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Author
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Topic: Sheltie who eats our furniture!
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branson
Junior Member
Member # 666
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posted February 15, 2004 11:47 AM
Help! My wife and I have a beautiful 1 year old Sheltie who we absolutely adore! He's sweet, loving, playful... has the best personality. The problem is when we leave, he eats our furniture or chews on the corners of walls. We crate him at night but not when we leave. My wife and I both work so during the day we're gone for long periods (no more than 8 hours). We take him on a walk almost everyday and play with him regularly and show him tons of affection. We unfortunately don't have a yard that we can leave him in while we're gone. Is the simple answer to crate him during the day? If so, is it ok to crate him for such a long period of time and how will we know when he is over his eating furniture phase and ready to not be crated when we're gone. Thank you for any and all advice you can give us!!!
Posts: 1 | Registered: Feb 2004
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ellierat
Member
Member # 612
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posted February 15, 2004 01:55 PM
Sounds like he has developed separation anxiety a whole new prob. for you and boredom.
Because you are showing lots of love and affection when your'e home he misses you when your gone. You will need to get help specifically, for this prob. but a few ideas in the meantime: DOG TOYS, BONES, GOOD RUN/ EXERCISE BEFORE YOU LEAVE, and 8 hours in a confined space every day would be enough to drive even the best of temperaments crazy. Also you could leave on the t.v. or radio, so he thinks he has company.
[ February 15, 2004, 02:01 PM: Message edited by: ellierat ]
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I love my labs.
Posts: 880 | From: australia | Registered: Feb 2004
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Ashley02:
Member
Member # 633
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posted February 15, 2004 04:27 PM
I agree, give your dog lots of toys to play with, so he won't be bored. My first dog used too do that during the nite. and so we would tell her No in a deep voice.
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Ashley02
Posts: 30 | From: TN | Registered: Feb 2004
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Amberlii
Member
Member # 609
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posted February 17, 2004 12:30 PM
My brother & sister-in-law have a sheltie. They are great dogs. When he was out of the puppy stage they started leaving him free in the house while they were gone to work during the day. I missed how old your sheltie is. I would crate him during the daytime. Just make sure he is getting plenty of exercise when you get home. He may be a little wild when you first take him out. I throw a tennis ball inside the house & our great dane retrieves it. After about 30 times he is exhausted! Also, I play hide & seek with him. Kong toys are great things to consume their time! Fill them with peanut butter & freeze them. They will spend a hour or so trying to lick it out. All kinds of things you can do but you do need to crate him it sounds like. Is there a doggy day care you can take him to a couple times a week to play & be social with other dogs? Ours costs about $12 a day but have only used it once for Vader. Good Luck! ![[Smile]](smile.gif)
Bow Wow Beds
Posts: 91 | From: KY | Registered: Feb 2004
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