[Garvie]

does anyone know how to stop a 6 month old puppy from shredding post, she hasnt always done this but i came home to this today and was less than impressed with her, is there a way to stop this behavour or is it a case of getting one of those cage things.
Righa



ps she does have a bed but likes to drag it out of the cage and play with it even though she has lots of toys to play with.

[Mammyshaz]

I like youngsters caged when I'm not there to supervise. It stops them learning bad habits/behaviour and they learn to chew on their own toys. Kongs stuffed with treats or smothered on the inside with meat can be very entertaining in a cage, safe, while you are out.
They learn to relax in it and it becomes a safe haven if they get worried at any time in the future ( at any age when the cage is their safe bed without the need to lock them in).
I recommend them to everyone with a young dog or pup 

At the moment it will be difficult to change the behaviour as you are not there to correct it. And to be honest it's easier not to allow the behaviour than to try to change it.

Naughty pup! 

[fsmnutter]

Our 2 year old German Shepherd cross still will shred post.
He's absolutely fine left with anything else, eg. post that has already come in the house and is sitting on the coffee table, but just goes daft when the postman comes and pops it through the door.
We just have to keep him away from the letterbox when it's post time, so gets shut out of the hallway during the day when noone's about.
Think it's just too exciting for the little monsters!

[Garvie]

She usually is in her cage but my boyfriend forgot to lock her in. Least it was nothing too important

[happygolucky]

The post is a threat to your lab, so at the moment maybe best put a cage on your post.....one of our lads takes her bedding out all the time, she is. Yellw La, the other 2 are brill.......I am a blond fidget too, it's just their chars to, hey either are fidgets or notnot

[Mammyshaz]

Our 2 year old German Shepherd cross still will shred post.
He's absolutely fine left with anything else, eg. post that has already come in the house and is sitting on the coffee table, but just goes daft when the postman comes and pops it through the door.
We just have to keep him away from the letterbox when it's post time, so gets shut out of the hallway during the day when noone's about.
Think it's just too exciting for the little monsters!

In the excitement of grabbing the post when the postie arrives, they can accidentally catch the fingers. This can result in you coming into conflict with the laws of the DDA ( dangerous dogs act )

As you are a vet I cannot stress enough how important it is in your position to try to redirect this behaviour in the dog 

[Mammyshaz]

She usually is in her cage but my boyfriend forgot to lock her in. Least it was nothing too important

Oops, perhaps threaten him with the cage, for his bad behaviour. No treats or toys of course   

[Garvie]

The lab is good as gold never had a problem with her it's the border terrier puppy that's the shredder

[happygolucky]

I just read my post......sorry, it's this I pad


To most dogs, something coming through the door is alien.....so a cage on the letter box may help, I had a Terrier that would rip and shred paper, good luck

[in the hills]

For all you letter snaffling dog owners, I think you can get wire cage things that you fit to the inside of your door to catch the post before your mutts do.    I always try to avoid situations that could encourage/reinforce unwanted behaviours in a pup ..... at least until you are getting near to having a fair degree of control. So just don't put pup in the situation.


Probably quite exciting to a pup when letters plop from nowhere.


Agree with MS that it is quite difficult to correct when you are not around but when you are there make sure you collect and if dog attempts to get there first, make sure you are between mutt and post and give a firm "no" or "leave" ..... by 6 months your pup probably knows the command.


We had a 13 year old Flattie that despite being fully trained and very obedient would empty and shred the contents of the kitchen bin if left during the day, though never at night.    Never looked at it if we were there. Just picked the bin up and placed high up when we went out.

[happygolucky]

I always say to new pup owners, crawl around your floor and behind the sofa, T.V. chairs etc. and see what sort of "toys" are going to tempt a pup...or in fact a toddler, then try to minimalize any risk, I consider we are lucky that our dogs have a nice warm lean to and yard for when I am not around, nothing much to destroy although they did have a go at the patio chairs and my cheap Crocs, although when we eventually move I dare say I will be on here moaning about chewed cables, chairs, kitchen units and whatever a young dog can find to play with!

[Garvie]

Oh Sandy don't get me started on kennels my boyfriend had been promising for over a year to build one I have pained the shed that's going to be the bed all he needs to do is build the run

[happygolucky]

We were just about to buy one 2 years ago then realised we had the perfect one already but it was full of loge, its a lean too potting shed and its very nice, warm and dry and I sleep in there for the first few days when we have pups, it also has eclectic, when we do have pups I put the dogs in the lean too that's half glass, that's not so warm in the winter but I do give them loads of bedding and they are in a cage, the previous owners just put a small chair in the lean too for their tatty tiny dog to sleep on!!

[jaykay]

Get a letter-box cage. In general I am all in favour of 'engineering out' problems.

[Garvie]

Cheers all. will get a cage for the door she really is a menace