The Chewing Challenge

 

We most certainly had some mischief in our house this weekend!  Ben & I slept in just a bit on Saturday morning and woke up to this:

 

Well....our little Buddy put a teeny hole in the couch cushion and then he and Miss Junie spent the early morning hours after breakfast taking the stuffing out.  How fun for them!

So later that morning, I got out some needle and thread and patched it up as best as I could.  Being leather, it was a bit of a challenge.  Of course my two sweet culprits snuggled on the couch in question while I was fixing it.  I like to think they were "helping" their mom fix it.

Ben was impressed with my fix, and wasn't too mad about it at all.  I assumed that since the hole was gone that the temptation would be gone also.  Wrong!

Sunday morning, I got up for work, took care of the pups, said bye to Ben, and left.  Ben was still asleep as it was early on a Sunday morning.  A couple of hours into my shift at work, I got a text of this:

June still loves her favorite chair, even though there is a bit less of it!

Oh my....Ben has been so understanding of my desire to foster and help, but is this getting to be too much for him to handle???  My brain usually flips to the "Worry" setting in situations such as these.  I know Buddy is just a pup and things happen, but I was so worried Ben might change his mind about fostering.  (Which he didn't!  Love that man of mine!)

I sent Paula, from Sea Dog Rescue, a text asking for help.  So on my lunch break, I gave Paula a call and she asked what was going on.  I told her Buddy had started to chew the furniture.  I have dealt with all kinds of puppy mishaps through my life, but never a furniture chewer.  I needed some advice.  And Paula had plenty to give!

First, we diagnosed when this chewing was occurring.  I told her I thought it was our morning routine.  I get up in the morning (around 5am), take care of the pups, then head to work, or head back to bed if I don't have to work in the morning. 

We deduced that the chewing was happening after breakfast and before the household woke up for the day.  Buddy, being a pup, was wide awake after breakfast and wanted to play.  His brother and sister thoroughly enjoy their beauty sleep, so playing with them is out of the question.  So our bored little Buddy took it out on the couch :(

Buddy with his handiwork.  Still a sweetie in my book!

 

Step number one was to crate Buddy after the morning routine until the household wakes up.  We did that this morning, but he cried.  Hopefully he gets used to the new routine until his chewing is under control.  But the good news, no new couch holes this morning!

Paula gave me some other great advice.  The first thing is an oil she is going to bring me to put on the chewed areas in case he revisits them.  He is going to get one nasty taste in his mouth!  Deterrent!!  Also, we need to keep a super close eye on him while we are home and awake.  He needs to be with us at all times until he can be trusted a bit better.

Another bit of advice she gave me was in case I walked up on him while he was chewing.  She said to use a loud noise or clap to distract him, but to not use his name as it would confuse him.  After distracting him, give him a chewing approved toy.  Once he chews that, Praise, Praise, Praise!!!

Hopefully between crating and these new techniques, we will get this chewing under control.  In the meantime, does anyone know where to get cute, cheap slipcovers??? :)

As always, please consider adopting at a your local shelter or rescue group.  Even with the mishaps, having a dog is wonderful.  I wouldn't give back the chewed couches or broken window blinds for anything in the world.  Pups are more than worth it!

Also a big, giant thanks to my wonderful husband!  Thank you for supporting me, staying patient, and taking care of the pups with me! 

Thanks for stopping by!

-Laura


***UPDATE***

It has been 8 days since our mischief mishap.  I am proud to say that we have identified and fixed the problem!  Buddy just was bored in the early morning hours after breakfast and before the household woke up.  I crated him once in the morning hours while I slept, but then tried a different approach.  It has been working out wonderfully!

Whichever of us leaves first in the morning (Ben or myself) makes sure to shut all three dogs into the bedroom while the other is in bed.  I make sure there are about five or six different varieties of toys and chews on the floor to keep Buddy occupied if he doesn't feel like snuggling, but he normally just snuggles with his foster mom:)

And as for the couch.....it is fixed, too.  Luckily, there were some leather patches under each piece of furniture, so I sewed them all together like a patchwork quilt.  Then I sewed the patch over the hole.  It isn't the most beautiful thing you have ever seen, but it serves its purpose.  No more hole and it matches...sort of.  The patches aren't exactly faded/worn like the rest of the leather, but it is pretty close.

Here is my handiwork:

I am proud to say we are no longer "Chewing Challenged" here at the Bruner household!  Yay!!!