# chewing furniture



## freddiehef (Nov 11, 2012)

My 7 month V puppy, Joska has destroyed a sofa, (amongst many other things) which I replaced with a donated one beacuse the old one got so scanky!! He has now started destroying it too 
He has his big brother, Travis, who is perfect and stresses lots when Joska is naughty. They have plenty exercise, toys, play time and cuddles but nothing wears Joska out. I rarely catch him destroying, last night it was during the night. Tried spraying nasty tasting stuff, but didn't work. He's not in a crate which was one suggestion but he hates crates. We struggled for weeks when we got him and he just would not settle in a crate. One night he screamed for several hours non-stop. He has kong toys which I put treats in. He loves these but always resorts to destroying soft furnishings!! Driving me nuts!!!


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## hotmischief (Mar 11, 2012)

Welcome to the forum freddiehef - try giving him lots of soft toys to play/chew with and things like bully sticks. Puppies really do need soft toys to chew while they are teething. 

My pup also hated his crate. We just shut him in our kitchen with a child gate at the door (so we can hear what he is up to). Obviously you need to make sure there is nothing left out on the work surfaces otherwise you will be creating another problem.

I would not leave him in a room unsupervised where there were things he could chew - at this stage you need to teach him these are his toys to chew. Don't leave him on his own with your furniture that is asking for trouble


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## VizslaNewbies (Jun 10, 2011)

Hello Freddie! Welcome to the forum! This place is amazing for advices, suggestions and overall an area of knowledge filled with Vizsla lovers from all over the world.

Crate training is a patient waiting game that is tedious and very frustrating for lots of owners... and its harder when they aren't introduced to a crate from the get go. It's not uncommon to have your puppy 'sing' his song for hours in the crate... when we were crate training Dax, we were positive he could of howled the night away but it was never so but it did last for several hours so having a good pair of ear plugs works... also if you want to pursue crate training agian, covering his crate with a breathable fabric does wonders with easing of anxiety and nervousness.. having the fabric covering all sides of the crate voids any distractions from the outside, and it will allow him to settle down on his own terms. Ofcourse, crates are not just the option so hope is not lost.

Is this your first time owning a V and what breed is Travis?

I definitely agree with Hotmischief in finding him soft toys to chew on when they are teething... sometimes getting things that are too hard like kongs or hard plastics will make them lose interest because they cant burry there teeth into it... bully sticks are great because they smell.. also rawhide/big ears... and just some good ol' stuffed animals that they can get there niblets in will work.

Unfortunately the sprays are a waste of money  and we've made that mistake.

Also agreed with Hotmischief... you have to set the boundaries and make him realise whats yours and whats his. V' are not aggressive dogs so they don't respond well to aggressive behavior.. or aggressive methods of training. At 7 months, it is the best time to train him as best you can with the basics as it will be there foundation as they get older. Invest some extra TLC (not saying that you aren't now) and be very patient... 

One thing I always remember... time is different to our kiddos (kiddos meaning our baby V's) then time is too us... so what we define as exercising alot may not be enough for your V.

Keep us informed! And welcome to the forum!


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## WillowyndRanch (Apr 3, 2012)

It's worth the effort to hang in there with the crate training. It will help now and forever in the life you share with the dog. You've tried the gimmick shortcuts like spray the furniture, etc. Now it's time to train.

Like the sign in the photo says, no sniveling. Good luck!

http://www.willowyndranch.blogspot.com/2012/07/why-crate.html
Ken


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