Help!!

[princessnmi]

I'm having a TERRIBLE problem with Moose. He won't stop destroying stuff. He has eaten 3 cordless phones, the kitchen counter, numerous serving spoons, spatulas, my wallet, and now he broke the bathroom window. I haven't been able to find a crate big enough for him. He is huge and still growing. We used to lock him up in the kitchen using baby gates and EVERY night we would have to make sure that there was absolutely NOTHING on the counters or the top of the fridge. We would also have to make sure there was nothing in the dishwasher as he could open it. He has even tried to eat the metal burners on the stove. I even tried a muzzle, the muzzle was tight but not too tight, and I put the buckle of the muzzle around his collar but he still got the muzzle off and chewed it up. This morning we put him outside like we do EVERY morning and he tried to jump at the bathroom window to get back in the house after only being out for a few minutes and broke the window. I live in military housing and don't know how i'm going to afford paying for these damages. I don't think it could be an attention thing because he is in the house off and on during the day and every night we take him to the  field behind our house and run him. I just don't know what else to do about him destroying things. Any ideas?

[People Whisperer]

How big is he and what kind of crate size you are looking for?
Do you have lots of toys for him? With my pup I use tons of chewing things so every time when she is about to chew on something we don't want her to chew on....I give her a toy. I make pretty big deal about it too. I have had my pup for 2 months and we have not had any single chewing accident...I don't say that she is not trying!
Do you exersize you dog? (Sorry, I don't want to sound like Cezar Milan) If you wear him down it sure helps to show him what you would like for him to chew on. You said that you put him outside...It's sounds like he is looking for attention. Another thing, we don't play is the house. House is for relaxing...We go hiking, running with playmates and just walking so by the time we get home...it's a nap time.
Do you feed him raw bones? It's the best way to make his jaw get tired.

[princessnmi]

Moose is 35" at the shoulders, he is about 120lbs now...he is only 10 months old. The biggest crate that I have been able to find is only 31" tall. I need something that he can stand up in. He has two 18 gallon tubs full of toys, I also buy the HUGE bones I have tried leaving new toys out for him at night, I've tried raw bones. We take him our other 2 dogs and the kids to the empty field behind our house and run them EVERY evening. I take them out in the morning to run but not every day, and I go outside with them during "nap" time for the kids and we play ball then. We go to dog park at least twice a week. We don't allow them to play in the house either as I have 5 kids under the age of 4 and 3 large dogs in a TINY house, letting the dogs get hyper and playful inside is an accident waiting to happen. But EVERY time I lock them up in the kitchen at night, or the hallway he chews something up. It doesn't matter if we run him for 5 minutes or 2 hours he still destroys something. My husband has had it with him because the house being destroyed goes on his military record which doesn't look good. But I dont' know what else to try and I don't want to have to find him a new home 

[Anakalia]

Age plays a huge part in his behavior!  Koby was a terror at that age and it took awhile for him to get out of his funk. lol  Honestly, I had times where I just wanted to cry.  He was into everything (garbage being his favorite) at all times and I literally had to watch him like a hawk all day.  If we weren't home he was crated.  We use the NILIF program which helped tremendously.  We expect him to work for what he wants, he has to sit before we feed him, give him a treat, take him outside, if he wants something he has to sit first!  He's the perfect dog now, but he's also 2 yrs old so I do think Moose being 10 mo. old has a lot to do with the way he's acting, think "unruly teenager".  When Koby was that age, he needed to be mentally and physically stimulated almost all the time or he'd get in trouble, he had tons of energy.  OH, another thing we did was take him for daily walks, we were fully  in charge during the walks, and I think that also helped in his behavior.  Good luck, I know how hard it can be!

Edited to add:  We have the Midwest Colossal Crate I think now they call it the 99N or something.  I bought mine online at Petsmart during a sale.  It's a bit pricey but it's well worth every penny!

[MagicM3]

I can relate,although Falkor is not one our the BIG boys for a Collie he is huge,and at 8mths old is already taller than Magic,He is always into something. I have been told that his daddy was slow to mature,and I think he is following that path.

I have to remind myself that he is just a growing boy and if he does something he shouldn't it is really my fault.

*A tired dog is a good dog* is something to also remember.
It is up to us to keep them busy and give them something to do, and yes that means all the time,other wise our intellect young ones will find something to do themselves,and most of what they come up with makes us cry

Tricia and the fur kids

[DoberBaby17]

The Colossal Crate...

PetSmart.com = Midwest Bargain Hound Drop-Pin Crates

also on ebay.com = search for "giant dog crates", there is a buy-it-now option, but make sure you check the shipping cost!

[mynameislola]

This is what I know about base housing from Marine friends with kids and dogs, just not as many kids and dogs as you have.  Wow.   0.o

The first thing they do is have the carpet removed and put into storage.  When they have to leave, they move out the kids and dogs and put the carpet back in.  One friend with a Dane mix had all the doors, including cabinets, removed during their pup's teething stage.  They have everything that gets broken fixed before inspection.

You are so right about your kid's and dog's behavior affecting your husband's job.  A family here (MGAGCC/MAGTFTC) a few years ago had an unruly child who intentionally broke another kid's leg.  They will never be allowed in base housing again and the husband's chance of promotion is zip.  I was told that the way it is thought about is this--if a man can't control his pets and kids, he can't control troops.

That crate linked to above is fantastic.  We have one for our Newfie so he can get some rest because my terrier just wants to play 24/7.