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The doghouse

If you're worried about your pet's health, please speak to a vet or qualified professional.

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Original poster

ARGH! Dog has chewed new dining set :-(

24 replies

YourHandInMyHand · 28/08/2013 14:10

My dog chewed my table and chair set after we'd got back from a holiday (she'd been with my mum), and I worked on her seperation anxiety. All went well and she hadn't chewed for over a month so yesterday I got a new dining set.

Went out this morning for a short while after giving her a good long walk and leaving her with a nice stuffed kong and she has chewed the new table!!!

It has only ever been the table and chairs she's chewed.

I don't know what to do!?! She is such a good girl in every other way, and I really thought we had settled this, hence getting a new dining set.

What am I missing/could I be doing?

I am reconsidering using a crate but TBH:
a) I'm not keen on the idea of them
b) I don't really want a big ugly crate in my house. We've room for a dog but not really got an ideal space to put a crate. She's a greyhound so it wouldn't be a small one!

OP posts:

hellymelly · 28/08/2013 14:16

How old is she? Could it be teething?

Original poster

YourHandInMyHand · 28/08/2013 14:18

No hellymelly she is 3 years old. Her teeth are in good nick for a greyhound too!

My lovely new table. She could have chewed her kong, a toy, a cuddly toy, a sweeping brush, a mop, her bowls, but nope - had to be the brand new table!

OP posts:

hellymelly · 28/08/2013 14:23

It must just be the separation issue then. Furniture legs are a favourite with collies too, I think they are very satisfying to chew. Sorry for your new table, can you sand it back or are the dents very deep? Could you shut her in a room when you are out, where there isn't anything to tempting that she might chew, so that she would chew her toys instead? O

hellymelly · 28/08/2013 14:27

pressed button too soon, maddening new keyboard! was about to say - Or maybe get her a bone when you are going to be out for a while as she might like that more than a Kong. I think it will be trial and error but probably she will calm down again anyway. Maybe the newness of the table worried her, as change can stress dogs out.

Original poster

YourHandInMyHand · 28/08/2013 14:33

If I leave her with a bone or a chew she usually saves it until I get back but usually she can't resist her kong! She does love bones but likes to chew them in the garden, she's a bit funny with food.

It's one of the table corners today, I will have to have a proper look at it in terms of sanding but I would definitely need to do some filling so it's never going to look how it did. She goes in the kitchen while I'm out, it's a kitchen/diner so plenty of space for her, any other room has even more expensive chewing options too. :-/

It seems one of my neighbours is using a garden power tool of some sort on and off , wonder if that is what has upset her, she is a quiet sensitive sort!

OP posts:

marvingay · 28/08/2013 15:29

The problem is you never know when you go out what sounds there'll be to set her off stress chewing if she's a sensitive dog.

IMHO the only sure way to stop furniture, electric wires etc being destroyed is crating, unless you've got a completely safe room.
I know what you mean about crates though, they don't add to the ambience of a room. We got a giant crate off Petplanet for £44 for our 10 month old GSD rescue, he doesn't chew but tends to panic bark when on his own. The crate calms him down and he goes to sleep now.

Its covered with a cloth and used as an extra surface to put things on, doesn't look too bad. Very easy to put up and dismantle, and goes flat so doesn't have to be a permanent feature.

Original poster

YourHandInMyHand · 28/08/2013 16:08

marvingay yep that's the conclusion I have come to too.

Every time I go out leaving her free to roam the room I am gambling with whether or not I will come home to something chewed. Like I say t hasn't happened for over a month, and I'm in and out all the time! It's jus typical it would be today, when I've only just bought the bloody table. I have always been adamant I won't use a crate but maybe I ought to consider it. Dog may even like it as a chill out space?

I like the idea of covering it, means it's less in your face I guess. :-/

OP posts:

moosemama · 28/08/2013 16:55

Oh YourHand, I'm so sorry. It's so frustrating when you've been working so hard and they suddenly go backwards for no apparent reason. There will be a reason, it's just that we can't always work it out.

SA is a tough nut to crack, as you know and she will have good days and bad - three steps forward, two steps back. The power tools are more than likely have contributed to her getting anxious enough to start chewing again. Unfortunately, anxiety can make them too stressed to eat - hence not touching the kong or bones - but can be relieved by chewing, which seems contradictory, but does actually make sense.

If there's nowhere chew-proof she can be left and the chewing is becoming an issue, a crate really is the only other option, but you'll need to do some work to get her happy and settled in one if she's never been crated before.

I feel your pain. After all the work I did with Lurcherboy, I now have a mini version, who won't even let me leave the room, let alone the house.

moosemama · 28/08/2013 16:57

Oh - and we currently have a mahoosive crate in our living room, because we've finally got the pup settling in there at night, but for some reason, even though he loves sleeping in the kitchen during the day, he hates it at night.

It's definitely not an attractive feature, but necessary for at least a short while, as, although we've done our best, our living room is not an easy place to totally puppy proof.

Bowlersarm · 28/08/2013 17:03

I would go the crate route too. It may only be needed to get her out of the habit of furniture chewing. I'd rather that than have to keep replacing my furniture.

littlewhitebag · 28/08/2013 18:07

I got lovely crate covers made for my dogs crate. It looks great now and matches my kitchen. They were expensive but worth it.

Original poster

YourHandInMyHand · 28/08/2013 20:16

Is lurcherboy doing well with the SA now moosemama? Need to head over to the pointies cushion, I've lost track of it and how everyone is doing....

Yep not wanting to eat but wanting to chew. She's proper gone for this corner, big chunks out of it. It's solid wood whereas my old one was the cheapy pretend stuff. She must have some serious jaw power and pointy teeth I tell you! Good job she's a big daft softy! She got scared of the bunnies in pets at home earlier and tried to bolt from them.

Not pleased with the idea of having a big crate in the house but going to give it a go I think. I am meant to be going out friday and not sure what to do as even if a crate arrived by then she wouldn't be crate trained. Might remove the table and chairs from the kitchen for the day. Will be a faff but don't want her doing any more damage to it!

Littlewhitebag where did you get the crate covers from??? I could probably knock something together myself but it's getting round to it.

OP posts:

moosemama · 28/08/2013 20:34

He's a lot better thanks YourHand. We can leave him for an hour and a half, but after that he starts to whine and gradually gets louder. Massive improvement on him starting full on howling 3 minutes after we left him following the loss of Oldgirl though.

At least the bunnies in PAH are safe from your girl. I took Lurcherboy into our local PAH with the new pup the other week and he spotted the guinea pigs from the other side of the store. He was rather too interested in them for my liking.

I don't like crates either, especially when you have dogs as big as ours, because they do need to be massive, but I have only ever needed/used mine for very young chewy pups or to deal with issues where the dog needed to be contained for their own safety or health (and of course chewing can potentially be very dangerous) so only a few months really.

I would move the table and chairs and anything else you think she might go for. I'm sensing a bit of a 'wood' theme for her given the bread bin and now the table and chairs?

littlewhitebag · 28/08/2013 20:37

Website for crate covers

They are pricey but each one is hand made to the exact size of the crate.

Original poster

YourHandInMyHand · 28/08/2013 21:11

Yep I'd said earlier it's only been the table and chairs but she did enjoy the wooden bread bin and the comment about electric cables reminded me she chewed through my laptop cable didn't she! I'd forgotten about those two! The cable could have been dangerous.

I really did want to avoid a massive crate, I'm so torn!

OP posts:

Original poster

YourHandInMyHand · 28/08/2013 21:15

Frigging hell would be over a hundred pounds for a crate cover off that site! They are nice but I can't justify that kind of spendage.

OP posts:

moosemama · 28/08/2013 21:36

I totally understand how you feel. I hate Pip's crate, he loves it as a bed and plays with his toys in there, but objects to being left in there when I have to keep him safe but can't directly supervise him and I don't have anywhere that I can properly puppy proof that I could leave him without a crate.

End result is one big, ugly crate (and I mean big enough for him to run around in at the moment) smack bang in the middle of my not-very-big living room, that rarely has the door shut at the moment, except when we got to bed.

Bowlersarm · 28/08/2013 22:40

Just had a look at the site and wow! those crate covers.

I used a crate (no longer need it) but wouldn't those covers make the dog feel a bit claustrophobic?

Original poster

YourHandInMyHand · 29/08/2013 08:57

Yep my living room isn't very big, and my kitchen/diner is a reasonable size for our family but neither of them will look right with a massive crate in. Don't see any other option though really.

For greyhounds it's recommended to get the XXL 48" size! The prices aren't bad on ebay though, about £40-50.

I'm not sure if it would feel claustrophobic with a cover on. I don't think mine would like to not be able to see around either. :-/

OP posts:

littlewhitebag · 29/08/2013 12:17

The covers are great. They roll up at the front and side (like a tent). My dog loves her crate. I assume it makes her feel safe and snuggly. They are expensive, i agree but i spent a fortune on a new kitchen so for me the cost was justified as i wanted the crate to match in. You asked for the link - i gave you it!

moosemama · 29/08/2013 20:23

YourHand, check out this place too. We got Pip's crate from them and it was much cheaper than anywhere else and delivered really quickly.

We went for a mid-range one and it's much better than Lurcherboy's expensive one, as it's not as heavy and therefore much easier to move around and fold up. Lurcherboy's came from Stock Nutrition and is fantastic quality, but it's so heavy I can't put it up or down or carry it on my own.

As for covers, some people think that crates, if used properly can mimic dens and that dogs actually prefer them covered. I have had dogs that loved being under the table with all the chairs tucked in, because they liked enclosed, darker spaces and others that preferred a blanket over their crate, but have also had dogs that really didn't take to a crate at all, cover or no cover. I think it really depends on the individual dog, but it's easy to check by just slinging a blanket over the crate and seeing how they react.

I'd love a cover for the one currently sitting in the middle of my living room - blooming ugly great eyesore.

Original poster

YourHandInMyHand · 29/08/2013 21:40

Sorry littlewhitebag I hope I haven't offended you! I do think they are lovely but I live on a tight budget so they are out of my price range. My "new" dining set I splashed out on and am gutted about being chewed cost me £50. If I could afford it I'd buy a brown one with a pink gingham lining and bone motif.

I don't know if ShyDog would like a cover on her crate or not but if I get her a crate I guess I could experiment by covering it with a blanket to see if she likes it as a little den like you say moosemama.

Feeling less despondent about it today and want to thank everyone who has offered ideas and advice.

OP posts:

littlewhitebag · 30/08/2013 06:34

yourhaninmyhand I wasn't offended - no worries! I know those covers are expensive. A blanket works just as well. We used two old and very holey towels at first as she chewed them a bit when she was small.

I have my covers in black with red gingham with a bone motif. They look very smart.

I hope you get some resolution to your problem. I t doesn't matter what you spent on your dining set. It's yours and you don't want it ruined. I can understand that.

furbaby · 30/08/2013 20:18

We have got around this problem before darling pup tried out dining table and chairs ...
at work we have huge cardboard tubes ( think kitchen roll tubes but 20 times thicker ) that they store fabric on.
I cut them down and have slipped them over table and chair legs ...., not that noticeable but pup does, nt seem interested as can, t get mouth around them :)
Peace of mind for me that he, s not wrecking my furniture .

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