Luigi keeps chewing...
 

OK- starting to have a major problem!!! Luigi is eating all my magazines and books!! GGGRRRRRRRR!!!!!!!!!!! :eek: Of course everything is out of his reach now. But I had a bunch of my photo albums and also my parents wedding album (which my mom is no longer living, so that makes me even more upset) in a basket in the corner of the TV room and totally tore into those!!!! HE never does this when we are home- only when we leave him. We have started to give him freedom of the house only because he is an escape artist and we can't keep him confined. So we would come home and he would be on the the other side of the gate and on the couch--!!!! We have gone thru 3 different types of gates to try and keep in in the kitchen where he can't get into anything, but he alwyas manages to find a wa out!!!! :eek: And he is also a very high jumper so he gets over his pen. We have 2 very small bathrooms and I really don't want to put him in there, but I may have to. There really isn't anywhere else for me to put him and I don't want to have to put him back in his cage all day. Anyone have any suggestions??????????? Please help!

By the way-- its only things like books, magazines, the laundry basket, cd cases, and his toy basket!!! No furniture-- yet-- which is why I need to be able to confine him before he starts on that stuff!!!!!

I'm so sorry about your parents album ;( I remember reading about an excercise pen with a top on it. That would keep him from jumping out but he's still have some room to move. I'm not sure how they latch though but I'm sure it's secure. Then you could put stuff in it for him while you are gone.

How long is he being left on his own ? If it's a couple of hours or less a crate will be the best idea really.

It is rather inexpensive to get a plastic chicken wire. They sell them at walmart and just about everywhere. You can use them to cover veggies and such to keep birds out. If you have a good cage you could secure it on the top. Actually the cage we have is in 2' sections x 8 sections. They come in 2, 3 and 4' heights. I bet he couldn't climb that. Be sure you don't have a collar or tags on him if he is trying to climb out. The cage makes a 4' x 4' area, which is plenty of space for Luigi to run around for the day. It will keep him from getting to stuff you leave out by accident and they can't chew the wall or baseboards either. Here's Bronxy in his (just don't fall for the sad face;) )

Have you come up with a plan for little Luigi? Has he been good today?

Not yet!!! we fastened the gate to the wall, it wasn't moving. We also pushed chairs up against it as well--very tall chairs, and I came home and there he was on the other side!!!!! :eek: But he didn't chew anything. He has to be going up and over the gate. He is usually by himself for 6 hours 3-4 days a week. So my neighbor is going to keep him during the day, but when we move- I don't know what I'll do. My hubby was jokin sayin we should have called him Houdini!!!

mine started with the cable cords and now she gets my shoes magazines and her favorite my socks :eek: :mad: shes crazy but i love her :D

I'm trying not to laugh but I can just see Luigi staring at the chairs, strategizing a plan to get out, and climbing the gate and over the chairs, and sleeping on the couch all day ;) The "condo" I have set up doesn't have a top so I think he would crawl out. All I did was place two metal excercise pens together in a circle shape that I latch when I leave. In it are their wire kennels (Hallie sleeps in hers during the day), 2 beds (that's where Simon sleeps), a toy box, blankets, water, a pee pad, and food if I'm going to be gone a long time. It takes up half of my living room but I'm ok with that! I tried to give them free reign but Simon didn't like it at all, he prefers to be secure somewhere I think (I know strange). Is there a doggie daycare where you are moving? I don't know if that's an option but it would be playtime for Luigi and you wouldn't have to worry about his chewing. If I think of anything else I'll let you know.

Maybe you should put him in a crate or pet taxi. Now, if he gets out of that, I'll give you $100!!! :cool:

I used to put him in a cage- but I really don't like him being cooped up for 6 hours like that!!!! He doesn't always chew when we leave him. But I am thinking I will have to get a bigger one-almost like a pen-(which he already has and climbs out of)- just for a peace of mind. And he has never pottied in the house while we are gone. I do leave his cage open in the kitchen while we are home- and he loves to go in there and sleep. I don't know- we'll see!!!!!!!!! When we do leave him in the cage- by the time I get home- the cage is on the other side of the kitchen than where it was in the morning!!! He's killin me!!!!!!!!!!!heheheh!!!!!!! :eek: :eek:

The cage I use for Bo when I'm gone is actually the next to largest that I could find. It is 2ft. by 3 ft. and it's about 2 1/2 feet tall. It has a top and is black coated metal wire. I found a rug at Walmart that fits the bottom exactly. I cover the end with a cotton throw to make it more snuggly. He's perfectly content in there, sleeps most of the time I'm gone, and I don't have to worry what he's doing while I'm gone. I much prefer this to a small crate. We used a crate when he was tiny but I didn't like leaving him in there. There was just no room to move! This large cage works perfectly for us. It's about the size they sell for a Dalmation or German Shephard. I have it in my dining room (which we never eat in) and if I have to put him in there while I'm cooking or cleaning or whatever he does pretty good. I also put his food in there.