Whats Going On!

[Bellbellsmum]

Hi everyone, Bella's coming up to 1 year old and has been a delight for the last 3 or 4 months.  Loving, sweet, affectionate, everyone loves her and will have her at a moments notice.

but for some reason over the last 2 weeks, I have come home from work to find total destruction!  

She has eaten all the skirting boards and the bottom of my cupboards, she gets in the tumble dryer and eats my pants, and then emptied the bin and shredded everything.

I'm really confused! We put her crate away a few weeks ago because she was so trustworthy and were considering letting her have the run of the downstairs at night and for short periods through the day, but now I am considering crating her again (the crate door was never shut but open into my kitchen since she was 4 months old)

She is never alone for longer than a few hours, but it seems to be in the afternoon after my daughter goes back to school from her lunch that she does it as when she goes home she hasn't done anything.

Does anyone have any advice on this sudden naughtyness.  I normally ignore bad stuff as people say unless you catch them at it its pointless telling them off. But I was so upset  that i grabbed her and stuck her nose by what she had done and shouted at her, then booted her out in the garden, then none of us spoke to her again that day     I'm sure this hasnt helped, but we were so mad we just didnt feel we could leave it unpunished.

Anyone know what I can do or why this has happened??

[Pammy]

sounds like adolescence to me or it could be related to her season. Is she due? As she had her first one yet? A change in behaviour is very common in both cases

You may well need to go back to her crate to protect not only your house but her too. If she's so destructive then she could chew something that could cause her harm.

[Bellbellsmum]

She had her first season 5 months ago, so I don't think its that. She never chews stuff like cables or anything dangerous. Mainly wood or wicker stuff and clothes.

[daunting]

She had her first season 5 months ago

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Then she is coming up for her 2nd one   Though not all have them exactly 6mths apart.  So its either that or the 'teenage' phase

[Jane S]

We've had several Cockers go through a second chewing phase at around 10-12 months which we put down to going through adolescence. Usually it's nibbled skirting boards or chair legs I understand how mad you were (we've all been there ) but I'm sure you realise that punishment after the "crime" isn't going to help - Bella will have had no idea why you refused to speak to her for the rest of the day which will have just made her confused. I would just go back to basics & use the crate again for the time being - prevention is always better than punishment

Jane

[Penel]

Yup - secondary teething - every pup goes through this - and everyone says "ooh they were so good for months we put the crate away "    sorry to laugh but I have heard this sooo many times - it will fade in a few weeks time after the adult teeth have well and truly bedded into the jaw bone  

[Bellbellsmum]

Thanks for all your replies, it makes sense now that I know they have teething issues at this age.  Came home to a chewed baseball cap which she stole off the side and my daughters shoe, which was also on the side  

[Sheila]

Yes, Lottie is going through this too.

She will chew the post if she gets it before me and is just generally going through the 'naughty' phase.

It will pass, it just comes as a shock when they have been so good for months.

[fi61]

We are having the same problem with Milly but not to such extreme, she is going to be 1 next month ........ where does the time go??  I do not think you have anything to worry about

Fiona, Milly and Lucy