Vertical blinds and dogs: Am I just being paranoid? (rescue, chewing, best)

[titaniummd]

I have a set of vertical blinds that cover a 3 panel sliding glass door that spans 14 feet. It was quite expensive, to say the least.

Since I have had the dog, it has been 'open' meaning the shade is not accessible. However, I have a concern that the dog may pee onto it or worse off scratch at it (like paper) and make a $1600+ USD mistake.

He has not attacked the blinds on the other doors, yet (knock on wood - knock, knock, knock). He is a one year old rescue (male Bichon) that hasn't destroyed anything, yet.

Do I have cause for concern? Am I just being paranoid?

[cleosmom]

Does the door lead to the yard? If so perhaps he's wanting to go outside. Otherwise he might just be merely wanting to see outside.

[chick]

Take the blind off until he dies..lol. You've been lucky. I have lost 4 blinds so far. Mine were not expensive like yours, nonetheless I am blindless on the opening side of the slider (actually a French door) and 3 front windows. Don't take a chance with that nice blind.

[pinetreelover]

It sounds like he hasn't done anything wrong yet so I would go ahead and expose him to the blinds (close them) while you are around to supervise. If he shows any interest at all - sniffing, nosing... - I would give him a squirt of water in the face. Don't wait for him to get close at all to any chewing or scratching. Squirt him just for thinking about it. He'll get the hint that it is just best to leave those blinds alone altogether!

[Wi_Girl]

We just had our dog tear up some blinds on our windows. It never fails....he didnt do it for THREE YEARS since we've been in the house and it was just about a month ago, he got upset we had a busy week and were in and out and we came home to ripped blinds.

[nicolepsy]

to be on the safe side i would keep the blinds open at all times and if you have those strings cords to open the blinds i would hang those up someway to prevent any possible accidents like your daught getting caught it in. i dont know if youre worried about hanging accidents but i know that you shouldnt have the blinds with cords in a babies room because of it and since dogs can be like babies............

[Racelady88]

I have vertical blinds on every window. My dog & my cat both stick their head through to see, but I have never had a problem with either of them harming the blinds. If your blinds are the cloth type with the cord at the bottom you may wish to remove the cord.

[citybythebay]

I agree with what Evey said about cutting the cord at the bottom if that's the kind you have.
My cat several years ago got tangled in between the cords and nearly choked herself
to death...she was in the house for at least 8 hours while I was at work and when I arrived home that's when I found her.
She survived...but it was a close call and a lesson learned about vertical blinds.
The ones I have now were expensive, but kitty is no longer with us and I usually leave them in the open position during the day. (For the dogs)

[eggalegga]

I have verticals on my living room window and my kitchen slider. In the 9 years I've lived in my house neither dog has ever bothered the blinds whether they're open, closed or slighty open. They like sticking their heads through the openings between the slats to look outside. I have a doggie door so they can easily go outside when they want.

[titaniummd]

Ours is a cordless vertical blind. You just push the 'bar' open and pull the bar to close it. I have a 7 year old and the dangling cords are a danger for anyone under 10. I knew a nurse whose kid died on Christmas day who hanged herself accidentally. The kid died right in front of her eyes when she discovered what happened. Another boy I know played Superman when he was four and nearly hanged himself. I recommend using tie-outs on the wall for the slack.