Can we do anything about this?

[TheCunnyFunt]

Our greyhound doesn't generally get on the sofas if we're at home. Same with our bed. But the second we go out he gets up on both and digs the bedding around on our bed and gets hair in it, and he chucks all the cushions off the sofas and pulls the throws around. We wouldn't mind him getting up if he didn't dig them up.

He can't do it on our bed anymore because I've resorted to chucking a load of hard, uncomfortable objects all over it when I get up. But it's a PITA getting into bed and having to take it all off again. I don't want to have to be doing this for the next 10 years or so. It's really irritating coming home and having to put the sofas back together before I can sit down. But I don't know what we can do about it if we're not here when he does it!

Can we do anything about this or not? I don't want to restrict him to one room as the only room I can shut him in is the kitchen and I don't think he'd cope very well with just being stuck in one room and we've just put a new kitchen in. I wouldn't want to risk him destroying anything in there.

Has he got his own bed?

Is he a rescue/ex racer or raised from a puppy?

He has his very own incredibly comfortable memory foam bed upstairs, and a folded up double quilt plus cushions downstairs.

And yes, he's an ex racer.

If you rescued him could you ask for help from the groups behaviourist?

It could be separation anxiety/lack of normal puppy house training common in ex racers and going back to basics with crating might be an idea, with gradually increasing the rooms available to him when you're not there.

How long is he being left? Could you ask someone to check on him whilst you're out? or practise leaving him for 20mins? say, then coming back so he doesn't have time to destroy things.

Could you put a baby gate up to stop him getting into the livingroom when you're out?

It varies, anywhere from 30 minutes to 4 hours (very rare though, usually max is 2). If I just nip down to the co op and back it takes me 30 mins and when I get back the sofa has been done over already. I'm not sure if the rescue will have a behavourist, they're only a little one, they have a max of 26 dogs available to adopt!

Can't gate the livingroom off, it's a double width doorway. The only room I can gate off is the kitchen, and the stairs.

I think it could just be a greyhound thing though, as I've read that when they live in kennels their 'beds' are raised up, so they have to jump up and 'make' their bed as they only have shredded paper (I think?). So I think this could be what he's doing. Just wondering if there's anyway it could be stopped apart from covering the sofas in DDs toys :o

They should have a behaviourist or know of one local to you. Baby gates might not work if he's a jumper have seen them being jumped over

Try leaving him for 5mins then coming back and up it by 5mins til you see when he reaches the start destroying level then use your discipling techniques don't know what they are and a behaviourist is best to show you how to discipline in action

You could cover your sofa so it's not destroyable, I think Ikea do entire sofa covers if you're ok with him on there

I don't mind him being on there at all, what I do mind is him digging at it. I'm surprised he hasn't ripped anything yet tbh.

I'd love a complete sofa cover, raspberry pink doesn't really go with our lime green stripey wallpaper :o

I'll have to try the 5 minutes thing. Failing that I'll have to find a behavourist.

Thanks :)

oh am sorry op but your dog sounds hilarious! can just see him loitering about while you go out the door, then thinking right then time for bed and chargin up to make himself comfortable.

Champneys yep

Where abouts are you Cunning? I work with rescued ex racers so might be able to do something in rl even if it's just getting a sofa cover for you or a freebie behaviourist but I didn't say that

That's exactly what it's like Champneys, he watches me go out the door and then probably leaps straight onto the sofa. Funnily enough his quilt on the floor is still folded up neatly :o

Oh I'm in Lincolnshire Natural, got him from lincs' greyhound trust.

It doesn't sound to me like he is doing it out of distress, but to make himself a nice den. Dogs like denning. One of mine will re-arrange the duvet around him until he's got it just so.

If he is doing it out of distress, do the five minute thing. If he is just making a nice den, well, either he'll have to be taught never to get on the settee, or else his own bed needs to become more attractive. Perhaps he is just telling you that he needs his own cushions?! Every self-respecting dog does, you know.

I tend to throw an old sheet over the settee at night so that any balls of fur go on the sheet and not the settee. Would that work, or would he re-arrange the sheet too?

Put his quilt on the sofa

I'm a bit further away but usually my group recommend going back to crating them, to break the habit, some of them find the crating very secure and use the crate like a kennel/safe space. It does sound like a bit of separation anxiety.

Go back to the group and ask if they could help out, they should have some tips without the need for a behavourist straight away but they'd get a better view of everything, I'd hate to wrongly advise you.

What dimensions is the sofa?

What dimensions do you need? I've never measured a sofa before

I meant not

How about buying, or making him, a raised bed so he doesn't feel the need to seek it out via the bed or sofa?

I made one out of an old suitcase, like in the link, last year and it was dead easy.

www.sadieshihtzu.com/photos/fun-stuffs-dog-bed-made-from-a-suitcase/

That is brilliant! I wonder what DP would say if I told him I wanted him to make a raised bed for Sprocket. He already thinks I spoil him too much :o

I don't think he needs a behaviourist he sounds like a very sensible greyhound, they don't like to see a sofa go to waste. I would put his duvet on it :-) but you if you really don't want him on the sofa or sofas do you have a dining chair you could lay across them when you are not there?