why are they destroying the lounge??

[kt_brandy]

Hubby finally had his home gym delivered last week and last weekend we put it together, this meant having to move an old lounge that folds down to a bed from inside the main house to the entertainment area where the dogs are whilst we are at work, this lounge has always been Brandy's lounge and they both love laying on it waiting for their dinner, well 3 times this week we've come home and they have destoyed some part of it.

1st thing they managed was to pull the cover up at one end then pull the foam mattress out through the opening and proceeded to rip it to bits. hubby and i cleaned it up turned the mattress over and put it back (with the intent of replacing it this weekend).

well the next day they did the same thing so we removed both bits of foam and put plywood where the foam was (my thinking was so that their legs couldn't fall between the battens and hurt themselves) then we put the cover back over it for their comfort and one of their polar fleece blankets over that for extra comfort. all was fine for a whole DAY, got home last night and Tigger (Mr Destructo) had started destoying the base - it's padded in foam then covered with vinyl.

we put it out there for them so they had their lounge why and how do we stop them from destoying their lounge - we have a table and chair setting in there with nice foam cushioned seats and they dont chew them (god help them if they did - hubby is having a fit over a $300 lounge let alone a much dearer setting.) they do curl up and sleep on the chairs which is fine with us - brandy especially loves sitting them - i always say look at the queen on her throne.

the thing is they dont worry about it when we are home they actually lay on it to get the warmth of the sun - its just when we have to leave them. Tigger i feel is the main one but i wont tell hubby i agree with him because i know brandy would join in after all why should tig have all the fun? and hubby is blaming my little main - its like they are trying to punish us for having to leave them.

sorry this has turned into a marathon but i'm just wondering if you guys can offer any advise on how to get them to stop they dont worry about the furniture in the main part of the house but they aren't in there when we aren't - and we don't crate them at all and it's not an option for us

[SILLY6PAK]

Do you think they are getting enough exercise? Sounds like they are bored and frustrated. At this rate I would predict it is just a matter of time before the chairs get it.
I would try a long walk before you leave them and maybe a kong to keep them occupied.

[kt_brandy]

i would try a long walk before you leave them and maybe a kong to keep them occupied.

unfortunately tigger suffers from meninigitis and under his neurologists advise he can't go on walks his exercise is his playing with brandy and sometimes thats too much and he relapses - he should have out grown it by now but hasn't so he may suffer from it for life we will try to ween him off his meds before summer to see how he goes but its trial and error.

this doesn't mean he doesn't get any walks ever but they have to be few and fare between we usually keep this treat for his grand dad who loves to take them.

they would fight over the kongs - they can only have treats and such when we are home - tiggers medication for meninigitis causes food aggression and it's not pretty because poor brandy doesn't back down either so we just dont put them in that position especially when we aren't home when we are there we have some control.

[kt_brandy]

i busted tigger chewing the lounge this morning, i had only put them in the room 5 mins earlier went to the bathroom, grabbed my bag and thought gee their quite this morning - and you all know what a quite boxer means mmmm so i went and checked and there is Mr Tigger standing on the lounge with the cover pulled back ripping it to shreds - at least i caught him in the act, poor old brandy was just watching him.

i just dont know what to do to stop him, they have access to the yard to play in, plently of toys as well as each other so shouldn't be bored.

[garvinsmum]

Garvin is not a destroyer, but Bailey was. And Garvin used to sit there like Brandy and watch. Bailey would chew papers, books and rip cushions apart but left the couch. No cushion was safe though. I don't know if there is an answer other than maybe some sort of offputting spray, I think you can buy a special bitter spray to make things unappealing for dogs. The destruction of this couch doesn't mean he will destroy everything else, but once they get a taste for something they like to keep going.
I found as I got Baileys anxiety under control that the destructive behaviour dropped off too.
But maybe it's just fun too.

[Biff]

Originally Posted by SILLY6PAK

maybe a kong to keep them occupied.

What's a kong ?

[Checkers]

Maybe try fake leaving some more so you can try to catch him in the act again. Maybe a scolding when you catch him and taking the couch cushins away would help

Biff www.kongcompany.com