# Dog ripping apart couch cushions - help!



## TobyJohn (Jan 21, 2013)

My almost-12-month old cockapoo has recently started digging into the couch cushions. We have tried everything to get him to stop. The "off" command, which he is usually pretty good about, doesn't do a thing. Squirting with water, time outs, etc. 

Well, he managed to break the zipper on one of the cushions, and he ripped out a bunch of stuffing and made a big mess. I fixed the zipper, cleaned up the mess......but he continues to do it over and over again.

We walk him 30 minutes in the morning, and 30 minutes in the afternoon. We play with him constantly, throwing toys and running around the house. We have purchased all kinds of "puzzle" toys for him, where he does have to forrage and search and work to get his treats. 

But he still rips apart my couch. 

I need advice immediately. I am at a total loss.


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## Hambonez (Mar 17, 2012)

Don't leave him unsupervised in the room with the couch. If you can't be in there with him, then he needs to be crated or put into a room with nothing he can destroy.


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## georgiapeach (Mar 17, 2012)

Put the dog on his leash (yes, in the house), and don't allow the dog on any furniture - period. Crate the dog when you're not directly supervising, and/or tether the dog to you with the leash. This includes when cooking, showering, taking care of the kids, getting dressed, etc. If the dog starts destroying its bed, remove it. Dogs can get into a LOT of trouble in a very short time, as you've discovered!


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## TobyJohn (Jan 21, 2013)

It's frustrating, because we HAVE done the leash thing, when he was a new pup, and it worked so well! People made fun of us, but we stuck to it. Now, at 1-year old, I am getting tired of having to still CONSTANTLY be watching this dog. Don't people EVER leave their dogs unsupervised? My daughters and I have to take shifts to make sure that someone is always downstairs with him. I expect this during the puppy stage, but when will it end?

In the meantime, I guess we will go back to the leash. 

Any more advice would be VERY welcome!! TIA!!


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## WonderBreadDots (Jun 26, 2012)

My guess is someone is eating on the couch and maybe wiping their hands on the cushions or food is falling inbetween the cushions if this just came on suddenly. Still keep the dog off the couch, but that could be why.


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## hueyeats (Apr 2, 2013)

^^^ good points about someone eating on the couch... that could be the culprit.

I have 2 set of couches...















Roman know he is not allowed on this one.

One as show piece (quiet guest talk space kinda thing)... 








Roman's favourite snooze couch.

the other to beat up (family room TV piece) for munching on snacks, play games with Roman, happi place (with food smells Roman likes).

Either... if Roman were to destroy... I'll just subject as will of God, so won't blame Roman.
I do have insurances to cover for the JIC for one piece.... so won't be too big of a loss.


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## Hambonez (Mar 17, 2012)

TobyJohn said:


> It's frustrating, because we HAVE done the leash thing, when he was a new pup, and it worked so well! People made fun of us, but we stuck to it. Now, at 1-year old, I am getting tired of having to still CONSTANTLY be watching this dog. Don't people EVER leave their dogs unsupervised? My daughters and I have to take shifts to make sure that someone is always downstairs with him. I expect this during the puppy stage, but when will it end?
> 
> In the meantime, I guess we will go back to the leash.
> 
> Any more advice would be VERY welcome!! TIA!!


I knew a dog that could not be left unsupervised ever her entire life. She lived to be, I think 16 or 17, and if you weren't watching her she had to go in her crate because she would eat anything that would fit down her throat. For some dogs, it doesn't end! Fortunately mine can be left alone, though we don't give him full run of the house with no one home. If he isn't crated he's gated into the living room, but I have to make sure the entire living room is picked up because if he finds paper or writing utensils he will destroy them... so books and things have to be put away, tissues have to be put away, pretty much anything plastic other than his toys... once that's done, he's fine. If I don't have time to clean, then he gets crated. 

One thought I had - if your dog is into "digging" - could you give him an outlet to dig? My dog is a digger (dachshund mix!) and he has a sandbox that he can dig in. He knows the command "dig dig!" and if you show him where he can dig he'll go to town. It's actually really helpful when we're preparing garden beds!!


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## doxiemommy (Dec 18, 2009)

I agree no access to furniture, but I am a big softie, so I might allow him on the couch IF and only if I was on the couch too. I would also teach an "off" command, for any time it even looks like he's going to start digging. I have dachshunds, known diggers, and we have given them lots of soft fleece blankets to nest, dig, burrow under, etc. This might help your dog not feel the need to dig the cushion.


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## zeronightfarm (Jun 15, 2011)

I have a dog that can't be left unsupervised. I crate her when I can't keep an eye on her.


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## TobyJohn (Jan 21, 2013)

doxiemommy said:


> I agree no access to furniture, but I am a big softie, so I might allow him on the couch IF and only if I was on the couch too. I would also teach an "off" command, for any time it even looks like he's going to start digging. I have dachshunds, known diggers, and we have given them lots of soft fleece blankets to nest, dig, burrow under, etc. This might help your dog not feel the need to dig the cushion.



My pup DESTROYS blankets! Tears them to pieces. I'm hoping he will outgrow this. It's very tiring.


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## doxiemommy (Dec 18, 2009)

What if you gave him his own blankets, that he COULD destroy? Go to the fabric store, buy some fleece, cut into smallish blankets, and let him have at it. Throw away the bits, and don't give them to him unless you are there to supervise, because you don't want him to ingest parts of them. But, at least it's not your cushions, and, it's fairly cheap.


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## Amaryllis (Dec 28, 2011)

12 months is awfully early for unsupervised time. Normally, dogs don't calm down until 2 at the earliest. My previous dog didn't calm down until around age 5 and I've known dogs that never calmed down.


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## seaboxador (Sep 23, 2012)

What training did the dog have as a puppy?


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## TobyJohn (Jan 21, 2013)

seaboxador said:


> What training did the dog have as a puppy?


We went to PetSmart and did a 6-week class, and it was great. My daughters and I all faithfully did the homework, and Toby was the only puppy at the end of the session to be able to do everything she taught us to do with him. He went through a nasty little adolescent phase a while back, where he seemed to forget everything and he was mouthing again a lot, and even having accidents in the house. So every time he had a setback, we went back to puppy training to fix it.

But nothing is working this time. I'm distressed.


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## theyogachick (Aug 2, 2009)

TobyJohn said:


> We went to PetSmart and did a 6-week class, and it was great. My daughters and I all faithfully did the homework, and Toby was the only puppy at the end of the session to be able to do everything she taught us to do with him. He went through a nasty little adolescent phase a while back, where he seemed to forget everything and he was mouthing again a lot, and even having accidents in the house. So every time he had a setback, we went back to puppy training to fix it.
> 
> But nothing is working this time. I'm distressed.


You haven't tried everything, so don't get too distressed. There are plenty of things you can do.

One, limit access to the couch. 

Two, teach a command that is incompatible with the couch...like the "place" or "mat" command. If the dog goes towards the couch, give them the "place" command. Can't be in two places at once.

Three, if what you are doing isn't working, stop doing it. It is only frustrating you.

Inspect the couch. See if there is food or something in it.

And I agree that 12 months is too young to be unsupervised. It will get easier, but just because you have taken a dog to training classes does not mean that all your problems are over. You have a good place to start, but you have to build. Teach the dog what behaviors you want. Reward for good things (so, if he goes for his bed instead of the couch, reward).

You will get there. It will just take time.


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