My dog absolutely wrecked our old sofa. We bought a new leather one less than a month ago, and he’s strictly not allowed on it. When I’m out, I even put chairs on top of it to stop him. Up until now, there hasn’t been an issue; he doesn’t try to get up. But today, when I got home, I found he’d started chewing the corner of the armrest... Given how much it cost, I really don't want this sofa to be ruined as well. How do you lot protect your sofas? Are there any specific covers or guards for armrests? Thanks in advance!
Translated from French
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Hiya,
I’ve got a 7-month-old German Shepherd cross Staffy and she’s chewing everything in sight... (clothes, furniture, the PlayStation...). I buy her chew toys so she has something of her own to gnaw on, but I’m having no luck. She plays with them for five minutes, but as soon as my back is turned, she’s back at it.
If anyone has any tips or knows something that actually works to get her to stop, please let me know.
Cheers!
I’m having the same trouble with my 11-month-old dog. He has toys in the house and gets walked often. We even leave the telly on when we’re out as we’ve noticed they get into less mischief that way. But today, here we go again—the corner of the armrest is a goner. Putting a throw over it usually stops mine from chewing it, but the blanket has to stay in place, and today it didn't (even though we’d tucked it in everywhere). They get out for walks almost every day and they’ve got a 1,000 square metre garden. My other dog is a Spitz and I didn't have nearly as much trouble with him. The problem with this one is he’s just too possessive of me. Because I work at the hospital, I’m free either in the mornings or the afternoons, so I get to spend a lot of time with them. It’s a long road and it’s a bit of a struggle, but dogs are far from daft.
There’s no denying the fees are quite high, but it’s a small price to pay for the results you get. That said, I totally get it; I’m having money troubles myself, so I can’t afford to see a behaviourist. Watch out for the people who’ll tell you things like "if you get a dog, you have to take responsibility" or "just look after your dog properly." Some people on here don’t know what it’s like to be short of money and they won’t hesitate to have a go at you. But just be aware that separation anxiety can get really out of hand.
As for the neighbours, be very careful. They can lodge a complaint against you or even call the police to your house. If nothing is done, the dog warden can step in and seize the dog – that’s actually what happened to a friend of mine.
He’s so clingy that he follows us everywhere around the flat, and when we leave, he barks... I just popped out for 30 minutes to run an errand, and as I was coming back, the downstairs neighbour's door flew open and some guy told me I need to do something because the dog barks when I'm gone. I don't know where he’s come from; usually, it’s a woman living below us and we’ve never had any issues since the dog has been here. We even asked her if he was being too noisy and she really likes our pooch. If he’s only been there since today, well... he’s got a short fuse, that one. Anyway, he wasn't friendly at all. I completely understand that it can be annoying, but there are better ways of saying things. I really hope he’s just visiting! Now, I’m scared to even move around my own flat in case he loses his rag again... Luckily, I don’t have any uni classes today and my partner will be here tomorrow. Anyway, yes, our dog doesn't like being alone, even though he’s been used to it since he was a tiny puppy. A friend gave me some tips that a behaviourist had given her to help with her dog’s aggression towards strangers; maybe she’ll have some info on separation anxiety too. It’s true that these specialists are pricey and it's not easy to afford one on a student budget... We already spend a lot on his food and vet bills. But we’ll think about it regardless.
I know it’s not easy to accept, but we often completely misinterpret a lot of the things dogs do. Just because they’re wagging their tail—whether out of joy or excitement—doesn’t mean they know they’ve been naughty. The same goes for when they paw at your leg to get your attention. They might look sheepish, look away, or hang their head, but none of that proves they actually "know". It might seem like a minor point, but it’s exactly why delayed punishment is pointless and only causes more stress.
Just how attached are they? Getting a dog behaviourist involved might be a good idea ;)
He definitely knows because, after a while, I’ve found there are signs that don't lie! When I get back to the flat and see he’s been naughty, I don't say a word. Then, a few minutes later, I walk over to the mess and he starts wagging his tail and pawing at my leg... I don’t say anything at all. I’m convinced he knows! We’ve left him on his own since he was a puppy, and over time the length of time he’s left alone has actually got shorter. He’s very attached to us, especially to my partner. When we leave, we don't do anything special—no big goodbyes or anything. Anyway, as soon as we grab our coats, he gets it. He goes out every day, several times! And yes, he has toys to shred, but he’s not all that interested in them. When he’s with us, he’s as good as gold!
Be careful with this common myth; it can be quite dangerous. A dog doesn’t actually know they’ve misbehaved; they simply did what they felt they needed to do at the time, and by the time you get back, it’s already forgotten (not because they have a poor memory, but because they don't make the connection). What gives that impression of "him knowing" is actually his reaction to our bad mood, our anger, or the fact he’s come to expect us to be cross when we walk through the door. Telling him off is pointless and risks making the problem even worse.
If he’s always done this, you need to ask yourself:
How was he taught to be left alone?
Does he have toys he’s allowed to shred or chew?
Is he being left on his own for too long?
Do you make a big ritual out of leaving the house?
Is he getting a walk every day?
Here are a few points to consider to help your dog reach a stage where they no longer feel the need to be destructive.
Blimey, I wasn't expecting such a debate :s Our dog has always been a bit of a destroyer since he was a pup (furniture, doors, all sorts of things...) and as for telling him off, I can tell you he gets a proper telling off every time and he knows it himself when he’s been naughty. He only does it when we're out. He hadn't damaged anything for a while, but today, here we go again. We know what he’s like, so before we head out, we move everything out of his reach. I haven’t got a clue why he decided to attack the corner of the armrest today and not on previous days... Anyway, what’s done is done. I just wanted to know if any of you have dealt with this issue and what your solutions were. Surely there must be some 'indestructible' covers out there for exactly this kind of thing, right?
Sorry if I’m saying things you might not want to hear. At some point, you’ve just got to admit when you’re in the wrong, don’t you think? Anyway, if you want to keep settling scores, take it to PMs and definitely not in a post. I don’t want to derail the thread.
Getting back to the topic—yes, sometimes ignoring the behaviour can work wonders. For now, I’ll wait for the answers to my questions so I can get a better handle on the dog's behaviour.
