Chomping Menace!

Hi all

When we first got Ralph he was crate trained and this worked really well for us.  He stayed in there until he was about 9 months old when we started leaving the crate door open so he could come and go as he pleased.  

We shut the front room door and he has the run of the hallway and kitchen.  

He’s now 21 months and has just recently started being destructive whilst we’re out.  We have come home to find the skirting boards chewed.  We soaked it in bitter apple and repaired the damage.  All was well for a couple of weeks – then another spot has become a target.  We did the same thing again, and all was fine.

Yesterday I came home and he had a bit of wallpaper stuck to his lip!!!   

He’s chewed the corner of the wall now!   

Nothing in his routine has changed at all – his diet is the same so I don’t know why this has started.  Any ideas?

His routine is:

6.30am – Wee wee’s and breakfast and back to bed for a cuddle.
7.30am – Walkies – a good 45 minutes run over the woods
8.30am – We go to work
12.30 – 1pm – The OH comes back and takes him for another walkies.  He then goes off to work with the OH for the afternoon.

He’s only ever on his own for 4 – 4 and a half hours, and this has never been a problem before.  

We leave him with toys and chews, but he doesn’t touch those – the wall is obviously more appealing!  

Today the OH came back after an hour as he’d forgotten something and Ralph had already chomped the wall again! So I don’t think he’s bored.

Any ideas anyone?

Strange that it has just started now at nearly 2 years old. You could try another walk in the evening? Tire him out more?

What is he fed?

i would try and make his morning walk a bit longer,so he is really tired out when you go to work  

Perhaps up his excersise have you tried a stuffed kong?

You can get sprays as a deterrent Xx

I'd try leaving his breakfast till about half an hour or so after his walk, that Way he'll be nice and full and will probably want to sleep it off!