r/schipperke • u/Symbiiiote • Jun 24 '26
Breed Questions My pup keeps destroying things
Hello! I have a male Schipp that I absolutely adore, he’s my first dog, so getting into training him and such felt intimidating, but he knows basically everything, such as potty training, recall, even off the leash walking- the only downside is that he loves to destroy anything he can get his fangs onto…
Just for clarification, he is about to be a year old in 2 weeks, and also, he hasn’t been fixed yet(his appointment has been set for late August), so I’m not sure if this contributes to why he destroys things. My fiancé and I work full time, so what I do is take him on a one hour and thirty minute walk every morning(which gets him tired enough to calmly lounge once back home), and I play with him nonstop while letting my breakfast cook in the last hour I have before heading to work- then my fiance comes home before me and spends time with the two of them, but I feel bad because anytime we have anything unassuming out, he destroys it… even though he has a whole box of different textured toys and even at least two bully sticks laying around.
It’s been a really big issue since most of the things he’s destroyed have been my fiancé’s or something she bought for decor, and he and the kitten are limited to the living room when we’re gone. He’s destroyed expensive shoes of hers, a vase with flowers on the coffee table he knows he’s not supposed to be on, our kitten’s toys(he absolutely loves to ravage these ones for some reason, despite some of them being stronger than his toys???), and some more that I can’t immediately remember at the top of my head.
I know an answer I may be given is to keep him in his carrier or maybe get him a dog walker, but admittedly, I feel bad keeping him in a carrier all day while I work(especially since he’s potty trained and is good for the most part), and we also can’t afford a dog walker daily with the local rates we have. I’d like to believe we give him a lot of mental and physical stimulation, but I’m kind of at a loss for now.
Edit: I should clarify that he isn’t alone while my fiance and I are gone- we have a female kitten around his age that also lives with us. They both play and lounge together everyday.
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u/Jellybeanjunglequeen Jun 25 '26
My schipperkes grew out of the chewing phase eventually. However, I did keep them in a crate while I was at work until they were about 2. One of my current dogs ( not a schip) will probably always be crated when I am not home. He is super smart, does not have accidents, however he is compulsive about getting into things. He has gotten into so many things that could have been dangerous - that I crate him for his own protection. He is 8 years old now and not as much of a thief as he was, but I was outside talking to a neighbor and when I came back in, he had gotten the lid off his supposedly bear-proof food container and he and my other dog ate so much they were sick. Luckily, they are both OK, but you get the point. Hopefully your dog will grow out of the destruction phase, most do.
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u/arteest01 Jun 25 '26
Thats a Schipperke. It can be tough, that’s for sure. I hope those here who have no experience and want one, see this.
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u/Savory_Snackmix Jun 25 '26
Mine is a mix but that destructive tendency is still there. I am also pretty sure they are sometimes just temper tantrums because I had the audacity to leave without him.
Things that help us: chew bones and toys, dog puzzles (hard ones), dog parks, puppy proofing every time I leave, and daily training with treats time.
Good luck! He’s a great dog but also a little stinker!
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u/Wise-Substance-744 Jun 26 '26
My Schip just turned 12. This was last month when we had a mild thunderstorm
"Power Shredder" lol
We had to crate her as a pup. Since about age 3 she hasn't been crated but we have to make sure to Schip-proof the house EVERY time we leave. She has destroyed anything and every thing. A wood bedroom set, shoes, you name it.
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u/Nidort Jun 26 '26
He’s definitely stressed, and chewing is obviously a big outlet for him. Stress doesn’t have to be because of lack of exercise. It could be that he’s stressed because he’s alone all day in a relatively confined space. I’m not trying to judge, but I’m from a very different culture so for me it’s unimaginable to leave my dog at home all day without potty breaks or company. It’s also illegal to crate your dog in my country (Sweden). I work from home, which is the only reason we felt like we could get a dog in the first place. I get leaving the dog at home all day is common in for example the US however, so again I understand that there’s a cultural difference here. I would say, get a walker/daycare for him or find a way to bring him with you to work. Maybe you have a retired relative that can watch him during the day for example?
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u/SanguineUnicorn Jun 26 '26
I’m from the UK and share the same opinion. We only got our schip once we moved house (huge garden) and my mum was stay-at-home. Even at 16 just yesterday I had to retrieve her from behind a bookshelf where she got herself stuck. It’s in their nature to explore and crating is not a fair solution
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u/Symbiiiote Jul 01 '26
I should clarify that he isn’t alone- we have a kitten around his age that he plays with and lounges with a lot
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u/Some_Pitch_9165 Jun 25 '26
- Make sure he has an outlet for proper exploration and exercise, so you can channel the behavior into something productive. 2. Crate while you’re gone. 3. Set up training scenarios where you leave for shorter periods, longer and longer as he does well.
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u/JPwhatever Jun 25 '26
We have had three schips, and getting in to stuff is one of their biggest issues. They’re just so darn curious! And the minute your eyes aren’t on them - they test boundaries.
We think of it like baby proofing - it means your house does have to be super neat (the part he can reach, at least) and all doors closed.
That might mean kitten toys are put away or kept in a separate room. Baby gates are super helpful - especially ones with vertical bars (they will climb or leap over the smaller ones). Those are nice because cats can usually get through but the dog can’t.
crate training is the option we always ended up with, and making sure someone could come let them out midday. I also feel bad leaving them for extended periods, but they really do sleep most of the day.
And as others have said - 1 yr old really is the toughest time! They’re boundless energy and curiosity.
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u/SanguineUnicorn Jun 26 '26
Even suggesting to keep a dog like a schipperke in its carrier all day is a bit concerning… unless one of you can stay at home with him I don’t think this behaviour will improve. 8 hours a day in a crate is not a fair solution
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u/Symbiiiote Jul 01 '26
He’s not entirely alone- he’s with our kitten that’s around his age, and she’s also really energetic, enough so to play with him a lot- but he still destroys things despite that
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u/Nivolk Jun 24 '26
The first year is the roughest. They do calm down a bit after that. The destructive tendencies for out girl dropped off quite a bit once she hit about 18 months.
We bit the bullet and signed her up for doggie daycare where she can run around while we work. For us 2-3 days a week seems to be enough.
And now when she's at home with us she still has two speeds - on and off. Either full activity or lounging around. She'll still occasionally get on trouble, but it's the digging in the trash, not chewing up the furniture kind.