# Chewing the skirting by the front door, please please help



## Felix (Feb 8, 2009)

Hello.

This has gotten completely out of hand to the point where I'm close to doing something I know I'd regret.

My dog chews the skirting around the front door when I'm out, and scratches/chews the door itself. I've been in my new house about 3 weeks and she's destroyed the front door area already - she did it in the old place, too.

I live alone and when she's home alone (never more than 2 hours) she chews the door and, actually, anything I leave on the floor. I've not had a social life since moving into the new place and very rarely leave but for lectures a couple hours a day so I can be with her and get her adjusted to it.

I've tried making her to go her bed, shouting, sticking her face in the chewed section and saying "NO" etc etc etc.

Please, please help. Any advice appreciated.

(Yes, she's bored whilst I'm out, but she gets long walks everyday, is fed bloody well, has a LOT of toys, plays with her dog friends in the park daily, etc.)

Help?


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## Colliepoodle (Oct 20, 2008)

Crate her. It won't do her any harm, providing:

She isn't crated for too long at a time (and it sounds as if she won't be) and
You introduce her to it properly so that rather than a bad place, it's her safe haven; her den.

Do not punish her for chewing. Unless you catch her in the act she won't associate the punishment with the "crime" and even if you DO catch her in the act, she'll still do it when you're out.


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## sequeena (Apr 30, 2009)

Luna is doing this by the back door. The only solution I can think of is getting a crate (will get mine from Argos as it seems to be the cheapest). I've tried distracting her with plenty of toys and leaving big bones out for her to chew but after a while she just goes for the skirting. She's even taken a chunk off 

Got to love teething pups eh?


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## Felix (Feb 8, 2009)

Colliepoodle said:


> Crate her. It won't do her any harm


She's about 18 months, long been and grown out of her crate.



Colliepoodle said:


> Do not punish her for chewing. Unless you catch her in the act she won't associate the punishment with the "crime" and even if you DO catch her in the act, she'll still do it when you're out.


She knows she's done wrong the SECOND she sees me. She always has done. When I get home, she'll either greet me with licks and love, or (when she's done something she shouldn't have, be it eating the skirting or tearing up a magazine) run away and jump on the sofa/go to her bed.

So, in my opinion, when I call her over to the front door and ask "what's this" she knows EXACTLY what she's done wrong.


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## Felix (Feb 8, 2009)

sequeena said:


> Luna is doing this by the back door. The only solution I can think of is getting a crate (will get mine from Argos as it seems to be the cheapest). I've tried distracting her with plenty of toys and leaving big bones out for her to chew but after a while she just goes for the skirting. She's even taken a chunk off
> 
> Got to love teething pups eh?


Like I said above, she's 18 months and hasn't been crated since she was 6 or 7 months old. So I'd rather not crate her again as that'll do more harm than good.. in my opinion, having spent the last 12 months of her life "free", she won't like being back in prison and it'll stress her out more than she's stresses when I leave the house.

Thanks though.

Any other ideas?


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## Little Missy (Aug 3, 2009)

_You can buy spray things, that you spray on the surface where the dog is chewing in and apparently it tastes awful so they don't do it.
Hope this helped.
Good luck,
Little Missy_​


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## Colliepoodle (Oct 20, 2008)

Felix said:


> She's about 18 months, long been and grown out of her crate.


Get a bigger one 



> She knows she's done wrong the SECOND she sees me. She always has done. When I get home, she'll either greet me with licks and love, or (when she's done something she shouldn't have, be it eating the skirting or tearing up a magazine) run away and jump on the sofa/go to her bed.
> 
> So, in my opinion, when I call her over to the front door and ask "what's this" she knows EXACTLY what she's done wrong.


Ah, the old "he/she knows what he's done!!" line....

When you call her over and ask "what's this", she knows she is about to be told off. It doesn't necessarily mean that she knows why. If she understood why, then it follows that she'd have stopped doing it by now, doesn't it??

ETA you can buy sprays to stop them chewing, or apply something like Vick's Vaporub, but TBH if they're determined to chew, they'll generally find something.


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## SEVEN_PETS (Aug 11, 2009)

I'd crate her again. She should see the crate as her den not a prison.


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## hutch6 (May 9, 2008)

Felix said:


> Hello.
> 
> This has gotten completely out of hand to the point where I'm close to doing something I know I'd regret.
> 
> ...


What's the very first thing you do when you come in through the door and the dog is there? Say the dog's name? Look at it? Stroke it? Fuss over it?

My rescue chewed my diningroom table and chairs for the first week he was here but he stopped once he realised he didn;t have to worry about me going out because it didn't affect him that I was going, he had no reason to worry so didn't need to get all worked up and use a self rewarding behaviour in order tocope because there wasn't anything to cope with - I was going out not fleeing immediat edanger or putting myself at risk, just goignt o work for 8hrs five days per week.

Your dog chews because chewing realeases the feel good chemicals so it is self rewarding. Some dogs bark and howl, some dig and some go to the toilet on extreme occasions for release when their friends leave but they are all displays of stress and the output is the dog's way of managing that stress.

If you answered yes to any of the above and I suspect you did, then when you come through the door the first things you are doing is engaging the dog. Even by looking at it you are communicating with it. Don't even look at it. Walk in, walk past the dog, put the kettle on, look out of a window, anything but communicate with your dog. IF the dog comes near you and starts pushing against you then turn and move away, if they bark to try and get your attention then let them its all part of the learning process. Just ignore the dog until it stops following you around and settles down. This could be 2mins, 5mins, 20mins but I guess if the dog is destroying the place where you come in and it gets greeted this is going to take more like 30mins. Waiting 30mins for your dog to leave you alone, without even looking at the dog, acknowledging it's existance in anyway is a very long time because just like me you want to greet it, stroke it, play around with it but you can't. Its not cruel so when the dog starts pining and whining DON'T GIVE IN just let it deal witht he situation and give it time to work things out for itself.

What the dog is doing whilst going through this routine is saying "Oh thank God you're back. I was worried sick. I thought something was going to happen to you and you might have died. I've been going out of my mind here. Oh thank God you're alive!!"

WHat you are doing when you fuss the dog as soon as you come back in the door is "I know. I was so scared not having you there and I am frightened and stressed too having been away from you......"

What you do when you ignore the dog completely is "You're making a big fuss out of nothing. Everything is fine with me."

Then after a few weeks of ignoring the dog when you come in until it settles and relaxes you will have a dog that when you leave will say "Have a good day. I'm just gonna chew this rawhide for ten minutes and then get my head down. I'll see when you get back. Say hi to everyone at the office for me and I'll see you tonight. Bye." This is because you give the dog no reason to stress. Yoiu are fine when you leave (just walk out. No fuss on leaving either.) and you are fine when you come back so you are fine all day.

Think of leaving your house as a child for eight hours a day, leaving your parents no note to say where you are or anything. They come home to find you not there. Then after eight hours and them being worried sick you run up to them and say "Oh thank God. I missed you so much. I love you I love you I love. IT was horrible being away from you....etc" Then you do it again the next day, and the next, and the next. How stressed would your parents be? You're fine when you are out. You are round at friend's houses, in the park and generally doing kids stuff but when you get home you react as though there is something to fuss about. What about if you did all this but when you returned you walked in to the house, said nothing, looked at no one but calmly started to look in the fridge, to make your self a sandwich, a cuppa or check through your school books? Sure your parents would be stressed for the first few days but then they start to think "Well she's been away for eight hours for the last four days and when she returns she acts like nothing has happened so why am i getting so stressed if she can look after herself? I'll start to watch TV instead of jumping up at the window to see if the next passing person is her everytime or everytime a car goes by or biting my nails. I'll just relax because she can obviously take care of herself."

If you are consistant in ignoring your dog until it leaves you alone and relaxes then you will find that the anxiety will gradually decrease into nothing.

Once you dog is relaxed and settled then you can call it over and fuss it to the end of the world. I do with mine as I enjoy stroking and fussing my dogs as much as the next person if not more but I know that if I do it as soon as I walk through the door then I am causing panic and reafirming their worst expectations every single day, so I ignore them. I do it naturally now as I have been doing it so long and yes I have got a webcam in the lounge and my two are either having a quick 5min chewing on a bone or a raw hide, playing or sleeping and what animal would be doing those things if it was worried or stressed? No animal plays when it's stressed because it is relaxed when it plays.

If you want to speed up the process then ignore them when you enter the room where they are until they relax and settle, even if you have just left to go to the bathroom.

You, your dog, your skirting board and your front door are going to be just fine if you follow this simple easy step.


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## mitch4 (Oct 31, 2009)

Hutch6 once again agree 100% with your above post. We had terrible chewing problems when Ella and Jasper were pups, we followed the steps you advise and quite quickly the chewing stopped. Wev followed this through and have had very few things chewed by our other pups and they all get heaps of love outside these times 

Good Luck :thumbup1:


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## hutch6 (May 9, 2008)

mitch4 said:


> Hutch6 once again agree 100% with your above post. We had terrible chewing problems when Ella and Jasper were pups, we followed the steps you advise and quite quickly the chewing stopped. Wev followed this through and have had very few things chewed by our other pups and they all get heaps of love outside these times
> 
> Good Luck :thumbup1:


You can't believe how easy it is and how quickly it works can you?

I ignore my mate's dog when I go round and when he gets up to grab a drink or something from the kitchen his dog follows him. When I get up the dog stays where it is.

No matter how many times I explain it to him he still doesn't believe me that his dog worries about him but is relaxed about me and knows I can take care of myself.

"But he follows me because he loves me!"

Erm..... no. He stresses about you.


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## sequeena (Apr 30, 2009)

hutch6 said:


> You can't believe how easy it is and how quickly it works can you?
> 
> I ignore my mate's dog when I go round and when he gets up to grab a drink or something from the kitchen his dog follows him. When I get up the dog stays where it is.
> 
> ...


So this is why Sky and Luna follow me everywhere including the toilet? Damn.

What about the cat? She follows me too


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## mitch4 (Oct 31, 2009)

hutch6 said:


> You can't believe how easy it is and how quickly it works can you?
> 
> I ignore my mate's dog when I go round and when he gets up to grab a drink or something from the kitchen his dog follows him. When I get up the dog stays where it is.
> 
> ...


This was so evident with our youngest standard Schnauzer Mabel, she was the weakest of Mollys litter so had to be helped along by me this caused a huge bond between us and I obviously just could not let her go. I forgot advice given to us RE not getting the dog too dependent on you etc.. and showerd her with affection and attention to the exclusion of the others which Im ashamed to admit, but she was my baby Id helped pull her through when others thought she was going to die, so my need to nurture her carried on far too far, she became extremely timid to the extreme, would not want me out of her sight would sit out side the loo waiting, did not appear too stressed when I came home but if people went to stroke her she cowered, Im sure they thought shed been battered and was afraid of hands, completely the opposite loved too much, she wouldnt play with other dogs just wanted to stick to me.

I then stopped giving her so much attention ignored her quite a lot in the begining of this new phase, it felt terrible, shed come to seek my attention and Id have to completely ignore her. But Our need is far different than thiers as now shes much more confident, doesnt need to follow me from room to room and will play enthusiastically with other dogs, doesnt cower when she is being stroked by others, is still a little hesitent around small energetic children but is getting better and if they dont approach her fast, she stays put other wise backs off a bit. This did not take long for her to learn or feel comfortable with about 2 weeks and she continues to progress.

I nearlly ruined her with too much love. A big big lesson learnt for me or should I say a big reminder. The situation of her birth just made me too emotional.


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## mitch4 (Oct 31, 2009)

sequeena said:


> So this is why Sky and Luna follow me everywhere including the toilet? Damn.
> 
> What about the cat? She follows me too


No hope if the cats following you too


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## hutch6 (May 9, 2008)

sequeena said:


> So this is why Sky and Luna follow me everywhere including the toilet? Damn.
> 
> What about the cat? She follows me too


Yep. Sorry to break the news.

The cat follows you because it thinks you are leading it to the table for one next to the window or even one with a balacony view if possible and no wine tonight please, just the usual kibble and meat if you would be so kind.


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## sequeena (Apr 30, 2009)

mitch4 said:


> No hope if the cats following you too


Damn!!



hutch6 said:


> Yep. Sorry to break the news.
> 
> The cat follows you because it thinks you are leading it to the table for one next to the window or even one with a balacony view if possible and no wine tonight please, just the usual kibble and meat of you would be so kind.


Crap. They don't suffer with SA I know this and they are brilliant but they always follow me!

Haha you describe her well


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## hutch6 (May 9, 2008)

Well I follow my nieces around when they are in my house becasue I don't want them hurting themselves or being worried they have broken something. I am sure your parents did that with you when you were a very small child too as sis mine.

Does that sound familiar?


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## sequeena (Apr 30, 2009)

hutch6 said:


> Well I follow my nieces around when they are in my house becasue I don't want them hurting themselves or being worried they have broken something. I am sure your parents did that with you when you were a very small child too as sis mine.
> 
> Does that sound familiar?


Yes you're right. I should be thankful they love me so much but really, is it too much to ask to have a pee in peace?


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## mitch4 (Oct 31, 2009)

sequeena said:


> Yes you're right. I should be thankful they love me so much but really, is it too much to ask to have a pee in peace?


How about a bath  Mabel jumped in the bath with me once oh my god did I get up quick bubbles everywhere, wheres the camera when you need it, for the dog not me


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## sequeena (Apr 30, 2009)

mitch4 said:


> How about a bath  Mabel jumped in the bath with me once oh my god did I get up quick bubbles everywhere, wheres the camera when you need it, for the dog not me


Mine are locked out when I have a bath because I like mine scalding


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## mitch4 (Oct 31, 2009)

sequeena said:


> Mine are locked out when I have a bath because I like mine scalding


Mine are banned now, I like my bath to me and me only


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## moboyd (Sep 29, 2009)

The advice you were given in earlier post is excellent, I would also say just to add I know its a sort of quick fix, and not a fix for the behaviour itself, but smearing vicks vapour rub onto the area the dog is chewing helps, one of my boys would chew the dado rail and door architave, when the girls were in season and he was in the house, I rubbed the vapour rub on the area each time I went out, and he never touched it again, I can now replace the woodwork after years of having scuffy doorways lol. good luck.

Mo


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## alysonandhedley (Oct 29, 2009)

The ignoring idea is good if you can carry it out. 

Get one of those sprays though, the taste aversion works, they taste bitter. I also read about another method: Keep her occupied with a Kong stuffed with different foods while you are out. At the bottom end of the Kong stuff something in thats difficult to remove so that the last thing in the kong tends to stay in there until you get home. Liver sausage was suggested. Then dont fuss her until he brings you the Kong, and then use a pencil or something to poke out the last piece of food she couldnt get. This should focus the chewing on to something she is allowed to chew. You could always try this if Hutch's method doesnt work.

Dont dismiss the crate though. There's no reason why an adult dog shouldnt be crated whilst youre out if the crate is large enough. Lets face it, if you have a brand new house (I know where youre coming from because so do I) she could stop doing the doorway and turn to another fixture, your best carpet or sofa or some wiring. If she is in the crate, you know she is safe and the house is safe. I never used them with my previous dog, I just got one given for the dog I have now, and to be honest I dont know what I would do without it. Especially as I have a new house like you do.


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## GoldenShadow (Jun 15, 2009)

One word which I believe will solve all your problems like it did mine...






Crate!


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## GoldenShadow (Jun 15, 2009)

sequeena said:


> So this is why Sky and Luna follow me everywhere including the toilet? Damn.


rupert does this too!! Not sure why they would worry though


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## EmzieAngel (Apr 22, 2009)

sequeena said:


> So this is why Sky and Luna follow me everywhere including the toilet? Damn.
> 
> What about the cat? She follows me too


Lol, Bailey follows my mum everywhere, everytime she gets up off the sofa, he's usually fast asleep, but as soon as she moves, he's up like a shot.

He doesn't bother with me.
x


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## sequeena (Apr 30, 2009)

Tinsley said:


> rupert does this too!! Not sure why they would worry though





EmzieAngel said:


> Lol, Bailey follows my mum everywhere, everytime she gets up off the sofa, he's usually fast asleep, but as soon as she moves, he's up like a shot.
> 
> He doesn't bother with me.
> x


I don't know lol dogs tend to latch onto one person and it seems to be the way with Sky and Luna. Shame really as Luna is the OHs dog and I've tried to not get too close to her as I want them to have a strong bond but he works nights and sleeps most of the day so it's hard to not bond with her 

Maybe Luna is actually following Sky and not me


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## xxwelshcrazyxx (Jul 3, 2009)

Felix said:


> Hello.
> 
> This has gotten completely out of hand to the point where I'm close to doing something I know I'd regret.
> 
> ...


Michelle my next door neighbour had new mexican table and chairs in her kitchen and her boxer decided he liked the taste of the wood, so he chewed the leg off one of her chairs and he chewede the corner of her wooden panelling around her kitchen, I told her to get Olbas Oil from the chemist and rub a bit on the other table leg which he is nibbling at, and around the edge of her paneling, she come round the following day and said her dog wont touch the leg of the chair and wont go near the panel. lolol they hate the smell of the oil, but we had to test a part of the wood underneath the table to make sure it wouldnt make the wood go funny. Her dog havent done it since. ( she now have a table with 5 chairs and one with 3 legs lololo).


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## alysonandhedley (Oct 29, 2009)

This article on chewing might help


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## PoisonGirl (Oct 24, 2008)

Yes a crate does seem like a sensible solution- especially if you are only our for a couple of hours.

I would also like to add.. Please do NOT scold your dog for chewing!!!! Dogs do NOT understand they have done wrong! The dog is merely showing appeasment!
Dogs associate the chewing (or whatever they have done) with your bad body language and tone of voice. 
They cannot understand between right and wrong and they certainly have no idea why you are being mean to them the minute you come home!!
Your dog gets stressed that you leave, and you are punishing by the way you act when you get home.

Please get a crate for this poor dog


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