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
The forum content is sometimes translated from another language, and posts may concern countries with different animal laws. Do your research before making any decisions.
Since the forum is translated by AI, the translations may contain errors.
Since when is my advice "wrong"? You’ve already admitted yourself that you aren't a professional, so how can you have the nerve to claim my advice is incorrect? Anyway...
I’m not being aggressive; I just believe in speaking my mind when things need to be said.
And yes, you could definitely do with some lessons in basic manners, because reading back through some of your comments on other threads is quite shocking. If anything, you’re the one being aggressive and talking down to people.
I completely agree with Marjo—ignoring the dog for 30 minutes before you leave and for 30 minutes when you get home is the first step to avoiding any destructive behaviour. It also helps him get used to your absences. He’s bound to come and give you a big, excited welcome, but if he does, just gently nudge him away. Don’t give him any attention at all, and then once the 30 minutes are up, you can give him some reunion cuddles. This will help the dog become totally independent and learn how to stay home alone (unless, of course, there’s another underlying issue causing the destruction).
Anthony, why are you being so aggressive? I’m just giving advice and telling you that yours isn’t necessarily right for this type of issue.
Putting a throw or a cover on the sofa won't solve anything. Even with a cover, the dog can still wreck the armrest because he'll be able to tell exactly what it is, as the cover just takes the shape of the sofa.
Isolating the dog: same again, it won't fix the problem and might even make his destructive streak worse. Shutting him away or isolating him isn't the best advice to give. A dog should be allowed to roam the whole house—especially a large dog—and he could end up with some serious issues if he's stuck in the kitchen. Besides, if he’s a chewer, nothing’s going to stop him from destroying the chairs, the table, or the corners of the furniture. If you were giving good advice, I wouldn’t be correcting you, but what you’re suggesting is really quite poor, as it could lead to other behavioural problems beyond just destruction.
No, I’m not a behaviourist or a trainer, and I don’t work in the pet industry at all, but that doesn't mean I can't comment on your advice, which isn't right for this dog’s situation. Everything you’re suggesting is just about avoiding the chewing problem rather than actually dealing with it, and that’s not what needs to happen. Also, we need more info on his destructive patterns—does he only do it when left alone, or even when someone is there? And how old is he? If he’s a puppy, chewing is perfectly normal behaviour.
I’d suggest @Sharpouille gets in touch with a proper behaviourist who can help figure out what’s going on and find the right solution. You’ll never find a professional behaviourist giving advice that only avoids the issue.
Manners? And why would I need those? As far as I’m concerned, I haven’t said anything out of line and I haven't been disrespectful. I just criticised your advice because it isn’t good. Whether you accept that or not is one thing, but don’t go telling me I need to learn some manners—it’s not me who needs them, it’s you. I’m not trying to school you on the breed; I’m just trying to help someone who needs it. There’s a big difference between sharing an opinion and giving bad advice.
A Shar Pei jumping way over a fence? I’ve got two and they’ve never jumped a gate in their lives. And you’re certainly not going to teach me anything I don’t already know about the breed. Anyway, I’ve given my opinion; tough luck if it doesn’t suit you (I’m not saying the things I mentioned are the best solutions, far from it).
At the end of the day, you’re neither a behaviourist nor a trainer, so what gives you the right to judge what I’m saying? If you’re advising @Tyson to see a behaviourist, I’d suggest you do the same. A few lessons in basic manners wouldn’t go amiss, I reckon.
There are plenty of solutions out there, and not just one. Shutting the dog in a room or putting them in a room with just a pet gate amounts to the same thing. Besides, a Shar Pei will easily jump over one of those. Whatever happens, you need to deal with the problem rather than just avoiding it, as it’ll never stop if nothing is done. A behaviourist could help, but there’s always a way to sort it out yourself.
I didn't say shut them away; you can get gates to section off rooms. How are you supposed to stop a dog from eating whatever it fancies if you aren't there? There aren't exactly loads of options, aside from the ones already mentioned in this thread.
Shutting a dog away isn’t the answer, and it could actually make the destructive behaviour worse. You shouldn’t be avoiding the problem; you need to address it. Plus, even with a cover, the armrests will still be visible to the dog since a slipcover just takes the shape of the sofa.
Yes, I know @leati, but the fact that the armrests are covered up and no longer in the dog's sight might help sort the problem out. Well, failing that, I think the only solution is to keep the dog in the kitchen, for example, while you're out.
Anthony: Shar Peis have very powerful jaws. A sofa cover won't make any difference to the chewing, because if he sinks his teeth into the sofa, the cover is going to get chewed up too.
