Calling Dr2little... or other trainers please!!

I don't know what to do here...

I wake up this morning, and I find this




I know I probably went wrong with giving her plush toys, and letting her tear them open and such, but this is too far.

What can I do to fix this problem?

I know I am going to stop giving her plush toys first off, but what else?

I recommend spraying the seat with this....

Bitter Apple Spray

I would do this atleast while she is learning not to tear things up like that....and it works wonders with dogs....But NEVER spray the dog with it.

I have it and it works wonders!

I would say prevent it from happening in the first place.
Fun habits die hard....but a habit never learned is not missed....

Maybe you could crate at night? Until trustworthy....

Good Luck.....Sorry about your furniture...



edit: My dogs do that to plush toys...but they are "their" toys. And they seem to know the difference between thiers and the kids....
If I give it to them.... It is history!
Then the kids get the fun job of picking up the stuffings....We make it a race to see which of my sons can pick up the most..... It works.

Don't blame it on the stuffed animals . I would say some food may have been spilled on the couch .....or she heard you talking about how good the stuffing was at Thanksgiving . Poor couch --poor you !

Yeah, bad news is... I have no way of buying a new couch until tax time...

Grammy, that was a stain that has been on that couch before we had it. I doubt it was food.

Julie, she was crated for a long time (first 6-8 months of her life), then we felt she could be trusted, we let her out. This was like 6 months ago. We didn't mind her ripping up the plush toys, we see it like you do, they are hers, she can chew, rip, yank, tear, whatever she wants to them.

We are defiantly going to start crating her again. But what measures can I take to make sure it will never happen again?

Looks as though your dog was bored!.I would be placing the crate up, once again,

i would think your dog has his adult back teeth coming too so is having a good hard chew to ease the discomfort, give him large bones to chew on.

Sorry about your couch!! I have that bitter apple spray and it apparently doesn't bother Bentley and Emma because they'll chew right threw it.

Squirt did the same t hing to our couch. Crate at night.

I had the twin of your couch at my house!

I don't think it has to do with the toys, it's just them teething, chewing, and having what they think is a good time. Until they mature and learn better (sometimes 2 years) it's best to keep them in an area where they can't do much damage although Max ate my kitchen countertops and windowsil.

Sounds like she's bored... give her stuff to do, crate her at night and watch her at all times. Don't let her do it again!

Bad grrl!

I am just amazed she would do this....

She is such a wonderful dog! She has never thought about chewing furniture before...

I will be going out soon and getting her some new toys, maybe even a kong (she has not tried the ones you an fill with treats).

Bitter apple is only for non porus surfaces. The fabric on the couch will soak it up and make it pretty much ineffective.


I don't think you went wrong with the plush toys, my dogs have plush toys all over the place and constantly tear them up they have never chewed on my couches or anything that is the same texture of a plush toy...you just need to figure out how to show your pup what is ok to chew on.

lock her out of that room at night. when you let her in it during the day make sure you correct her if she starts ripping it again

Hi angel chicken... wow, she really went to town on that couch. Lol! (Sorry) How old is your dog? Some dogs chew when anxious as well as bored. When left alone for long periods, this is when you find they chew things with your scent on them, the heaviest scent of you often on the remote control, socks underwear, ect. (Even the arm rest of furniture where there are oils from your hands.) Since you were home sleeping and not away longer than you'd normally have been (Thanksgiving weekend) I can only agree, confinement at night is in order and redirecting dogs focus with objects to chew would help. In the meantime, it's time for a couch cover!! Hope you had a nice Thanksgiving.

We couldn't leave her for Thanksgiving!! She is apart of the family too, and if my family doesn't like my fur baby then they can kiss my tush!

Kona just turned a year old.

So do you think giving her plush was ok? I didn't do any wrong by giving them to her?

We fixed the couch, luckily I had the little arm covers and was able to sew and hot glue it on there.

Sorry I missed this...

You've gotten some really great suggestions, I certainly agree with night time confinement for both her safety and that of your poor couch.:yikes:

Remember too that her courch noshing doesn't mean she's not still the best little girl ever (Kona's still a doll) , just that she was a little bored, lonley or both. Lots of interactive toys and safe confinement is all that's needed to get her back on track and I wouldnt' worry at all about the stuffy toys, they're not the cause of her couch eating.

Glad your pup got to go on Thanksgiving! Kona is young. Plush toys are o.k. but something she can really knaw on vigorously would help. Kongs, stuffed with goodies, a baked femur bone, things that are given to her when you're not home or are going to bed, picked up when you're home, so she doesn't lose interest in them. A real treat for her to focus on when you're not present. Sounds like you did a good job of repairing the couch!

Tosca did this the first time I left her alone in the house while I was away for most of the night. After that, I decided that her world would be substantially smaller whenever I had to be gone for longer than a few hours--until she is older and wiser. So far, she has not damaged a thing since then.