I just might lose my lunch over this...I'm so upset I could cry.....or skin two dogs...haven't decided yet.(crate update)

[Donna Vee]

Yes, they are still puppies. Yes, we walk them every single day and play and play and play and play. Yes we thought we had totally puppy proofed our dining room but somehow, our beaver doodles CHEWED their way into a cabinet and drug out, tore-up and chewed beyond recognition some of my linen napkins, a Longeburger basket and liner, and antique cookbook of my great grandmothers (with her writing in it) and of all things, a bottle of Elmer's glue...all in a 3 hour period.

When I opened the front door today, Penny was standing on the gate with one of the Longeberger liners in her mouth, all proud of herself and making happy, happy, wookie noises. Ginger knew right away that they were in BIG trouble and immediately ran for cover as if I was going to beat her or something. There they both stood, covered in glue and pieces of antique cookbook stuck all over them...I would have laughed if I hadn't been about to throw up. I don't know what to do. We've tried everything except selling them….CHEAP! Oh! And one more YES….They had plenty of toys to chew on. I guess it’s time to kennel them during the day. So sad though, we got two so that they would have each other and stay out of trouble. Instead, they are partners in crime on a mission to destroy my house one bite at a time.

"CALGON tequila take me away"

So I think a few of you might have missed the pics I posted so I'll puth them here...and...THANK YOU ALL!  I'm so encouraged by your posts. :)

 

WISH US LUCK!!!!

 

 

Find the treats!!!

[Natasha]

Oh goodness!

 

We kenneled for 6 or 7 months and then confined Rouser to two rooms from 7 to 10 months. We didn't have any destruction except for some mail ripped COMPLETELY TO SHREDS when we tried to let him have run of the two rooms at 5 months (too early). I still am not positive what letters and bills we lost in that event.

 

Once we let him have run of the two rooms at 7 months we didn't have any problems at all - no destruction or accidents. We did have a little hiccup at 10 months when we gave him run of the house. Twice, he snuck into a never visited upstairs bedroom and "relieved himself." Our trainer gave us a great tip. When you do decide to give run of house, feed your dog in every room at least once before giving run of house and then, for the first month or two, take him into each room and do some training with treats. They'll avoid soiling a room in which they might be fed. We used this trick after the second accident and we haven't had any issues since (and he's going on 3 now).

[Smita, Ollie and Juno]

I'm so sorry about the los of your belongings. Especially the cookbook thing would have broken my heart!Time to crate them for sure. I recently woke up to a chewed up laptop and Ollie is back in his "night-night" ! :-)

[Jennifer and Jack]

I am so sorry, so sorry, I would be heartbroken over the precious items. I agree crating is the answer for now. You are doing everything you can to help them get their energy out. I know my friend had three doodles and she kept them in the kitchen and she would come home to flour and all types of food everywhere. So sometimes two can cause trouble instead of them going to sleep.

 

One other option, and I am not sure if it is an option for you is daycare. Daycare they can run rampant all day and get their energy out and it keeps them out of the house so they can't cause trouble.

 

I am sorry, they will get bigger and they will behave someday. I would start with the crate right away or daycare.

[Native New Yorker]

Truthfully, I did not realize that some people did not crate their dogs, especially doodles age 2 and under, during their absence.  My Hudson would destroy the house if he had the opportunity.  He is used to his crate while we're at work and school.  I am especially sorry that you lost your antique cookbook.  I feel your pain. That's not something that you can replace.  The image of them covered in Elmers glue with pages stuck to them is funny though. LOL!  I guess you were not in the mood to take pictures but I'll bet you'll laugh about it in the future, perhaps 10 years from now - maybe 20.

 

[Laurie, Fudge, and Vern]

Donna, We needed pictures to go with this post :) What little stinkers. I think I would go back to crating. Sorry you had a bad day....they always chew something you really love, don't they???

[Kaytlin and Cooper]

We attached an ex pen to coopers crate while we were gone at work. it worked well. She still destroyed stuff - toys and a leash accidentally left on her crate, but it worked well til we moved house and didnt have the space for it. She was a year and a hlaf then, and she has been reasonably good since then. We leave her in a limited area (kitchen and lounge/computer area) and have removed most of our smaller belongings from there (we also had to kitten proof so everything from floor to ceiling level that could be moved was moved). There were a few incidences, of toys, plants, mail, cat scratch post, cat toys destroyed, but for the most part she has learnt to be good

 

Maybe you could have 2 ex-pens together for your 2 doods?

 

[BG and Gavin]

Donna - what a lousy day!  I bet you are angry and heart broken beyond belief.  Hopefully they redeem themselves and you remember why you love them.  Until then, I would send them back to the crowbar motel!

[Sally, Ditzy Mitzi & Sgt. Pepper]

Donna if any of the pages of the cookbook are still intact they could be scanned and hopefully you can at least save the

recipes.  I have taken bits and pieces of a torn recipe, slipped it inside a two sheets of clear plastic used for a

projector viewer, and placed that in my scanner to save the recipe. Of course, I tried to piece it together like a puzzle first.

I also have my mother's handwritten recipe cookbook so I fully feel your pain.  Good luck and best wishes.

 

[shelly]

OMD!  I feel for you!  I agree - we need pictures!  Isn't it so great of us to be so supportive and yet ask for pictures!  LOL

My GR once chewed up the whole side of my Haitian cotton pit couch (now I'm dating myself).  We came home to strands of couch everywhere and one big hole on the side of the couch!

 

[Cheryl and Finnegan]

I FEEL your pain!  So sorry about your great grandmother's antique cookbook.  But what a story!  In his 10 short wonderful months on this earth, my doodle, Finnegan has chewed more than any dog I've ever owned. If it's made out of paper or has soft stuffing somewhere, anywhere, it's marked for destruction.  And just like your 2 adorable doodles, he has (had) plenty of toys, gets lots of exercise, etc.  Actually I don't know what kind of toys to get him anymore. He's totally pulled apart those really tough toys made out of materials from NASA! I've had to pull plastic "kevlar" out of his mouth from guaranteed indestructible toys  (Don't they make bulletproof vests out of that stuff?) We gave up on comfy dog beds after #3 was ripped apart and partially devoured.  And he found a pack of gum one day and he thought that was just the best!  So I can only imagine what 2 doodles covered in glue was like!!  But Finn does seem to like his crate ... and I'm buying pet insurance :)

[Kim]

ouch.  I started letting Allie out of the crate with limited access to the house when she was around 1 year old.  She's never chewed anything that she wasn't supposed to though, so I trusted her fully before doing so. I would definitely crate the dogs when I'm not home until they are trusted 100%.  I'm so sorry about this, especially the cookbook :(

[Dot, Maggie and KoKo]

I know the pain of losing things we cherish and for that reason my two doods will always be crated when I'm not home.  Thankfully they don't mind being in their crates.  They are also crated at night.  Maggie is trustworthy (so far) but I don't trust KoKo even when I'm home.  She will steal anything and everything and then we chase around the dining room table to retrieve whatever it is she stole. She thinks its a game and I know I shouldn't chase her but she will ruin whatever it is she has in her mouth.  I guess thievery and destruction is a doodle thing.