dog has ripped sofa fabric...

ixwood

Bless. some Dogs chew things. It doesn't know any better. Yet.

Has it got chews and bones and stuff? How many walks a day does it get? Presumably you were out? Does it have seperation anxiety?


HAve a safe room you can leave it with nothing (important at least) to destroy.

victoriav

Thanks for replies, Yes, she does have separation anxiety, she sleeps on my bed, (spoilt) comes to bath with me -waits on the mat, she cries for ages when I have to leave her,I try not to for any length of time,but when it's unavoidable, I do much to make her comfortable, toys, chews, bones, have read jan fennell (dog whisperer advice) very good and makes a lot of sense. I leave tv on for her and a neighbour spies on her for me and says usually she settles down and appears to watch the tv (snuggled up on a different sofa) in a different room. I actually leave tv on for a distracting background noise. We have a really big garden and she can get in and out of catflaps when she likes, she is quite 'free-range'!! ...I also do not know her previous background,apaprt from appearing to be a stray/abandoned.....(possibly her behaviour could have been a factor in this) which is really unfortunate... I bought a dog pen, but can't bring myself to use it, for if I am away for short while... The damage was done when I was here in bed in the next room, she sneaked out of bed and did it.....

I think I may ask DFS for a material sample as I found a set of upholstery needles and I may try myself!

I think, as she's a terrier, they are 'ratters' and she wanted that dormouse/harvest mouse and ripped a sofa to get at it. She did similar with an antique monks bench, bit the lower trim completely off and ripped the carpet to the concrete under - as far as she could go, and this time it was a HUGE spider she'd seen. It had gotten under the bench.

fraoch

Just a word of comfort. I too took in a rescue puppy (Staffordshire Bull Terrier, I am now minus three doors after she made herself dogflaps, a mattress, several pairs of shoes and have a hole in the wall.

Thankfully she has settled down and this anxiety does pass.

She is now the most wonderful dog that you could ever wish for and maybe yours will be the same. Good luck.

ixwood

Could she get to you when you were in bed and she did the damage?

You have to careful about how you react. Any attention is better than no attention to some dogs.


As with most dog problems, exercise and more exercise is the solution to seperation aniexty. A tired dog is a happy dog and once she's got rid of all that energy, she won't have much left to care about where you are.

ANd don't give a big fuss when you come in. That reenforces her fears. Ignore her, hard as it is. Keep nipping in and out and leave it longer each time. As soon as she realises you always come back, she'll stop worrying,

Oh and you may want to make the pack order clear. The sepeartion anixsety is probably cos she doesn't think you can look after yourself without your leader around (her). Make it clear you are the boss, and cut down on the fussing (pack leaders don't fuss, they get fussed)
.

ixwood

Also, youneed some distance. The dos obsessed and it's not healthy. Spending 100% ofn the time in the house with her makes you going seem liek an ordeal. Make her sleep downstairs. Or even stay down there. As long as dogs know the rules, they don't mind.

My dog passed away a few months ago now, but he never ever went upstairs or on the furniture.

victoriav

Thanks for replies. Yes she actually could get to me when she did it! she'd been asleep with me one minute and popped out quickly and done it the next! - the bedroom door is always ajar as otherwise the cat rips up the remaining one carpet I have, in order to get in! :rolleyes:. doggy, she sleeps on the bed bottom on a separate quilt alongside a cat or 2 quite contentedly. This is what she was doing til the mouse arrived, (fetched in by the cat), I think she smelt/heard it, popped off to investigate and you know the rest...

You are right, and I can understand the importance of walks and stimulation and some days she just runs around in the large garden or comes walkies just up to the shops if I am too busy.

I realise I have spoilt my pets and have made a rod for my own back in some ways.:think: I am guilty of fussing her lots too, upon my return!! I know I shouldn't....I will definitely need to take her to some training classes...as I will the other pups (not the same breed,) who also need training. but are not too much problem. They don't have separation anxiety as they are brother and sister and amuse eachother, I got them a sandpit and a paddling pool with water features, from a carboot, they keep amused for ages with it, but she cannot be left unattended with them two (if I go out) as she digs an escape to look for me ..but they do all get along fine. She cannot sleep in the kitchen either, with them, as she barks the house down until I go get her., leading to neighbour complaints.

Dennis99

blondie7 wrote: »

Did you not take out the accidental damage insurance with DFS? If you did not if you have accidental damage on your house insurance then you should be able to claim from them.

I think most insurers specifically exclude pet damage from accidental damage policies.

ixwood

Try 2 good walks a day and hopefully it'll improve a lot. Dogs need to exercise, as well as getting rid of the energy, it's what they do.

I'd also seriously try to boost your ranking and relegate her in her eyes. She need to know you're the strong pack leader who doesn't need or want her protection or help.

Never give a command you can't enforce and never let a command go unobeyed. And don't repeat commands. You say what you mean and mean it as far as the dog is concerend.

And as mentioned if possible, reduce fussing. Lots of fuss should be a reward, not the norm. I know it's hard, but it'll be worth it in the long run and the dog will be happier. Constanlty worrying about you all the time must be stressful.

Oh and never ever fuss when the dog isn't in a calm state. It reenforces her feelings at the time. So fussing a stressed dog will cement the behavior.