destuction, only when i'm at work

[Ahny]

Alright so here goes, Blue is about 2 yrs old. I got him from the humane society a little over 3 months ago, he was a stray. They first few times I left the house for more than a couple hours he would eat things, dvds, books, papers, kleenex. so I started to give him a raw hide bone each work day before leaving, this worked almost perfectly, just a couple slip ups.

Then his stomach started getting upset, so I had to stop the bones, didn't make a different, no destruction, all was good. \Now let's more on to last week. I washed his bed while I was at work, so he didn't have it. In stead he had the blanket that's usually on my bed when i leave, it's his and he knows it. He apparently didn't like it. he ransacked the house. he ate pretty much everything he could get his paws on, camera battery, shoes, halloween toys, a cd, papers, bills, envelopes.

So I dog proof, least I think I do. Come home the next day he he's eating 4 brand new vhs cassettes . . . And this time he had the bed . . .

Okai fine. Re-dog proofed. Leave for a few hours, nothing. Go to work today, come how and he's done it again! 4 shoes, out going mail, 2 cardboard boxes (I was using them as coffee tables, don't judge me, i moved just 6 months ago, no furniture yet), a 20 dollar bill, actual bills.

When I come home to this, he gets stern :no, bad do, not yours" etc, I let him out to pee and I leave him out there for about a hour or so, depending on the weather. Also when he does get let back in, I don't pay any attention to him for at leastanother half hour, he was to lay quietly.

Is this the wrong way to punish? I'm not around when he chews so I can't punish the behaviour as it happens, and he never, and I do mean NEVER chews anything that does not belong to him when I am here.

I have to work, I live alone, and I am uncomfortable crating him for the so many hours every days. I was working 11 hr days |(again please don't judge), just changed jobs, start later this week, and I'm down to 8.5 hr days, but i still uncomfortable crating him for that long. Crating in general isn't something I mind, but for that long, i know I wouldn't want that to happen to me.

Any suggestions?

[KSNS]

Ok what you have is a classic case of seperation anxiety.

The fact he is a rescue dog is irrelevant to his past he does it when you are not there because he is alone for such long hours they get bored and to us it's no excuse but to them it's just a means to an end.

You can't punish a dog for what they do when you don't see them do it no matter how trying it maybe thou you are not physicly punishing the dog you are placing him on his own for longer ad it's beingt on his own that has caused this destruction and lack of things to do.

Most people would suggest majorly long walks etc to drain his energy which for most cases is very true but 8.5 hours will no but stop chewing by a long walk etc befor work.

I fear a crate maybe you're only option i have been where you are and it's not easy the other thing that i would suggest is if you have a friend/neighbour that can come around every hour or so and let him out in the garden.

Or this would be what i do if i were you depending on how big you're back garden is set up an outside pen for him make it nice and secure but enough room for him to play as well as some where to go lay and sleep should the weather change.has shelter.

With regards to beds if some one on here can honestly say their sibes have not destroyed their bed my only word to them is YET almost all have destroye dtheir beds at some point or another and like most we say ahhh sod it not buying another one just put down some cheaper throws or some thing it's cheaper lol.

Upset stomachs are the most commen things with husky's all they have to do is pick up 1 thing they are not suppose dto and that's it. what do you feed him..??

Hope at leats some of this helps.

More people with experience here can help with this but my sakari destroyed things going in the the thousned sterling mark from leather sofas chairs tables kitchen cupboards list is endless lol

[Mazz]

A bored Husky can be destructive. If he's a chewer, he could chew through an electrical cord. Then you'll wish you had used a crate. I would get a crate. Start getting him acclimated to it. Get him a Kong and fill and put that in his crate with him. I would advise against rawhide chews, especially the kind with the knotted ends. A dog can swallow them and that leads to other problems, which can be serious. Don't punish him when you get home. He won't understand what he has done that is wrong. It may just may make things worse. Zoya is put into a kennel everyday for about 8 to 8-1/2 hours. We give her a peanut butter filled kong and a few durable chew toys, turn on public radio, and leave for work. Come home and she's waiting quietly. Once you get them acclimated to a crate, they really don't mind them. Don't worry about being judged. A lot of us have been through the same scenario.

[Ahny]

I'm decent at crate training, had to do so with my parent's dog. He's got serious seperation anxiety. Wish i could leave Blue to rom the house when I'm not here, bit apprently that ewill not be the case, not for when I'm at work at least. Thanks for the advise.

[Smokey]

here is what i do with smokey to keep him busy while i'm gone:

-i keep him outside and hide treats in random places around the yard

-if he is crated which he honestly loves (strange i dunno?) i give him a bone filled with cheese or frozen carrots

-make sure he gets enough exercise to prevent destruction

-he has destroyed a couple of beds BUT i restuff them sew them up and let it be. he hates it if i wash them but alas i have to wash them cuz they stink (lol)

-i drench a cloth and freeze it. he likes to chew on this

-he has plenty of toys which i take away for a day or two and then give back to him so that they seem new each time he gets one back

-his dog house outside is air conditioned (it gets hot as hell out here) so he likes to hang out there and sleep

hope you get some ideas of your own from this. good luck!

[BingBlaze n Skyla]

Skyla was the same when i left for work she would chew ive come home to sooo much damage shes clocked up about a thousand pounds worth of damage! so i got Blazes old crate out, shes in there now when we have to go out, she will sulk and scream for the first half hour, then she will settle down and sleep - even when Blaze was in the kitchen with her she would still chew, as when we go out bing n blaze sleep so she got bored n a bored husky leads to destruction, do you walk him before you go to work? and how long in the day are you gone for?

[Ahny]

Update on Blue:

Since startiing my new job (yesterday) he's been much less destructive. Yesterday the ate the plastic containter that held a super glue bottle (but not the glue), and today he sat in a chair and chewed up a cople flyers, that's it.

I now work shorter shifts, Used to work 11+ hrs a day with 20-30 travel each way, no regular shifts, and flip flops fromdays to night. I now work Monday to Friday, 8am to 4:30pm, with 20-25 mins travel time each way.

I have been leaving him a Kong stuffed with treats when I leave, he loves it! I also have dog [proofed to an insane amount. That probably also makes a difference.

Oh, and he eats Science Diet dog food. I do not walk him before I leave for work, I don't sleep enough to get up early, so we walk after work, as long as weather permits. Often we just play hard core in the house.