naughty staffie

[katieg29]

i have a 6 month old staff puppy, he is a nightmare for chewing and ripping things up, i only have to leave him ffor 10min to take kids to school and he has shredded 2 toilet rolls to pieces when i get back, if i close all doors so he only has hall way he just wrecks the place, i thought i had been burgled when i came home the other day, it was that bad. its making me not want to fuss him and play with him anymore. what can i do?????/

[danchip]

lock it outside

[katieg29]

ive tried that but it ate the neighbours fence, and dug about a 50ft hole in the grass!!!!

[louise23]

he is a puppy all puppies go thru a stage of tearing things apart u should maybe think of gettin an outdoor kennel . You must also make sure you are punishing him properly or he is just going to run rings around you.
Good luck

[katieg29]

i need more than luck, i just came back from the school run and he had the bin over! sod! what can i do 2 punish him without beating him?

[Illyria54]

Have you tried what I do? I drop plastic drinks bottles on the floor (minus cap) and let him chew those to his hearts content, my youngest GSD loves them, she loves the noise they make, which can be slightly annoying at times but I can honestly say that she has not chewed anything of value, worth a try and doesn't cost anything, when he has finished with them they can be put in the recycle box! then you can throw more down.

[katieg29]

that idea about the plastic bottles sounds like a good idea, i have heard that mentioned before, but dismissed it. i think i will give that a try, i know he's teething etc, but it gets to a point where you just can't take any more!

[Solarjunkie]

You want prevention, not punishment!
Get an indoor kennel or crate, put a cover over it to make it a darker safe haven. and a rug inside to make it comfy.
Give your pup a little while to get used to it, feed him inside it so he associates it with good things.
Then when you go out, pop him in his crate with a filled kong to keep his interest. When you come back, instead of being apprehensive just what damage he has done you will open the door with a smile knowing he - and your home - is safe where you left him.
Google "crate training" and you will find lots of tips.
Puppies have short memories, punishing him for something he did ages ago (over 10 seconds!) will just puzzle him.
Are you taking him to training classes? They are intelligent dogs and need lots to occupy them. If the only things he can get is teeth on are things you are happy for him to chew, there'll be no problem.
All the best.

[taze]

powerful jaw breeds like bulldogs, bullmastiffs and staffs can have uncontrolable urge to chew. you need to give him things he can chew, toys that you can put treets in are good with treets and cream cheese in will also help to keep the mind busy and help to stop them getting board

[lankeela]

Why not take him on the school run with you? If you don't want to do that, make sure he has been well exercised before you leave him in the mornings. A 20 minutes walk with some free running should do the trick. Then leave him in a puppy pen or crate with a big knuckle bone to chew on and lots of toys and chews. Make sure you then exercise him again several times a day.

As for the chewing, he should be over teething by now, but then again, he is a Staff, and they do need lots of attention and exercise, but certainly not punishment.

[katieg29]

thanks for the practical advice, where can i get those toys from that you fill with treats???? i heard of them before. does asda and places like that do them? i did have a cage for him when he was a tiny pup, but he obviously outgrew it. perhaps i think i should invest a larger one, my sis swears by her one, she refers to it as the dogs "home" rather than a cage. lots of tips for me to try
thanks

[skinnycow]

Ahh this post bought back memories, when my staff was young he managed to destroy my hall carpet and shred a king size mattress during the 15 mins it took my husband to drop me at work! Luckily we were insured.
All good pet shops sell the type of chews you are after and they may help but a large cage is probably your best option but make sure it is large enough for him to stand and turn and put his bed in it and leave the door open so he gets used to it gradually and once he's used to it dont leave him for more than a couple of hours. A word of warning though, this is not fool proof for a staffie, my dog has such strong jaws he once somehow managed to pry the bars open! We have no idea how he managed it but his cage was a mangled wreck. Thankfully he soon grew up (at about 2 and half) and can now be left with the run of house.

[chelsea78]

i have a 4mth staff and every door has a baby gate at it, its like a baby jail in my place, he has the hall way and my kitchen when im out, he started eating my wall and iv had my flooring replaced twice, im lucky i have the two cats to keep him company, he is getting alot better, so have faith in your little man

[webbo3]

My staffie used to do exactly the same thing.
carpets ect.
she did grow out of it and turned into the best dog ever.
I think this is a staffie thing, friends and relations who have had them or have them all have had the same problems, my bro in law has a indoor cage.

[taze]

also you mite like to try a soft muzzle for little trips like the school run but not agood idea if you have to leave him for longer also taking him with you was a good one ,as saves our house and give him exercise and socialisation

[nat1204]

Get another crate, they are great. When you do go out you'll feel at ease that he wont be getting up to mischief.
We have a 5 month old bulldog and shes in her crate when im out and at bedtime Aslong as you make it comfty for him he'll be fine!!

[woofgang]

sorry to disagree, you should never use any muzzle on a dog and leave it unattended, not only can it choke, if is tries to remove the muzzle with a paw the paw can get caught and seriously injure the dog

[katieg29]

i know everyone has there own opinions, im grateful for the tips, i have just re-painted the wall where the bleeder, has eaten it. if only he didnt have such a cute face, then i would be able to stay mad with him.

[taze]

hi lots of good tip hope you find one that works for you and your dog good luck