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My Aussie Is Chewing Up My House, Help Please?

by Jimbo
(DeKalb)

He's an awesome dog. I didn't want to crate him so I put a gate up and gave him a 6x6 spot with nothing but hardwood and walls with his water, food, some chew toys, etc. He started chewing the drywall.

I then started giving him more exercise, training, affection and let him roam the house while I was gone. Every couple of weeks I'll find that he chewed something (pants, plant).

Any tips? He is 1.5 years old. Do you think this will stop with time? I'd hate to crate him while I'm gone, but I think I might have to.

Thanks!

Comments for My Aussie Is Chewing Up My House, Help Please?

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Anxiety Perhaps?
by: Cindy

Love the photo! What a cutie.

Our boy Kato has separation anxiety and has had similar issues. After researching I started leaving soft music playing and prepared calming frozen kongs.

Apparently bananas and cottage cheese are two calming foods. Freezing them in the kong takes the dog a while to consume and what I read was the first 20 minutes after you leave is important because that sets up the way the dog is going to spend the time while you're gone. Either anxious and getting more anxious OR not.

We also tried Rescue Remedy, Calming Treats (both available at pet stores), medications prescribed by the vet and pheromones for calming (room diffuser). None of these worked for Kato but might for you.

Chewing behaviour
by: Anonymous

My 9mo pup is a chewing machine. He does not like the crate, but that is where he goes when we are not home. Period, until he is 2-3yrs depending on behaviour. Learned that the hard way with previous dogs. If your dog has not been crated at all it might take some time to get him used to it. Leave the door open, say nothing, and throw in a few treats once in a while. Let him go in and out as he likes. Then put in a stuffed Kong etc and close him in while he chews it. Since he is no longer a pup he will be calmer about it in the end. Good luck!

I know that look
by: Richard Bryant

He is bored. More toys and then get more toys. Aussie's are a very active breed, we have three.
All the pups stopped chewing up bad things by the time they were eight months old.
Having three does keep them occupied. When we are busy I see the boys playing to keep occupied.
The first Aussie was only child for first four years and he was a challenge. I would come home from work to find my wife crying because all he wanted to do was play and he would scratch up her arms pretty bad. She started with ball and then me with Frisbee. He became focused and that is all he ever wanted from then on. Throw ball or frisbee or else. He turned out to be an awesome ball/frisbee dog. Good luck and stay with it, it will be rewarding.

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