Behavior Advice
 

We put Beowulf in his play pen Mon- Wednesday from 7am -3pm when we have to go to work or sometimes when we can't take him with us. Beowulf ruffles up his pee pad and paws at his play pen (trying to get out) and it ends up pulled in. Mind you I have the Pee pads with sticky corners and he still manages to ruffle it up there are claw marks on the pee pad as well like he scratches it trying to get it off. He is just a hot mess when hes left alone Lol. Is there anyone on here who has experienced something similar with their puppy? Could this maybe be separation anxiety? Thanks!

Hard to tell if it's separation anxiety or normal puppy behavior. Try putting a webcam on him to see what's he is doing while you are not there. My Brandi hated being in a crate and would act a fool. I thought it was separation anxiety until I gave her a little more freedom at which point she would just curl up on the bed and go to sleep. Turns out she just really hated being confined to her crate.

Yea I tried giving him the whole kitchen by opening up his play pen and blocking the entry way but he ended up getting out:rolleyes: he just hates being in there. He's not fully potty trained and I have rugs so I can't let him have the whole house. I guess I should get one of those gates to block the entry. I should get a camera too I would love to see what he does when we're not home. That little rascal.

Attachment 407979 Here is the size of his play pen.

Mine plays with pads too
 

Hi I have a new puppy too. I work too and need to leave my puupy too. He stays in my master bath. Its got floor space larger than your play pen but I don't think thats the issue. I think they just start playing and they mess with those pads. I have a play area in my family room too when we're home that I put him in when I can't watch him every second because I'm paper training him for when I work and I don't want him peeing all over the house and he chews up the peepads to play. I think thats just what puppies do. I think they'll get over it. But it does drive the type A in me NUTS !!!:D

ugh.. right? Yea puppies play with everything. So it's just normal puppy behavior then hopefully he grows out of this soon.

That's a good size play pen. Be careful, my 12 week old climbed right out of his.
Little stinkers are so focused on what they want.
It will get better.
Have fun

LOL That is so true they really are relentless until they get what they want. That is why I think he ruffles up his pad out of anger that he can't get out. That is too funny, he does try to use his bed for a little more height to jump out lol. I hope he never makes it.

I noticed you only had a couple of toys and not many different types.......puppies often times need a variety of textures and shapes to keep their interest. Zoey has been trained on pee pads also, but she had at least 12 different toys at a time in her play area. She never tore her pee pads apart, because she kept focus on her toys. She is fully trained now, but she still loves lots of different types of toys. Maybe you could try to get him more toys he might enjoy. All the best with his training !!!!

I've caught my puppy playing with her pee pads at times. So I think it is just normal puppy behavior for them to tear it. I did get a pee pad holder though and that fixed the problem. No more torn messy pee pads. You could try one of those if your baby really likes to play with them. I know Petco and Petsmart carry them.

Yea.. Idk Hes got a bully stick..another bone like the bully stick, a cat toy ball with a bell in it, a little tennis ball, and those three bears all squeak one of them squeaks and jingles (his favorite bear) and I do give him his pig ear only when he's left alone I thought it would help him not ruffle his pee pad but it didn't work lol. One of the bears came with an extra squeaker and he loved playing with that alone but he lost it:rolleyes: What other kind of toys would you suggest I get?

Thanks, how much do they go for?

Around $22 or so. They are worth it though

Thank You:) I will look into it.

Your welcome. I'm glad I could help some. :) those pee pad holders are life savers

Have you looked into belly bands when you can't be there until he gets fully trained? I use them with Presley and LOVE them! Presley started marking EARLY like 15 weeks :eek: they have been a lifesaver for my floors and rugs! If he takes a notion he will lift that leg, stubborn as a mule! Lol

My puppies are attracted to the sticky part of those pee pads. They were doing the same thing whenever left alone. I always returned to a huge mess. I now use the washable pee pads. It's working much better. No mess! They also seems calmer when left in the pen. Also, sticking to a schedule of when you leave them helps. They are so smart. They get used to routine quickly.

Thank you all! I thought I saw some users on here who sell Belly bands and washable pee pads Do you guys know who they are? I will look into it. I actually gave Beowulf a chance today I let him have the whole house. Lets see how he does. I closed all the bedroom and bathroom doors. His last accident was a few days ago but my boyfriend and I feel bad leaving him in his cage. I should definitely look into getting him a belly band.

I LOVE where I get my belly bands, I swear I could be a walking advertisement for them lol! They custom make them out of the fabric of your choice and from measurement of your baby, they are quick (I usually get them within 3 days) beautifully done and a great price, I think I pay $6.00 each. Go to Best Belly Bands on Facebook, you order right on FB, they have been a lifesaver for me! They also wash so well too, all of mine look brand new!

Oh Wow! That is do-able, pretty good price. I'm going to have to make a facebook account. Thank you!

My puppies hate being confined. They are rarely put in the crate while I am gone. I have 2 crates connected to each other with zip ties. The smaller crate I put a pee pad in when I do have to leave them and they can go into the larger crate and there is food/water, bedding and toys in there. They will tear the pee pad to shreds while I am gone. However, the pee pads out on the floor they have never destroyed. I did get a pee pad holder and they would work at tearing up that pee pad until they had it all out of the holder. I got my holder off Amazon.

I also have washable pee pads, I got them off ebay, they are just used (but washed) bed pads that I got for about $10 each (I have 3). I keep one in the living room on the carpet with a disposable pee pad on it so if they miss the pad or it soaks through the washable one catches it nicely. I keep another in my bedroom for the same reason. In the kitchen I just have the pee pads on the vinyl floor.

I think he chews up the pee pad out of boredom as mine do. You can try the holder but it was just a challenge for mine to get it out of that. I have had more luck with the washable ones.

If you do get the washable ones here is the care instructions. Throw them in the washing machine and put about 1 tbls of baking soda on top of it. Add detergent to the dispenser and I put vinegar in where the fabric softener goes. Do not add fabric softener as it makes them less absorbent and then air dry them, no dryer. Mine look brand new after every wash no matter how much the puppies pee'd on them. I usually have 2 out at a time and then wash them together and put the spare one in the living room and let them air dry all day so the one in my bedroom is ready by that evening to go back on the floor. They go in yellow and come out white every time, my husband is amazed every time.

Good luck and I do think it is just being bored puppy behavior that they destroy it.

Thank you! Do you wash them everyday? I have an old washer that doesn't have different compartments for soaps so can I just throw it all together?

I have never mixed the vinegar with the baking soda, not sure what (if anything) would happen. When you are using the same ingredients used in a science fair volcano, I am leery.

I wash them as needed. My puppies go outside as much as I can so sometimes I need to wash them every few days and sometimes it doesn't need it for a week. It all depends on how soiled they are. Because I keep a disposable pad on them they don't get a lot on them. The one in the bedroom sometimes goes a month without needing washing because he only goes at night about 2 nights a month or less.

I just do it as needed though and some weeks they are washed twice, some weeks not at all.

How old is you pup? you should never leave a puppy alone with a bully stick, in fact no dog especially a small one should be left alone with a bully stick or a cat toy with a bell, or just about any other type of chewing thing. If a puppy ate a whole bully stick or a pig's ear you could be in for some serious digestive or choking issues. Several members here have had some big problems with Bully sticks, Kim in MD just had a dog die while she was home but in another room from choking on a bully stick, those cat toys with bells are not good to be left alone with puppies that might chew, I have used them for active play with pups before but when left on their own with them, some would break them open and the bell can easily be swallowed. Honestly I think you need a smaller space so the puppy will sleep more while you are gone and then you can play with and entertain them when you are gone.

BTW I am not against bully sticks like some here are, but I make sure I am in the same room when Lola chews on one. Also don't feel bad about giving a puppy less space to roam when you are gone for about 4 hours they should be getting a lot of sleep anyway.

My puppy will be 6 months on the 14th he doesn't like to chew on the cat ball he just pushes it around but that's a good point I won't leave him alone with the bully stick or the ball just in case he decides he wants to chew on it one day. I'm happy to announce he did not have any accidents and I will not lock him up anymore unless he does start having accidents. He likes to run around he gets enough sleep there's nothing in the house thay can hurt him while I'm gone he's fine. You are right about the bully stick, pig ear, and cat ball though I will no longer leave him alone with those. Thank you:)

YAY!!! Good job!! No accidents, that's great!! I let mine have the kitchen, dining room and living room when I'm not there and they do fine. The only thing I do is run around and unplug everything. I had a neighbor several years ago that her little dog chewed on electric cord and was electrocuted, since then I have been paranoid. Your baby is coming right along, that's awesome! :love:

Yay!! I know I'm so happy for him. That's exactly what he has access too Dining, living room and kitchen. I close all bathroom and room doors. Oh goodness Thank you for that! This is why I love Yorkie Talk! What would I do without you guys! I will be sure to unplug everything next time. Thank you so much! :yorkietal

Lola did that as well when she was a puppy, we were watching TV and I heard her yelp and start running around the couch and realized she had a slight burnt smell to her. I immediately checked under the couch where a lamp plugs into a socket on the floor, sure enough she chewed through the lamp cord, thankfully the lamp was not on so she got a mild shock, but we still went running to the ER vet just in case. After that I wound up putting pillows and boxes in front of anything plugged in. She also chewed through my phone charger when it was left attached to an outlet close to the floor. For the first year of her life her nick name was Sparky:D thankfuly she grew out of that behavior and now roams the house while I am gone.

So glad Beowulf is coming along great, he sounds like an awesome little guy