[Sammy's Daddy]

I need some help with a chewing situation. When Sammy (10 months)is in her crate she shreds anything and everything that is in the crate. She is in the crate during the day when we're at work, and gets out for about 40 minutes during lunch hour. I tried not putting anything in the crate, but then she peed in there. Today I gave her a new blanket and 2 toys and It is all shredded. Does anyone have a suggestion, or solution to my problem. TIA

 

[brandyb]

I don't really have a solution, but a friend of mine who apoted Caesar's sister has the same problem. Every day she shreds the towel placed in her crate so they just go to a second-hand store and buy a bunch of old towels for very little money and use those everyday. I still think that would become costly though. Have you tried spraying the towel/blanket with Bitter Apple. Apparently they don't mind the smell, they just don't like the taste. I spray it on everything that Caesar chews. Good Luck!

 

[RhodaTse]

Welcome to BW!!
Oh no, I think this is a bigger problem, what I understand is dogs will not mess up their own den. The only thing I can think of is she is anxious, bore. She is afraid even in her own crate. How long you have been crate training her?
Can you take the crate to your bedroom at night and let her sleep in your room in the crate? Making sure she is safe call out to her every now and then. That's how I trained Charlie in the beginning. As long as she feels safe in the crate, she won't try to destroy it. Sorry, can't help you with much, I'm sure other members are very experienced.


Charlie mom

 

[we3beagles]

She will also need something to do all day. Get her a black kong toy and fill it with peanut butter and cheese and freeze it so it will last longer. Don't give her anything she can choke on or shred when she chews it. No greenies, rawhides, pig ears or nylabones just in case. The black kong is designed for the most tenacious of chewers.
Does she need to be in her crate or is there a place in the house she can be gated in until she gets used to the crate? Loads of dogs will not take naturally to a crate and must be crate trained. Give her her meals in there, all treats. Eventually she will associate good things with her crate, but if you continue to put her in there and she keeps freaking out she will associate it with a bad place.

 

[jmd1021]

Our little Moji is a bit similar. She is almost 11 weeks but we don't crate train her. However, we were having problems with her peeing where she sleeps which in this case would be the crate...what we did and noticed worked was that she put one of our sweaters or shirts on her bed and the familiar scent made her feel much more comfortable and safe..and helped with her peeing issues...Maybe also, leave a radio on or television on while you're away at work...

Regarding the chewing part...sorry I can't help..

Hope things get better!

 

[jassy]

Maggie is a chewer also. She has shredded so many beds, blanket, towels etc. She will eat the pieces so I have to be so careful what she has with her. I leave her with a frozen black Kong in the morning. So far the Kuranda bed is intact and unchewed. We also leave her with one of those hard white sterlized bones. She has had it about three months and it has barely a mark in it. I leave the smaller one in there because I know she can't get her jaw caught in it.My vet said that was pretty safe and that she probably couldn't chew pieces off. I also make sure to give Maggie plenty of play time before we leave in morning. We play ball and tug of war and she follows me around as I get ready. My dad lets her out for about an hour midday and then someone is home by 3. She has learned the routine and goes right to her crate when we get ready to leave. I think she sleeps and then when she wakes up she works on the Kong.

 

[Sammy's Daddy]

Thanks everyone for your quick replies!
I've been lurking on here for the last few months, and have really enjoyed how frienly this board is. Plus how can you not fall in love with all of the precious beagles.
OK, back to the subject of Sammy's chewing. She really doesn't chew that often when she is not in her crate. So I do think it has something to do with anxiety. We leave the radio on for her, and she always gets a red kong with some peanut butter and a treat stuffed in it. I haven't put her in the crate over night for a couple of months now, she just sleeps in her bed that sits on top of her crate. We have a pet gate and doors in the kitchen so Sammy could be kept in there out of the crate, but I haven't gotten comfortable with her staying in there out of fear that she will chew something she's not supposed to. We rent the house!
Thanks again and we'll just keep on working with the crate training.

 

[RhodaTse]

If you choose to crate train, do it as a possitive thing, never a punishment. Everytime you put her in, give her a treat and praise her continously, even sneak her a treat through the door. The best time is when you are at home watching her, perhaps sleep time. Stay with her and keep praising her, it may sound very silly, but she appreciates it. As I said maybe possible move the crate in your room, so she knows it is bed time. I do not usually put anything in the crate, I guess you may do so.
Crate training for puppy will be much easier on you and for the pup too. During the day I do not crate him for more than 4 hours, he is out once I'm home. Any question, please ask, I try my best, and I'm sure more advise will come from other members.


Charlie mom

 

[cschissler]

TIA

Sammy, being a typical Beagle pup is probably full of energy and wants nothing more than to spend loads of time with the pack leader (you). All the replies I've read offer pretty good advice but be sure you are exercising Sammy every day. Sammy loves and needs the exercise to work off some of that energgy each day. Sammy can even learn to walk on a tredmill quite easily if you don't have the area to exercise outside or for inclement days.

That coupled with the crate training may help you. You sure don't want her to think its okay to pee in the crate as it can be pretty hard to break. Also, I presume that the crate is just a little bigger than Sammy. Don't let the crate be too big. Instinctually, Sammy won't want to pee where she sleeps.

Good luck. I'm sure you have a great pup.

 

[Sammy's Daddy]

Thanks everyone for your help. Just to shed a little more lite on our peeing in the crate issue. Sammy is only in there during the day when we are gone. Usually @ 5 hour intervals, sometimes more. I totally understand her not being able to hold it for 6+ hours being a puppy and all, but when she's not in the crate she can go 9-10 hours without going. She doesn't sleep in the crate at night, but in her bed that is on her crate. Recently she slept in the bed with us for a couple of nights, and I put her bed in by us so we could sleep better. (Everyone that lets thier beagle sleep with them can relate) She didn't like that so now she sleeps on the couch without incident until I wake her up in the morning.

So is this wrong and should I just not use the crate during the day?
My only fear is that she will chew everything up in the kitchen(That's the only room that we can gate off. When the weather gets nicer, I'm going to try small intervals of being gone and see how she does and maybe she'll be a good girl and earn her way out of the crate. Thanks again for all of the replies.
Joe