# chewing help!! suggestions please!



## ACarnegie19 (Jan 15, 2007)

My german shepherd beagle mix house trained easily and it working on his people skills however, when i'm gone to work, he usually never chews but when he does, he chews the box spring on my bed!! First he chewed the bottom out of it, then he worked on the covering. I put a cover over it and he stayed away from it for a few nights then this morning i came home and he had chewed up the cover, and somehow moved the mattress over to chew on the cardboard that covers the top!! Why does he insist on chewing on my box spring???? Other than this, he is for the most part, learning very nicely. Help!!!


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## Kerry (Jan 12, 2007)

You must just love coming home to that after work! What is your schedule like? Do you have a crate? Maybe you could set up an area, including his open crate, where he can hang out safely when you're not home. Sort of like a big playpen. Dogs can do a lot of damage when they are alone, can't they? My dog is in her crate all night while we sleep...would that be an option for you? I guess it would depend on what your days are like, too...Good luck!


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## MagicToller (Jan 4, 2007)

The dog is most likely bored and anxious from being alone and left with not not much to do (but chew). This is easily solveable, but you must also crate train the dog as mentioned above to give him a safe and quiet area filled with toys like buster cubes and filled kongs to keep him entertained. Here's an article on crate training: 

http://www.hsus.org/pets/pet_care/o...m/dog_behavior_tip_sheets/crate_training.html


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## harleynstorm (Jan 14, 2007)

When I got my first dobie he was a chewer also. I kept him in a crate while I was at work and at night while we slept with his own chew toys. He is a little over a year now and we leave him loose in the house all day and he only chews on his toys or rawhide bones. I think crate training is a good idea. I just wouldn't force it, make it a happy place. Hope this helps.


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## DogAdvocat (Nov 30, 2006)

ACarnegie19 said:


> My german shepherd beagle mix house trained easily and it working on his people skills however, when i'm gone to work, he usually never chews but when he does, he chews the box spring on my bed!! First he chewed the bottom out of it, then he worked on the covering. I put a cover over it and he stayed away from it for a few nights then this morning i came home and he had chewed up the cover, and somehow moved the mattress over to chew on the cardboard that covers the top!! Why does he insist on chewing on my box spring???? Other than this, he is for the most part, learning very nicely. Help!!!


There's really no way to know, without a nanny-cam, why he is picking on that particular object to chew, but it could be because he hears a squeak, maybe one that you can't even hear, that causes him to start searching for it by digging and chewing.

Since you've said that he doesn't chew anything else, why not just close the bedroom door?


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## ACarnegie19 (Jan 15, 2007)

Well I live with my step dad and he wants the dog kept in my room at night. I leave the door open with a baby gate. I also leave the tv on, which helps a little however, he is still chewing. Now, he pulls my mattress off the box spring. Doesn't really chew it but likes to take my bed all apart. I don't have a crate so I can't do that. I appreciate all the help however, can you think of anything else?????


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## Curbside Prophet (Apr 28, 2006)

What's this dog's daily schedule like? What provisions have you made to mentally, physically, and socially stimulate this dog?


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