Puppy Question

[mj4cy]

So we have a 7 1/2 month old Shih Tzu. He has been great, is potty trained ect ect. This last month, he has been chewing on everything like there is no tomorrow, but only when we're gone. We got that bitter yuck spray and that worked for awhile, but now he doesn't seem to care even about that. He's chewing up our gates/walls ect. We re-spackled the wall this weekend, and sprayed it again, but today he ruined it again. He has lots of toys and we play with him everynight, but this can't go on. For awhile, he had the run of the house, but he would just chew on other things. So we put him back to the kitchen where he's chewing the walls again!

Any advice? I'd hate to crate him all day since we crate him when we go to bed. I'd hate to see our dog in the crate for 16-17 hours a day.

 

[Bubbahotep]

Just be glad it's a Shih Tzu and not a Bassett Hound

 

[Swanson10]

Shock collar!

 

[Cyclonick182]

Sell him, get yourself a shiba inu. Seriously though, I believe there are a few different types of those sprays. If you get a few and mix them up, it shouldn't be able to get used to any of them, or maybe it will get used to all of them, but it worked when we were training our shiba.

 

[mj4cy]

He's amazing besides when we're gone. Never bites, never barks, is potty trained, playful, good with kids, likes to be around us. It's just when we're gone, he's a hell raiser.

 

[podo67]

He has separation anxiety. Better call a dog psychiatrist.

 

[mj4cy]

He has separation anxiety. Better call a dog psychiatrist.

That's what I was wondering. I've read up on it and that's more of an issue with older dogs. I just took him for a walk/run, so maybe that will tire him out.

 

[tman24]

Give him a cage and eventually he will grow out of it.

 

[Bubbahotep]

Leave the radio or TV on when you are gone. It helped our beast.

 

[DanCyn]

I have two Shih Tzu's. The dogs are of Chinese ancestry, lived in the mountains, and were cave dwellers. We crate both of ours during the day and at night - and the truth is, they love it. I assume they consider it their "cave". If we say "go to bed" or "go to your cage" they literally sprint to the kennel. I think you'd be surprised that yours will love it.

Two things - since they're "mountain" dogs, put something in the crate it can climb on. Second, give it something to knaw on while you're gone. Mine are now five years old and wouldn't know what to do without the crate during the day.

Worlds greatest dogs.

 

[Kyle]

It may be a phase to some extent too, although that's probably not very reassuring. Our border collie (see picture to the left) chewed on everything at that age (e.g. chairs and cabinet doors) but eventually grew out of it. The fact that your dog only does it when you're gone though makes it seem like something different though (separation anxiety). We never had any luck at all with the spray stuff. Actual rawhide bones are one of the best distraction toys imo. Our dog inhales them but barely touches chew toys.

 

[Bubbahotep]

Oh, by the way, don't put the radio on 107.5. Our dog instantly ***** when florider comes on.