New to the forum and need advice

[Fajopetal2006]

Hi

We have an 8 month old staff who doesn't like his beds! He was fine up until 2 months ago and since then he has gone through 4 beds.  He is crate trained and left alone during the day with a break at lunch time but this started quite suddenly.   He has 2 40min walks a day plus playtime in the garden.

I wondered if it was boredom or he just doesn't like the beds?!

Has anyone else had a problem like this? Any help would be appreciated.

Thank you

[-Ian-]

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[-Ian-]

Hi & Welcome to the Forum from Flo and me

Sounds like a touch of boredom/frustration. Normally I would say a tired dog is a good dog but it sounds like he's getting plenty of exercise so I would suggest he needs some mental stimulation while you're out.

Something like a treat ball or a Stuffed Kong or anything he has to figure out to get the treat.... Then again, he might just not like the beds you buy

[Fajopetal2006]

That's the thing he has a frozen kong, treat ball and an antler chew to keep him occupied. He even has a crate that's mastiff size so he can walk around etc. I'm guessing the beds aren't good enough for him!

[-Ian-]

... Oh dear maybe it is the beds.

On a serious note though, it is odd that this has just started to happen. Do you leave a radio on for him? Wondering if that might give him some company.

I'll have a think about what other suggestions there could be

[Fajopetal2006]

We do, we leave a talking station on for him and whenever it goes on he's straight in his crate and has no issues being left on his own.

Thank you, I really appreciate any suggestions.

[Guest]

Hi from me and mine!

I think it is boredom/frustration, and he's taking out that frustration on his beds. I know he appears to accept it but animals can be very good at doing what they know they should, without actually really liking it.

I'm not sure I agree that 2 x 40 minute walks a day is enough for a youngster who then has hours of kicking his heels alone. In addition to that, I would think another part of it is the lack of interaction during the day. I know from my guys that I can leave them with the house stuffed full of toys and they will barely touch them if we aren't around. Almost the only thing that ever gets moved is when I take the girls for a walk, and Chaos will then find something of mine to take onto the bed. Which tells you something, doesn't it? Staffies love people and many crave our company.

When you say he's crate trained, do you mean you leave him in his crate, door closed, when you're out? If so, that might also be part of the problem. I'd chew my bed if I was shut in with it for hours.

I would suggest, in addition to the mental stimulation things that Ian recommended, longer walks before you leave, or the normal walk and 20 minutes of tiring ball play or similar, and a dog walker or someone to spend a good amount of time with him in the middle of the day. Whoever is with him then could also leave another kong or similar. I would also forget the crate other than to have it there if he wants, and give him at least a whole room of freedom, with things that are yours like an old sweatshirt or something.

At the end of the day, it's a big thing to ask of a dog, especially a young dog of an energetic breed like a staffie.

[Fajopetal2006]

Thanks for your response. He has plenty of play in the garden along with an hour at lunches when hubby goes home and plays "Chase me" which leaves both of them puffing away! He has his crate door shut for morning and he doesn't chew his bed. In the afternoon when the door is often open is when the bed gets chewed which is why it is so confusing. I would have thought he would chew the bed when the door is shut?

[Guest]

If that is consistently the pattern, then that's the area to look at. Maybe the 'chase me' game is over stimulating and leaving your dog still in the middle of an energy high, for example, so would it be possible for your husband to do a walk at that point, with playtime in the evening? Or spend a shorter time at the beginning of the lunch break burning off some energy and spending the second half of the time doing less physical mind work. Hiding treats for your lad to hunt out is a great game and mental exercise can be just as tiring as physical, but leave a dog less pumped up.

Does he get a meal at lunchtime at all? If so, what?

[Fajopetal2006]

I hadn't thought that maybe he was getting too excited. He doesn't have any lunch as such as he is happier eating when he is hungry and so he may only have a couple of mouthfulls but he is on James welbeloved.

[Guest]

Give it a go. It might not be that but you won't know if it'll help unless you try! Let us know how you get on.

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