Chewing!! (sorry its a bit long)

[alwaystryingtobeafriend]

We rescued a staffy cross almost 3 months ago. He is 2 years old (we think).
Both me an partner work full time (I know this will get mne a flaming) but when we 1st got him I worked friom home then weaned out of this so the dog could get used to being on his own fro periods of time. We started using a crate (which i hated) but eventually / now we let him stay in our bedroom (as its yet to be decorated) Me or by partner always get home at lunch time for the dog and up until recently he has been really good.

This least week he has taken to chewing anything he can get his chops on. Shoe boxes, pens, my glasses!!

We have lots of toys for him such as kongs, balls, ropes so not quite sure why he has started chewing everything else.

The dog is walked every morning for at least an hour, he gets half an hour at lunch time and after work he gets at least another hour. So he isnt short on walks and we spend our evenings training him and playing with him

We have also notcied that he is now trying to 'hump' but its like he doesn't know how. He was neutered before we got him but i don't think he ever got 'his end away' and i am not sure if this has something to do with the chewing.

At the moment as it stand i am working from home in the afternoons as this is when he has ben chewing but I get a new job soon and wont have this luxury.

Does anyone have any ideas how we can stop the chewing.

I feel relaly bad as I am now thinking we shouldn't have got him as its unfair to leave him for so long but all our weekends and evening revolv around him and he gets really spoiled with love and affection and toys and treats etc.

Thanks

Hi OP. First of all, My DH and I worked full time when we got our first dog. He didn't care (and would flop around the house looking quite annoyed if one of us DARED to take time off work!). So you won't get a flaming from me! My MIL had a dog - she was retired so home all day but never walked him and shut him in the kitchen on his own most of the day. Time in the house is not the ONLY measure of a good owner IMHO.

it sounds very much like adolescence, but if he IS 2 he's a bit old for that. Any chance he could be younger?

You say he chews in the afternoon - is that regardless of if you're there or not? Just to make it clear in my head - you leave him in the morning, get home at lunch and no chewing has occured. If you then leave again he will chew in the afternoon? Is that right? If so my immediate thoughts are (1) it's boredom or (2) something in the afternoon is stressing him (neighbour playing the drums or something).

Does he have access to all of the toys all of the time? If so can you swap them over at lunch time? Does he have treat dispenser balls or anything like that to occupy him?

He doesnt chew when were there but always on afternoons if we are not in. he has toys and i tend to fill his kong before i leave both in morning and afternoon.

As he is a rescue i suspect he could be youngr than 2 but i think he maybe hasnt had the chance to be a proper pup.

I dont think any loud noises would stress him. I work from home occasionallyand never hear anything so i think its bordem
Its just a recent thing so hoping its just a phase. But any ideas how to stop it would be appreciated xx

Have you considered using a dog walker to break up the afternoon? I know he is getting enough walks, but it would be for entertainment/company. Or maybe doing some activity with him in the evening, such as agility, that would tire him more for the next day.

OK, this is the routine we had with DDog1 when he was an only and we both worked full time:

Monday - left from 8am-12noon, then 1pm-4.30pm. He was fed his kibble split amongst a variety of treat dispensers (including Kong Pyramid, Buster cube, rubber kongs, and Nina Ottoson Interactive Toys). He was also fairly exhausted from the weekend of activities.

Tuesday - Doggy Day care. They picked him up at around 8.30 and dropped him back home at 5.

Wednesday - as monday. Obedience Training in the evening.

Thursday - as monday. Agility Training in the evening.

Friday - left from 8am-12noon only.

Saturday and Sunday would involve walks, extra training (I often do one day workshops in various things like TTouch, Rally O or Scentwork just for fun). We have a group of doggy friends and do lots of walks in the area. He know competes at agility so we have competitions probably 2 weekends a month. he's fairly exhausted by all of this!

Dog Day care was brilliant - he only went once a week but it was enough to break things up and wear him out. I have labradors though so probably not as high energy as staffies!

OK, I've just realised I'm coming across as a bit crazy dog lady here! I do realise we do an awful lot with our dogs - but dog training is my hobby (and my husband). I realise most normal people have other things to do!

Hi your not a crazy dog lady. Lol.

I think a treat dispenser toy would be good and we could put some of his morning feed in it.

We cant really afford a dog walker at the minute and dp is funny about lwtting people into the house when we not there. Which is fair enough. There isnt any agility classes near us at suitable times which would have been good because then at night we could spend time practicing for his next class. maybe we need to set up our own training plan that we can do in door or when out walking that would tire his brain out a bit more. like i say he isnt short on walks love or attention but maybe we need to spend more time stimulating him.