Destroying bed in crate

[Sabrina and Bentley]

So my 1 year old destroyed his crate bed about 3 months ago. Tore the foam and fabric to pieces. We decided not to get him another one, so he just slept on a blanket in the crate. Fast forward to today. Decided to buy him another one. We left for about four hours and came home to it destroyed to pieces. When he destroyed his first one, it was also when we left the house. He's always been fine overnight. I am sooo frustrated!

He is only in his crate at night and when we leave because I work from home, so he's out all day. I know he's doing it because he's bored even though we leave toys in there.

What do you suggest? I'm pulling my hair out. I thought that he maybe grew out of it, but he obviously didn't. I hate to just have him sleep on a blanket but I just threw $30 in the trash...again. I don't know if I can ever trust him with another bed.

Any suggestions or success stories are appreciated!

[Shoney & Ruby]

We only let Ruby have her bed when we are with her--usually when she is exhausted. The minute she starts to nibble on her bed, I take it away. She sleeps on a tough but soft towel in her crate. I actually think she is beginning to understand that the bed is to rest on and goes away if she chews--we also give her a chewy toy before taking the bed away.

Good luck!

[Nancy, Ned, Clancy, and Charlie]

Lots of doodles actually prefer the bare crate if it has a solid bottom. Puppies are destructive, some more so than others.  I have a Springer that was uncratable as a puppy (anxiety) and destroyed 2 couches (cushion by cushion), a chair, ate molding and every rug (some were new carpets), that was near him.  This destruction was only when we were gone. He never got into trash, ate plants or destroyed anything when we were home.   We joke that he is lucky he was so cute or he would not have survived - or we wouldn't have!

[Jennifer & Truffle]

We had the same problem. We gave up after Truffle destroyed a couple of crate mats as well as cute dog beds we'd bought. I had to return a great llbean dog bed because he loved chewing it.  For the past several months he's slept on the bare crate tray and doesn't seem to mind at all. We also bought him a bed from kuranda.com - he currently uses it mostly as a little step stool to look out the window, but I'm holding out hope he'll eventually use it as a bed!

[Jane, Guinness and Murphy]

My daughter's Lab has destroyed every single dog bed she put in the crate....I'm thinking there were at least six or seven.  She kept feeling really bad for the dog, and so she tried over and over....lots of $ wasted. It seems to be something about the stuffing....they usually won't destroy blankets.  My advice would be to stick with the blankets.

[Sabrina and Bentley]

Thanks y'all! It makes me feel better to know I'm not alone. I guess we'll stick to the blankets. I feel bad but he hasnt complained, so I guess he's ok with it.

[Jessica, Loki and Moose]

I keep one fleece blanket in Loki's crate because he did the same thing when he was younger and he now shoves the blanket in the corner and lays in the crate tray itself. Works for me and saves me some money!

[Stella]

My Hartley slept on a towel in his crate for a very long time becuase he kept destroying his bed. He was exactly the same - only doing it when we left the house. They do eventually grow out of it!! Stick with the blanket for now!

[Maryann,Roo and Tigger]

My dogs are on old quilts in their crates, and seem none the worse for the wear, but they do not spend a lot of time in their crates, just when we/I go out at night. I also highly recommend the Orvis "Tough Chewer" bed. Very pricey, but it is guaranteed not to be shredded or it will be replaced.  It was Roo's bed for several years as he is a powerful and persistent chewer.  It is now his garage bed for him while Dad is working. 

[Joanne ~ Spud*]

A few suggestions

We never used one.  The dogs always seem to ball it up and stick in in the corner as they preferred to sleep on a cool surface.    As puppies, during potty training, it was too much to keep clean too.   And finally, I hated to leave something in a crate a dog would swallow. Ugh. 

With older dogs, I have used a rug. A nice, bathroom rug that fit the crate exactly.  It was easier to wash too.  But, most of the time not.  Just in transport in cold weather etc.

We dont buy dog beds anymore. We use human pillows with pillow cases. Easier to wash up, less money to purchase, and my dog does seem to love pillows.  I have two on the floor