# Otto tears up his bed



## OttoLOVE (Apr 26, 2012)

I am really hoping you can offer up some advice!
My boy, 14mos, won't stop tearing apart his beds. We have gone through about 4 beds with him- from different sizes, fillings/paddings, outer materials and nothing gets him to stop. 
His bed is, of course, in our bedroom. After getting a nice, big, comfortable bed from LL Bean we decided to shut the bedroom door when we aren't home to prevent him from ruining it. Today when I came home from lunch he had opened the door (I have NO idea how!) and ripped another chunk of the coverfabric off. This is the second day in a row. 
Otto doesn't tear up/chew/ruin other fabrics in the house, nor the two blankets he has on his bed (for cuddling). 
He understands it is bad because he avoids us when we go into the bedroom and he's been naughty. We call him in and he walks in slowly with his head down. We have tried telling him he is BAD while showing him the ripped bed. 
I'm unsure if I should use the bitter-yuck spray as it is his bed and we do want him to be comfortable. 
We don't know how to stop this behavior. Any helpful advice is appreciated!


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## threefsh (Apr 25, 2011)

Take the bed away! Haha... just give him a towel to lay on. Riley used to have a bad habit of peeing on her bed when she was tiny, so we took it away for a few months. Sounds like Otto is bored - how much exercise/stimulation does he get during the day?

Also, scolding him after the fact is not going to help.


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## Vizsla Baby (Nov 4, 2011)

I like threefsh's advice, no bed (as long as that doesn't lead to other things being destroyed). You could also put him in a crate when you are gone. 

I'm no dog psychology expert but I've read & heard that dogs live in the Now. If you scold them for something they did earlier in the day, they might not totally understand why they are in trouble - even if you think they do. You are projecting human intelligence & reasoning on them and they just aren't capable of that level of understanding of the past & the future. (that said, if ANY dog gets it, I know it would be a Vizsla!) My thinking is that you have to catch them in the act.


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## OttoLOVE (Apr 26, 2012)

Thank you Vizsla Baby and threefsh!
I will take his bed away tonight. 
I have also heard about dogs not understanding that their past behavior can't be projected into the now for punishment. I guess know that I project human intelligence/reasoning onto my BABY. I get carried away and appreciate being brought back down. It is _so_ easy to have it happen when he is constantly amazing me!


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## Vizsla Baby (Nov 4, 2011)

Don't worry about it, I'm guilty myself at times! 

It's so hard with Vizsla's! Their eyes look so human & you think they understand life as we do.


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## gunnr (Aug 14, 2009)

Every so often Tika tears up her bed too. I think it's her way of saying that she's either bored, believes she has spent too much time in the kennel, or just wants a new bed. 
We stopped buying the really nice beds for their crates and now buy the ones at Tractor Supply that are $10.00, sometimes on sale for 1/2price. We have at least a 1/2 dozen of them lying around now, not in their kennels. 
They tear one up, we throw it away, and give them another.

PS.
I've always abided by the 10 second rule. You have 10 seconds after a dog has committed a transgression to correct them. After that it's just a waste of time, and can border on personal ego, or abuse if a person isn't careful. 
They won't understand a delayed response, and will learn to distrust you.


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## hobbsy1010 (Jun 4, 2011)

Sorry Ottolove, only just stopped laughing and crying regarding your description of 'The Event'.......

I know I should be more mature about this but I had a similar 'Event' with our boy Brook and a seat belt!!! :-[

Echo Threefsh, take creature comforts away for a while and 'Tough Love' should prevail!!!  

Hobbsy


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## OttoLOVE (Apr 26, 2012)

threefsh- sorry I forgot to reply to your comment about exercise/activity.
He doesn't get much stimulation during the day, both of us work full time jobs (together). We go home for lunch everyday and spend 30m with him running around or playing. But, as you all know that's probably not enough for a mischiveous dog. 
We have tried puzzles (he figures them out quickly and then loses interest) and Kong toys (he doesn't get/like them) but haven't had much luck providing him with entertainment while he we are gone. Any suggestions?
Gunnr- good advice with the beds! This goes along with my BAD habit of wanting to give the BABY what I would want...Thanks for the 10s suggestion too. 
hobbsy1010- Brook and Otto sound like they'd be instant friends!


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## threefsh (Apr 25, 2011)

OttoLOVE said:


> threefsh- sorry I forgot to reply to your comment about exercise/activity.
> He doesn't get much stimulation during the day, both of us work full time jobs (together). We go home for lunch everyday and spend 30m with him running around or playing. But, as you all know that's probably not enough for a mischiveous dog.
> We have tried puzzles (he figures them out quickly and then loses interest) and Kong toys (he doesn't get/like them) but haven't had much luck providing him with entertainment while he we are gone. Any suggestions?


Do you exercise him before or after work? It's no surprise he's destructive if he's only getting 30 minutes of exercise per day.  Find a nice, big open field where he can run off-lead for at least an hour or two every day and I think you will find you have a much better-behaved V on your hands. 8)


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## mswhipple (Mar 7, 2011)

Hi, OttoLove! I noticed that you said your pup is 14-months old. Just at the risk of repeating myself, they are really puppies until they are two-years old. AND... "They chew 'til they're two!" So I wanted to reassure you that the time will come when you CAN buy him wonderful, luxurious beds without fear of their eventual destruction. He's still quite young, and just not there yet. ;D


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## datacan (May 15, 2011)

Sammy sleeps on an XG weather tech mat with a folded beach towel over it 
The towel covers half the crate floor. 

http://www.hagenservice.de/site/productInnovationsDetail/dogit_bed_mat/dogit_xg_weathertech_mat

Who said dog crates are not comfy?


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