Chewing up the crate mat (clean, vet, toy, aggressive)
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My dog chews up any crate mat or pad that we put in his crate. He does it sometime in the middle of the night when I'm not awake to correct him. I have bought several different types of pads and they all come to the same end. Once he works a little hole in the pad, he pulls out all the cushioning and the thing is headed to the trash.
My husband says this means "no more mats" and that he can just sleep on the plastic liner. Sometimes I put an old towel in there, but he just scrunches it up and it seems to take up more room than provide any benefit.
Since I can't do much about this in the middle of the night (I have never caught him chewing up his bed during the light of day), I guess he is destined to sleep on the hard plastic. Any other ideas or thoughts?
A lot of folks go to the farm store and get horse stall mats and cut them up. That is the best route if you can wrestle them into a vehicle and have the patience to cut them up. I think they are 4 feet by 6 feet and about a half inch thick and aroud $50 - you can also wipe them clean instead of having to wash them which never seems satisfactory.
I have some thick rubber mats I got from Lowes and cut up. If the crate small you can get by with cutting up a thick rubber welcome mat - not a wimpy mat one of those thick heavy rubber things. Also throw something safe in the crate for the dog to chew on.
For now take out the mats - I had a $700 vet bill teach me that lesson for an aggressive chewer.
I agree....something flat and low...like the rubber mat described above...something that is hard for him to grab and chew. I wonder if he is bored at night..and reverts to chewing?
Again, agreed...throw something in there that he can gnaw on in his boredom....but something SAFE! Not like the rubber toy described in another thread, where he can injure him self. My Goldens gnaw on NylaBones. If they should ever chip a piece off it would have to be a very tiny piece and would not harm them.
I never even thought about a rubber mat! Great idea. He really only chews stuffed, fabric type items. He'll gnaw on a Kong or Nyla Bone, but the destructive chewing is reserved for fabric.
I have a feeling he does most of the chewing soon after being moved to his crate at night - kind of like a little kid sucking his thumb. I think it is a little soothing and his way of winding down. Regardless, I can't indulge it as chewing stuff up isn't safe!
We'll get a rubber mat this weekend and see how he does!
My dog (a jack russell) does the same thing.....only with certain items. She had a doggy bed for about 5 years that she LOVED.....that we smushed into the crate and she always slept with that and loved it dearly.....but the thing had to go.....so we got rid of it and ever since, she pretty much hates just about anything we put in there for her....she pulls it out during the day and mangles it. The only thing she doesn't do that with is just a plain old bath towel.............have no idea why she hates all the other really nice expensive things we have gotten her??!!!! Too funny.............
I found with my puppy that she was getting bored and chewing through anything we put in there, including blankets! My vet recommended to take her on a 15 to 30 minute walk/run (enough to make her tired) before putting her in the crate.
I also was recommended by someone at Petco to get a large kong, fill it with a mix of her breakfast or dinner and peanut butter and then freeze it overnight. If I let it freeze all night it usually takes her about an hour or two to get it all out. And she loves it!
When I do the two of these tricks together I found that she is busy and too tired to be interested in destroying anything. Hope this helps!
Wouldn't you perform acts of frustration if you were locked in a cage without knowing why for a long time too? If possible, get a dog gate and just leave him in a room instead. Also, to relieve some of the separation anxiety, try not to make it a big deal to the dog when you leave or return (though it's hard not to give a big greeting to your friend that wants to greet you so badly). It will take some time to make the conversion, so be patient, but this is probably the best solution for all parties. Good luck!
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