Chewing on carpet

[Minda and Callie]

We just moved into a (old) new house.  Callie was fine for a couple of weeks but all the sudden one day she started chewing at one piece of the carpet.  The previous owners didn't have pets so I don't think that is what made her interested.  I tried some bitter spray but she just went right back to it.  Now I have a rug over the spot and I am afraid to leave her out when I am away.  She is pretty darn near perfect except for that one piece of carpet and has never done anything like this before. With the rug over it she has not tried it again anywhere.  She is one years old.  Any suggestions that may help me trust her again? Anything I could put down?  

[Nancy, Ned, Clancy, and Charlie]

Let me just say that ALL of our rugs are not pristinely edged any longer. :-} 

We used to have a Berber carpet and one of our dogs "zipped" a length of it apart when he was a pup. We covered it with another rug.  If there is a specific place that she chews, I would cover it, even if you have to place a piece of furniture on top of it, until she matures.  And, no, I wouldn't leave her with access to this when you are out. If you aren't crating her, I would block off a 'safe' area or room for her to be in.

[Deb's Yarrow and Schatzi]

You're talking about a wall to wall carpet that you've had to cover with a rug to try to protect it, right?  I had a Basset hound who used to chew on the carpet (and everything else!) as an expression of her separation anxiety... shortly after we moved.  Hmmm.  After trying everything I could think of at the time, we went to the SPCA and got her a companion who spoke her language.  That worked beautifully for us.  Teaspoon the hound and Kali the Doberman cross were the best of friends for many many years.  But that's an extreme remedy.

When we moved a year ago, our senior dog suddenly began to experience separation anxiety for the first time in his life (he had a double whammy - moving and the death of his partner dog at the same time).  It took some time.  I had to keep him confined to one area of the house until he got settled in.  His depression was really healed when we brought home our doodle puppy last November. The two keep each other company when home 'alone'. 

Moving is stressful and some flowers transplant better than others if you know what I mean.  Callie may be going through something.   I'd go with what Nancy suggested and somehow make the area inaccessible until she has outgrown her obsession with that part of the carpet. 

[Deb's Yarrow and Schatzi]

Gee.  I should've checked first.  I see that you have another dog and two cats so it's more about the new surroundings. 

[Minda and Callie]

Thank you Nancy and Deb for your replies.  I was out of town and just catching up on the post.  I have it covered and crate her when I am gone.  We left her out last night for the first time and she did well.  Hope it continues because I don't like leaving her crated when I am gone :)

[Deb's Yarrow and Schatzi]

Glad to hear that she did well last night.