I have a dog I rescued from humane society about 4 months ago. He is about 15 months old, a lab/ possibly pitbull mix. He has been a pretty good dog. I am using the pinch collar for him and he is doing well on walks and does well in the house as long as he is supervised. The problem I had with him recently is he pulled his bedding out of his dog house and ripped it to shreds. How should he be corrected for this? If I put another bed in his house?

I have a 2-yr-old GSD I rescued about 5 months ago. I won't go into all the things she chewed on, 'cuz I'll just get mad all over again. I figured most of it was my fault, forgetting she was 2 and not like the 8-yr-old I used to have. I've got the yard pretty well dog-proofed now. I also never let her in the house without a leash on (at least to drag) and without supervision.

Sounds like your dog is bored. Try longer and/or more frequent power walks, not stolls or sniff/pee-every-six-feet walks. I usually have her wear a backpack with some water bottles to burn off a little more energy. Find something cheap he likes to chew on or play with. After trying ropes, nylabones, rawhide thingies, etc., I found her favorite - a towel I rolled up real tight with nylon cable ties. I can come up with an endless supply of those. Put some kind of rubber mat and an old towel or two in the dog house. It's not like they need a memory foam mattess. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

Like me, I'm sure you'll notice a gradual improvement as the weeks and months go by and he gets settled in even more.

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I have a dog I rescued from humane society about 4 months ago. He is about 15 months old, a lab/ possibly pitbull mix. He has been a pretty good dog.....he pulled his bedding out of his dog house and ripped it to shreds. .....

Mike's answer resonates with me 100%. Exercise, exercise, exercise. Structured exercise ---- long walks ----- not only release frustrated energy, but they reinforce pack leadership.

I've noticed many times that hardly any pet dogs I know get the exercise they need. A yard, no matter how big, isn't enough.

So many unwanted behaviors can be forestalled by lots of exercise, including destructive activity, constant barking, and more. Boredom and lack of exercise are the devil's playground for a high-energy dog! <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

I just old towels, blankets and sheets for the dogs that shred until they out grow that habit.

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I just old towels, blankets and sheets for the dogs that shred until they out grow that habit.

*just use* I meant to write.

Sure, Hank. Been drinkin'? <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

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Sure, Hank. Been drinkin'? <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

Only coffee. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

Physical & mental exercise (power walks, obedience routines, playing fetch, etc.) help cut way down on destructiveness -- For a dog that shreds its bedding no matter what, I use newspaper & junkmail in their crate (why pay for a shredder when your dog does it for free!) LOL.

Amen!

I also have found a gallon jug a useful took to provide the release of pentup energy. Holding it by the handle, it takes
about a second for the dog to realize it can hit it hard without causing any pain. Like shredding junk mail, it needs
crushing anyhow, and the recycle guy doesn't care that it's also full of holes. When you know the first 20 minutes out of the kennel the dog is going to be very excited to be free,to channel it is easier than fighting it. Expend the energy, then settling down is going to be easier.

I drink distilled water instead of that poison from the tap, LOL -- My 13 month old, HIGH prey-drive Akita pup vents a ton of pent-up energy by "killing" the 1-GAL plastic jugs !