# Aaaaaaarrrrrrgggggghhhh!



## Bax* (Dec 14, 2008)

So I am about at my wits end and am hoping for some ideas with my 9 month old lab.

I decided to crate train my dog long before I even bought her, and she seems to really be comfortable with it as well. But the problem I am running into is when I am away or in bed. She tears everything up in her crate and shreds everything soft that she can get her teeth into. So I am now on my 4th pillow in about 4 months and cant figure out how to keep her from tearing everything up when she is in there.

So in an effort to get her to stop this, I have wrapped the pillow in towels and used safety pins to hold them on, but she still works at it until she can get to a corner and tear at it. But I have also put some nylon bones to chew on in her crate but it only keeps her entertained for a short while.

I know a lot of people are going to tell me to stop putting a pillow in there, but the problem that is frustrating me is that any bedding that we give her gets destroyed and makes a huge mess each time she tears at it. We have used blankets, towels, and pillows but she just goes nuts on them after we are out of sight. I dont want to be a jerk and just make my dog sleep in a cold basement on the bottom of a wire crate. But it feels like it is getting to that point unless I can come up with a solution.

My observations are: 1) she isnt upset about being in there because she doesnt whine or make any noises and is generally excited to get into the crate at bedtime. 2) she must be bored, otherwise I dont think she would be shredding up her pillow and blankets. 3) she knows she did something I dont approve of because when I come down to let her out, she acts ashamed.

Any ideas?


----------



## a_bow_nut (Feb 25, 2009)

Our wire crates came wih a hard plastic tray for the bottom of them. If your has that then you might want to put that in the bottom and then put something under it to insulate it from the floor so that she isn't sitting right on the cement and let her grow up some. My lab was the same way when he was young. everything had to be unstuffed or ripped to shreds but as time went by he out grew that and just liked to lay on his bed.


----------



## Bax* (Dec 14, 2008)

Sadly she chewed the plastic tray! But I was thinking of just putting a piece of plywood there in its place


----------



## shootemup (Nov 30, 2008)

the problem is bored dogs destroy things, not because they are bad but because they are bored. Ya you put chew toys in but those do get old eventually. That is just my experience.


----------



## coachchris (Dec 5, 2010)

My lab used to do that, she eventually grew out of it. It was always worse if she wasn't adequately exercised during the day. If I could work her enough during the day she would just sleep in the crate. She is a little over two now and the only time she really starts to chew on things if she wasn't worked during the day.


----------



## Huge29 (Sep 17, 2007)

coachchris said:


> My lab used to do that, she eventually grew out of it. It was always worse if she wasn't adequately exercised during the day. If I could work her enough during the day she would just sleep in the crate. She is a little over two now and the only time she really starts to chew on things if she wasn't worked during the day.


Ditto, mine is now 3-1/2 and calm as can be. At least with males you can have them fixed and they chill out. They seem to just get it after a while and that is just a stage for most, some never grow out of it, just like diapers and destroying all of your stuff. Good luck!


----------



## Bax* (Dec 14, 2008)

Man I hope I can come up with something. Chaser and I worked with our dogs today and did some training with them so she should have been plum tuckered out, but I guess not enough to keep her from chewing.

I just wish there was something to keep her from being so bored in there when she is alone.


----------



## JuddCT (Sep 7, 2007)

My 6 month WPG is crate trained and sleeps on the plastic insert. She also has a really cheap fleece blanket in there that we rotate out (we have three total) to mix things up. We also rotate out three different nylabones (she reall likes this). I really also like some of those Kong toys which get rotated out with everything else. It is almost like she gets a "new" toy/blanket/treat every week. But I totally second the "wear them out philosophy". I take my pup running before bed each night and my wife takes her out for a jog during the day. The dog sleeps like a baby.


----------



## JERRY (Sep 30, 2007)

If your putting a cover over the bedding part I have had the same experience. I finally sprayed hot sauce on the bedding part and still covered it so as not to have it get any where else. Got at it one time and it was over. No more bed chewing!

Just a thought!  They also make a spray at the doggie stores that you can spray on your stairs or where ever they like to chew. Go to petsmart and ask them.


----------



## 400BULL (Nov 16, 2007)

I have a nearly 4 month old lab that I started crate training the day I brought him home. To date I have not had any problem with him chowing on his bedding (knock on wood!!!!.....). Part of that might be because he gets plenty of exercise through out the day. I take him for 1-2 mile walk every morning along with so obedience training and retrieving, my wife walks him to the bus stop and back with the kids, and the kids take him out as soon as they get home from school to play with him. On top of all that I usually try to get some more training in the evening as well as some TV time with him. The thing that I think keeps him from chewing his bedding is his bedding is made out of a couple canvas game bags that I picked up from Sportsman several years ago. I have noticed that he tries to chew on them once in a while but the bags a pretty stout and hold up to his chewing. After chewing on it for a while he looses interest just like he does on all his other toys.

400bull


----------



## xxxxxxBirdDogger (Mar 7, 2008)

I don't know about all this "He'll grow out of it" stuff. I've got an 8 year old Lab who will chew through anything you can put in front of him, chain link kennels included. He can't chew through this:
http://priefert.com/ProductDetails/kennels-51/premier-kennel-kits-237/kk65101
Retrievers are mouthy. They chew everything. They are bred to use their mouth, and use it they will. Exercise helps. Proper containment solves the problem.


----------



## Chaser (Sep 28, 2007)

I posted the same thing over on UBD, but maybe you should put some carpet or something under the crate so it pokes through somewhat. That should give here a softer place to lie down, without giving her an outright chew toy inside.


----------



## Fowlmouth (Oct 4, 2008)

You can put foam insulation under the crate too. My lab is almost 4 years old and still drags his blankets out of his dog house and rips them to shreds (after he humps them). When I put him in his crate at night he never touches the bedding in there. I have never seen a dog so excited to get kenneled at night, he absolutely goes crazy when it's bed time and can't wait to get in his crate.


----------



## Theekillerbee (Jan 8, 2009)

First off, don't worry about your dog on a hard floor. They are built to handle them. Heck, labs swim in ice water, so I guarantee your dog won't mind something cool in the basement.

If you insist on letting the dog have bedding, you will need to break them from chewing with an e-collar. Set up a little place you can spy on them without the dog knowing you are there. When the dog starts chewing and digging, apply the pressure. You'll want higher stimulation than when training, but it won't take long for the dog to realize it is not fun to chew on stuff in the crate.


----------



## Bax* (Dec 14, 2008)

My biggest worry is having her sleep on wire on the bottom of the crate. Can you imagine how your back would feel!? :shock: 

She chewed up the tray that used to be in the bottom of the crate, so I just dont want to make my dog be miserable at night because she is sleeping on wire bars then she wont want to kennel up at night


----------



## Theekillerbee (Jan 8, 2009)

You can take the dimensions of the crate to a sheet metal shop, have them make you a 24 ga rolled edge plate you can place in the bottom. I doubt the dog would have much luck chewing on that.


----------



## Leaky (Sep 11, 2007)

Now this is going to be way, waaaaaaay, out for ya. You might, and I say *might*, try to let her sleep with ya a few nights unless that it's wayyyyy, out of being acceptable. Sparky has been a wonderful house/family member and never had a chewing problem from 6 wks., he's 9 now. All my hunting dogs have been house dogs and great hunting dogs. Yeah, I know, not really the norm for hunting dogs but ?????


----------



## Theekillerbee (Jan 8, 2009)

Leaky said:


> Now this is going to be way, waaaaaaay, out for ya. You might, and I say *might*, try to let her sleep with ya a few nights unless that it's wayyyyy, out of being acceptable. Sparky has been a wonderful house/family member and never had a chewing problem from 6 wks., he's 9 now. All my hunting dogs have been house dogs and great hunting dogs. Yeah, I know, not really the norm for hunting dogs but ?????


Holy crap, The Sparkinator is already 9?!?!?! Seems like yesterday you just got him....oh how time flies. Give him a good pat on the head for me Fred.


----------



## Huge29 (Sep 17, 2007)

BirdDogger said:


> I don't know about all this "He'll grow out of it" stuff. I've got an 8 year old Lab who will chew through anything you can put in front of him, chain link kennels included.


It is certainly a personality thing. My 3-year old is as calm as can be and hasn't chewed anything in almost 2 years. Previous female was fixed and was nearly identical. However, my dad had the pointing lab and she chewed until at least 6, so there certainly are exceptions.


----------



## M Gayler (Oct 3, 2010)

That's a lab puppy! Good luck hope she grows out of it some never do


----------



## ScottyP (Sep 12, 2007)

Leaky, are you suggesting letting a pup who is chewing up it's own bedding be allowed the run of the bedroom at night? I don't see that as a viable solution. 

I would suggest getting a different crate and selling your old one. I have been crate training my new pup for the last 10 weeks in a plastic airline-type crate. There is no bedding in there, she just sleeps on the plastic floor. My wife wondered if she would get cold without bedding, but I pointed out that the pup likes to go out in the snow and lay down in it any chance she gets! All that goes in the crate is a kong that I'll put cream cheese in and another plastic toy that she can manipulate to get treats to fall out of. She is quiet in the crate and enters on command. 

Even if your basement is 60 degrees, we are talking about a lab with a double coat here. She will be plenty warm sleeping in a plastic crate with no bedding or insulation. Give her a couple indestructible toys to chew on and your problem is solved.


----------



## Bax* (Dec 14, 2008)

I definitely cant let her sleep with me. The wife is allergic (and I am a little too). 

We went camping a few months ago and the darn dog climbed all over me all night. She will likely never have the option of sleeping with me after that miserable night!

So I took horsesma's advice and put hot sauce on the areas that she liked to chew and she has thus far stopped chewing on those spots  Thanks for the suggestion!


----------



## 90redryder (Oct 10, 2011)

My dog used to have a similar problem in his crate... only he didnt shred things, he had to take a dump on anything we put in his crate. So we stopped giving him soft bedding. He did just fine, dogs are tough they dont need fancy bedding. He finally outgrew the problem and everything is fine now.


----------



## 90redryder (Oct 10, 2011)

By the way, lets see a picture of this young lab.


----------



## Bax* (Dec 14, 2008)

90redryder said:


> By the way, lets see a picture of this young lab.


This is the most recent pic I have of Lucy. Its from A few days after Christmas


----------

