposed to.
Mind you, I’m at home all the time, so it’s easier to keep an eye on him. I can correct him and tell him no every single time.
Kong brand beds... they're supposed to be indestructible, but I haven't tried them myself.
We've been through a few beds here too, so now she has blankets and rugs, which she still loves to chew on for five minutes or just drag about ^^
I followed Docline's advice from the forum: a single mattress with a sheet over it. It takes up a fair bit of room, but it's super comfy and she doesn't wreck it.
They definitely settle down as they get older, so just be patient and you can save up for a really nice bed further down the line 👍
Also, even though age plays a big part and they all do this to some extent when they're puppies, you’ve got to make it clear that her bed, beanbag, and so on, aren't for eating. Otherwise, she’ll grow up thinking it’s perfectly normal. You should use a firm "no" whenever you catch her in the act. Try swapping the item for a toy or a different scrap of fabric as well.
In the meantime, you could do something similar to Balista’s suggestion and use several old sheets or something similar to provide a bit of padding. For my dog, I used a small duvet wrapped in an old sheet, which was tucked in tightly all the way around under his plastic dog bed. He messed about with the sheet for a few weeks but rarely managed to get through to the duvet. This allowed enough time for him to grow out of the phase ;)
I’ve got a 14-month-old Lab who’s still doing this (not sure if that makes you feel any better!). Like Lorna says, if even a tiny bit of stuffing starts poking out, something just clicks in her head 😏
Luckily, she’s never gone for the sofas or armchairs (she’s not allowed on the furniture anyway). But any cushion left lying around won't stay stuffed for long if she gets her paws on it.
So, she sleeps in a large plastic dog bed with two old curtains at the bottom (which the little monkey regularly drags all over the place). She doesn't seem to mind one bit.
There’s nothing unusual about that; it’s just that puppy energy is much more unpredictable than an adult dog’s. They’re constantly on the go, getting into everything and tugging at anything they can get their teeth into ;-)
And once all that tugging finally gets them to the Holy Grail (the stuffing), well, they’re bound to finish the job in style! ^^ lol
It’s the sort of thing that will settle down over time as your girl starts to calm down.
In the meantime, just give her an old blanket—it’ll do the trick!
