11 month old 'destroyer'!

[turbobert]

Our chap is exasperating.  We have to put him in his crate everytime we go out of the room - even for a few minutes as he finds things to chew up - opens the bin and empties it etc .  Last night he 'destroyed' the box, cover and DVD loaned to us by a friend that was accidentally left within his grasp.  Apart from shouting at him - he knows we are angry as he runs and hides in his crate - any other ideas?.  Will he definitely grow out of it.......pleeeez

[Helen]

no point in shouting at him, I doubt whether he is associating his destruction with being told off and this will just confuse him and you will only create further behavioural problems with him.

What do you feed him?

How much and what exercise is he getting?

[mum2milly]

Milly went through a bit of a destroyer phase around the same time. Books, the kids shoes,DVD boxes (& the occasional disk!) almost anything and everything she could lay her paws on was seen as fair game. Most scary was when she chewed the plug clean off the OH's laptop lead    how dangerous?! 
I used to dred returning to the house if we'd been out, wondering what would have been shredded.
I didn't want to have to crate her everytime we went out, so I made a real effort looking at the rooms where she had access in Milly's eyes, and would remove anything from the "danger zone" before we went out. Bit like kidproofing the house again! Its something she's grown out of (thank goodness), don't know if the chewing was perhaps a teething issue?
Hardest thing was reeducating my tribe to not leave anything 'precious' within reach. 

Jo & Milly x

[Mudmagnets]

Yep, Katie was the same up to a couple of months ago, anything and everything was fair game, including clothes  .

It has got a lot better (but my no means perfect) and now she is safer to leave since celebrating her 1st birthday. (I just shut off the main sitting room and they seem fine together)

It is hard to remember to put everything out of range - you don't always think do you?? Smudge was not a destroyer in his early months  , so I forgot sometimes that I could not trust madam Katie  .

[Nicola]

As Helen said shouting at him is not the way to go, he's not running and hiding in his crate because he knows he's done anything wrong, he's doing it because he's scared of you and that's not really the kind of relationship you want to build with your dog. If you catch him in the act a simple sharp 'ah ah!' and then distracting him with a more appropriate chew toy is sufficient. They can go through a second teething stage although at 11 months he should be coming out of that now, it can definitely contribute though.

Rodaidh couldn't be trusted to be left uncrated if I went out until he was around 18 months old. Sometimes he'd be ok and other times he would chew something, his particular predilection was electrical cables so I erred on the side of caution and crated him with a Kong or other chewy toy when I went out. Does he have access to appropriate toys that he can play with when you leave the room? If he has too much energy and this is his way of burning it off then you could look at his exercise levels and at maybe doing some clicker training or similar with him, this really occupies their minds and tires them out so they're less likely to look for mischief when left to their own devices.

[turbobert]

Hello - we live in the country and he is outside for much of the day as I do the horses etc - so it isnt lack of exercise.  He is hyperactive though and finds it hard to relax even when he is really tired.  He doesnt destroy anything when I am with him - only when I leave the room for a few minutes so it may be associated with stress perhaps.

Livercake he is on Puppy Royal Canin at present and looks fantastic on it - I dont think it is his food although I am going to reduce him to more 'bog standard' dog food ie the same as the other dogs have when this bag is finished .

I never catch him 'in the act' as he stops when I appear so it is difficult to show him my displeasure.   He is never smacked but he is obviously upset when I shout at him...sadly doesnt seem to associate this with his misdemeanour.  I suppose from what you all say he should get better in a few weeks/months....

[Helen]

although he's out all day so gets physical exercise he needs mental stimulation too - clicker training, gun dog training etc will all take it out of him more than running off lead.

If he's hyper then I would always check the food and the additives in it - dogs do well on kibbles that don't have added junk in them so it's no issue changing it...

[Karma]

As others have said, there is no point shouting at him.... you said yourself he doesn't seem to associate being told off with his chewing - all he will associate is you coming back with being told off (which could actually increase his stress when left and lead to more chewing!).

Also agree with what Livercake says about mental stimulation... clicker training really tired Honey out far more than just running around... 

Honey's chewing was definately at it's worst at around 11 months, though... this was the age when she destroyed our sofa bed, and had a little chew of the fireplace... 

[turbobert]

I dont do clicker training but do do the usual sit, stay, wait, come, fetch, through, etc - not daily - infrequently - maybe I should do more - but it means shutting the other dogs in which I prefer not to do... Royal Canin is supposed to be the best food you can get - so I dont think it is that.

[Helen]

maybe I should do more - but it means shutting the other dogs in which I prefer not to do... Royal Canin is supposed to be the best food you can get - so I dont think it is that.

yes, you should be training him more and separately - I know you chose a working cocker from strong working lines so he will need stimulation and training.

Who said Royal Canin is the best food?  Royal Canin?    I disagree and I think you'll find a lot of other people do too 

[turbobert]

Everyone I spoke to recommended Royal Canin - I havent heard of anyone who doesnt recommend it.  Why dont you like it - and which do you recommend and why?

We have had working cockers before - but never one as hyper as this one!

[JennyBee]

Everyone I spoke to recommended Royal Canin - I havent heard of anyone who doesnt recommend it.  Why dont you like it - and which do you recommend and why?

We have had working cockers before - but never one as hyper as this one!

The ones usually recommended on here are Arden Grange, Burns and James Wellbeloved - can't remember if there are any others.... Brodie's on JWB and loves it

[turbobert]

Correct me if I am wrong but of those mentioned JWB is made by Royal Canin I think - so are some of the others dog foods.  I spoke to two of three reputable breeders before we got this pup and they all recommended Royal Canin - so I am rather puzzled by what you say.  Ill get to the end of this sack and review the position maybe by checking what is in them all.  He will be over a year by then so I will probably put him on to what the others get which is Superbowl by Feedmork.  They love and do well on it...and half the price  

Thanks for your help - maybe Ill hope he'll grow out of it - it seems to be a form of separation anxiety...

[PennyB]

Who said Royal Canin is the best food?  Royal Canin?    I disagree and I think you'll find a lot of other people do too 

Plus he probably should be on adult food now not puppy food

Also even though they are out running around they may not be stimulating their brains as much as they should be - exercise is as much mental for some dogs as it shuld be physical. I stimulate mine with training games.

A working cocker that works would be out and about a lot but will also be stimulated with gundog training exercises.

[JennyBee]

Correct me if I am wrong but of those mentioned JWB is made by Royal Canin I think - so are some of the others dog foods.  I spoke to two of three reputable breeders before we got this pup and they all recommended Royal Canin - so I am rather puzzled by what you say.  Ill get to the end of this sack and review the position maybe by checking what is in them all.  He will be over a year by then so I will probably put him on to what the others get which is Superbowl by Feedmork.  They love and do well on it...and half the price  

Thanks for your help - maybe Ill hope he'll grow out of it - it seems to be a form of separation anxiety...

It's not who owns them that's important but what's inside the bag that counts IMO - James Wellbeloved has no additives, artificial colours or preservatives, is hypoallergenic and uses good ingredients. It is what I was looking for to give Brodie, although in the future I am planning to move her on to a part raw diet