# First time for everything I suppose....but boy am I furious!!



## Ozkar (Jul 4, 2011)

I worked today from 8-1pm. Followed the usual routine of early morning walk, followed by breakfast, a bone and some treat balls stuffed to keep them entertained as always. I followed the same routine as always when leaving the house. I came home to a very expensive mess. 

Zsa Zsa had chewed the leather lounge and destroyed the entire chase section. In all the time I have had them, they have never touched this lounge and know it is not to be chewed. I know it was Zsa Zsa, as Astro is just not like that. Zsa Zsa is the one who will rip apart soft furnishings, pillows, soft toys and anything with stuffing in it. However, she has never been interested in the leather lounge. 

It's a AUD$4000 lounge. NOt cheap in our money. (I bought it 3 years ago when I was pretty flush and I splurged) Rang an upholsterer mate of mine and he says about $1000 to repair it but he wont be able to match the leather grain. Colour he can get close enough he reckons, but this leather was very smooth, with not a lot of grain showing through. It was also bloody thick, so she must have been knawing on it for a while before she broke through the leather. 

Boy was I pissed when I walked in and saw it. Without saying a word, I walked over to it and just pointed at it. Zsa Zsa immediately went into her snakey slinky mode, while Astro just wagged his tail. So I know who was responsible............... 

Tomorrow morning, I am going to run her HARD. Really HARD. Hopefully she will sleep the remainder of the morning then. But, if this continues, it looks like no more house privelidges for either of them. I hate to punish Astro for Zsa Zsa's behaviour, but I can't leave one in and one out, as they need access to the grass for toileting. 

Grrrr...there is still steam coming out my ears. I am not a happy camper Jan!!!


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## LaVidaLoca (Feb 20, 2012)

Your story disillusioned me !!!! We have so many furniture in our apartment and some are antique but luckily at the moment she "only" tries to chew the corner of our sofa. She tried to chew an antique tibetian cabinet-leg. But this was only once. Nipping on our clothes and hands, arms and legs is more interesting.
The best is - to have cheap IKEA furniture. They are replaceable


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## mswhipple (Mar 7, 2011)

Ozkar, I'm so sorry your leather lounge has suffered this damage!  I have never heard of a dog over the age of two years doing anything like this. Under two, though, it's always a possibility. "They chew 'til they're two." How old is your little Zsa Zsa? 

You must admit it's very endearing when dogs tell on themselves like she did (snakey slinky mode). You can't fault her on honesty!!  Maybe you should think about waiting on the repairs until your dogs are older.


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## Suliko (Sep 17, 2011)

As soon as I saw the thread name, I knew it without even opening!!! You know why? This is why? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RZZYEYei968&context=C4a2a7a5ADvjVQa1PpcFNy7eI4viLkZ9-T69Wa48scxudxdQfkfa4= ;D

Oh, poor Zsa Zsa, I can only imagine her look and behavior. That's a pretty pricey item to chew up! My Sophie almost NEVER chews up anything, and she did that just a few weeks ago! Although her couch didn't cost us a penny and is old, it's the principle. She hasn't chewed on it since, not even a tiny hole. I do know why she did it: we went out for dinner the night before, and she didn't get her ususal 1:1 time with my husband. I am pretty sure about it because that was the only deviation from our daily routine. Had she chewed up the couch next day, I'd start looking at her overall health and see if there is any change. 

I would really like to see if Zsa Zsa chewed up anything else. Keep us posted! 
And remember, when the first wave of anger is gone, you have to take pictures!


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## harrigab (Aug 21, 2011)

Rubes has never tried chewing our leather sofa,,,although she made a real old mess of it jumping on it whilst she was in season, don't know how to ask an upholsterer "how do you get blood out of leather?"


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## hobbsy1010 (Jun 4, 2011)

Oz,
My heart go's out to you mate.....
Those furnishing's are expensive and hard to save for, you must still be venting the 'steam'!!

Had a similar situation with Brook when he was about a year old. Took him to work with me in the van, working close to a park and outside on some offices so could see him from where i was doing my work (so i thought)!
Let him sit in the front of the van where he could see me through the window. I thought he fell asleep on the spare seat but at lunch went to the van to have a sandwich and take him for a walk and found that he had chewed through the passenger seatbelt cord (£100) and also chewed a hole through the seat covers of the passenger seat (£150)  

I sat in the van in silence with him... absolutely steeeeaming!!!
I shouted at him then as he just sat there looking at me as if butter wouldn't melt :-\
I must have looked like a ravin looney, pointing and shouting at the damaged caused.
We drove home in silence, him looking out of the side window not able to make eye contact with me. 

The 'RED MIST' soon clears mate and she will do something that puts a smile back on your face 

Try and put a positive spin on it... I think that ripped up 'leather retro look' is back in fashion 

Hobbsy


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## Ozkar (Jul 4, 2011)

First walk cleared the mist.....

Just an expensive day......


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## LaVidaLoca (Feb 20, 2012)

Uuuuuuups!!!!!!


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## Suliko (Sep 17, 2011)

Wow...that's a big hole... Sorry about your lounge  I put mine right back together, can't do with this one. 

Well, on the bright side - Zsa Zsa didn't choke and nothing got stuck in her belly


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## raps702 (Dec 19, 2010)

Oh my goodness, that is so awful, I am so sorry about your leather lounge, I am so fortunate Axel does not like to chew anything other than his toys. I am just really curious as to why suddenly they dedcided to destroy your lounge when you followed the same routine as alway's and they have never touched it before?


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## raps702 (Dec 19, 2010)

Suliko said:


> As soon as I saw the thread name, I knew it without even opening!!! You know why? This is why? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RZZYEYei968&context=C4a2a7a5ADvjVQa1PpcFNy7eI4viLkZ9-T69Wa48scxudxdQfkfa4= ;D
> 
> Oh, poor Zsa Zsa, I can only imagine her look and behavior. That's a pretty pricey item to chew up! My Sophie almost NEVER chews up anything, and she did that just a few weeks ago! Although her couch didn't cost us a penny and is old, it's the principle. She hasn't chewed on it since, not even a tiny hole. I do know why she did it: we went out for dinner the night before, and she didn't get her ususal 1:1 time with my husband. I am pretty sure about it because that was the only deviation from our daily routine. Had she chewed up the couch next day, I'd start looking at her overall health and see if there is any change.
> 
> ...


Suliko- You must have edited that video? You seem much to calm.. Interesting how your dog Sophie lifts her leg up when she knew she was in trouble, Axel does this also, but I'm not sure why they lift the leg up like that? Do you?


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## Mischa (Feb 17, 2010)

^mine does the lay down/leg lift when she is submitting to other dogs. 

Oz, sorry to hear this. 
Dogs will be dogs, but when it comes down to it, you provide an excellent life for them, so it's hard not to take it personally. I'm sure you know that is pointless as dogs just like to chew stuff when it comes down to it.

Perhaps Zsa Zsa was anxious because she isn't used to you being away from her. 
What are your thoughts on crates?

I was against them myself, but Mischa sleeps in there while we're out making more money for her, and our couch stays intact. She's fine with free rein for several hours, but 6-7 hours, 5 days/week proved to be too much for her, as pillows and her bed started to get chewed up. 
She's been back in the crate since 10 months old or so, and we continue as it is handy to keep her used to it for when we need her to be calm in it, ie: during a field trial, or even if someone were to take care of her and need a safe place to keep her.


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## R E McCraith (Nov 24, 2011)

Ozkar - I have some trees I need turned in to mulch! please send the pups Pike would love the help!


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## Suliko (Sep 17, 2011)

* raps702*, the video was taken few minutes after my initial   :'(   reaction! I was taking a closer look, and she just came up...and then I asked her who did this haha...silly me! Yes, like *Mischa* said, mine too does this to other dogs when submitting. In any case, I see this situation as human error, not dog's fault!


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## Ozkar (Jul 4, 2011)

To answer a few questions...........

REM- Nope, you can't have her to help Pike with the mulching. Regardless of the lounge, she's still a keeper!! 

As for routines changing..... everything is zachary like it always has been. Nothing changed, so I just think perhaps she just tripped over the lounge and thought.... that looks nice, I'm bored, I think I will chew that.

They have a crate, but I would never be so cruel as to crate them for even a half day while I am at work. Dogs need space to run. They have a doggy door to the yard and free access in and out and always have had. 

Zsa Zsa has always been a soft cushion destroyer from day one, but has NEVER touched the leather lounge. It's in the area of the house that they always have access to day and night and it has never been touched before. 

I just got home for lunch now, I left them with access to the house again and they have not touched the lounge again??? I didn't even leave a treat ball for them this morning, so still am not sure as to why they destroyed it. Astro would have gotten in on the act once Zsa Zsa kicked it off, but it was definitely Zsa Zsa who would have started it, it always is with ripping apart anything soft. 

I was over it pretty quickly.....furniture can eventually be replaced/repaired, the relationship with a dog often can't be!


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## Mischa (Feb 17, 2010)

The crate is only cruel if you make it that way. It can also become the dogs den which is a great place for them to relax.

Not trying to change your mind, just had to laugh at the cruel remark though...


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## Ozkar (Jul 4, 2011)

Mischa, I just like my dogs to have the ability to lay in the sun, romp in the grass and stalk all the birds who visit my yard, while I am at work. I think it would be rather cruel to my dogs to restrict them to a crate. Not having a go at anyone who uses a crate. I have a crate. But, my dogs use it as a sleeping place during the day and are not restricted to it. Matter of fact, I just fed them breakky and Astro is asleep in the crate digesting as I type.....


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## hotmischief (Mar 11, 2012)

Ozkar, what a nice mama Zsa Zsa has........ maybe she is trying to tell you something, she fances a new white leather sofa to show off her nice red coat???????????

Just a thought, but our household insurance covers us for damages like this. We had new carpets years ago when one of our cats walked through the house with green gloss paint on his feet acquired from a neighbours garage. Maybe chewing is not consider an accidental damage. Either way I'm really sorry about your furniture.


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## Mischa (Feb 17, 2010)

No worries Ozkar, just sharing my point for others to decide for themselves. 
The word 'cruel' jumped of the screen and made me think you were off your rocker for a second. 
We both love our dogs dearly, and do the best we can for them, albeit in our own ways.


Hey, you'll be happy to hear that I had Mischa at heel, off-lead for a good 2-300 meters at the end of our run in the woods today, with zero e-collar corrections!


hotmischief, I'm quite certain that Oz is a papa, not a mama...


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## datacan (May 15, 2011)

Never mind your sofa, tell me your dogs are OK and I am happy.

If my Sammy ate a whole sofa I would be worried about what comes out his other end, not to mention what stays inside him...

,
Julius


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## Hbomb (Jan 24, 2012)

I know this is not in the same lead but H chewed my iPad today... He got at it even though it was five feet up on a shelf within the space of 2 minutes! He must have springs in his feet..

Anyway it's not insured for accidental dog damage and screen is now cracked 

H is ok though ;D


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## dixiethevizsla (Jan 11, 2012)

My Vizsla loves her crate. I am a stay at home mom, so she is only in there for a couple hours at a time. Sometimes I'll just find her hanging out/napping in her crate on her own. She really does love it! 

Often I will leave her with a Kong that has been filled with peanut butter and frozen. It's quite the treat - and it gives her something to do while resting in her crate. 

The crate really is wonderful. I recommend one with closed sides so it'll feel more like a natural den. Also put an nice comfy bed in there. Thanks to the crate, I never worry about the safety of my sweet girl or my home while I'm away. 

Hope that helps!


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## Ozkar (Jul 4, 2011)

Mischa said:


> No worries Ozkar, just sharing my point for others to decide for themselves.
> The word 'cruel' jumped of the screen and made me think you were off your rocker for a second.
> We both love our dogs dearly, and do the best we can for them, albeit in our own ways.
> 
> ...



That's OK..... I switch between the two depending on how much weight I've gained or lost. I've lost some recently, so no more man boobs.... so I guess Papa at the mo............ 

Datacan, she is fine, she just chews it up and spits it out rather than actually eating it. Thank god....  

Hbomb..... don't hit your dog with the Ipad next time, try a rolled up newspaper it's less likely to crack the screen then.....


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## datacan (May 15, 2011)

In that case, OZ, try shopping @ IKEA for ZsaZsa's next chew toy. Maybe IKEA leather doesn't taste as good, though

Keep them safe,


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## Ozkar (Jul 4, 2011)

She ripped off the patch up job I did on the lounge yesterday when I went to work, so she's not over it yet. I may have to resort to leaving them outside from now on if this continues. Poor little Astro will think his throat has been cut. He's never had to live outside in his life. 

I just don't get it, the only thing I have thought of that is different, is that it has been school holidays and the kids next door have been home during the day. But, the dogs have never been interested in what either the kids, or their two yappy dogs are doing. They can be running around screaming, or the two little dogs yapping their heads off and my two, or three depending on who's here, never make a sound or react in any way to them. So unless the kids were teasing her, which is just not like those kids, they are actually well behaved kids who love the dogs..... so I doubt it is that either. I jsut can't work it out, why the **** has she been so OK with the leather lounge all this time and now, all of a sudden, she has taken a liking to ripping out the foam from under the leather. 

I had even left a new rope toy out for them to amuse themselves with?? 

As it is, it is an excuse to buy a new lounge. I never really liked the colour all that much. The style is fine, but I prefer black to a dark chocolate brown. Whatever I get next, it goes in the front room and this one stays for them to amuse themselves with till it is destroyed........


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## Looney (Sep 28, 2011)

can the Viszla's be trusted outside all day by themselves? i'd be worried sick that something could happen out there...too many things to eat or fences to be jumped.......


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## christinepi (Jun 29, 2012)

Usually dogs do this kind of thing when they're suffering from either boredom or separation anxiety or both. Is this a possibility? Anything changed in your routine that might be causing boredom/stress/anxiety?

Also, about the myth of the "guilty look":

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/06/090611065839.htm


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## Ozkar (Jul 4, 2011)

christinepi said:


> Usually dogs do this kind of thing when they're suffering from either boredom or separation anxiety or both. Is this a possibility? Anything changed in your routine that might be causing boredom/stress/anxiety?
> 
> Also, about the myth of the "guilty look":
> 
> http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2009/06/090611065839.htm


I disagree with the guilts being a myth. I've had too many dogs of different breeds and they all KNOW when they have done something which is not OK. You can show me as many dog behaviour books or articles on the planet and it will never convince me that they do not recall doing something that is not OK.


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## harrigab (Aug 21, 2011)

The "guilty" look is certainly one of Ruby's traits, ears flopped down and looking up so her pupils are nearly out of sight..


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