I'm not sure what type of crate you are using that she would be capable of escaping from...but the bottom line is if it is not working correctly...YOU NEED TO REPLACE THE CRATE with one she cannot escape from! Do NOT expect the dog to help you solve the obvious problem...she is not going to make good decisions on this matter! <wink> YOU have to create a SAFE way to contain her when no one is available to monitor her behaviors! This is not uncommon with any young dog or a dog that has issues or simply has been allowed to develop "bad habits!" Also buy a couple of Kongs...stuff them with good things...nonfat yogurt or cottage cheese is good, to that you can add different things like a spoonful of apple sauce, a dollop of peanut butter, a spoon of PLAIN canned Pumpkin...stir one of these goodies into the base...add some kibble to it or very small cut up bits of human grade (Plain) Beef Jerky. FREEZE the Kong over night (that's why I keep two of them at the least..one is always ready to serve up!) This lasts a fair number of hours to provide the dog with something ACCEPTABLE TO DO, while being safely contained. Read up about your choice of dog food too. Some commercial foods have additives and artificial ingredients in them that WILL CAUSE an almost ADD/ADHD like behavior in dogs...Literally, the dogs are being "chemically" induced to ACT UP...be unable to "sit still" as it were. http://www.api4animals.org/facts?p=359&more=1 Obviously, you may or may not know her full history, but it is safe to assume that she may NOT have received any training or may have been trained with NEGATIVE reinforcements. Abuse may also have been part of her prior life since she is a rescue. A lot of folks DON'T bother to train their puppies or young dogs and then dump them when the dog does behaviors that are not pleasing to the owners...such as tearing up the house and furniture. So, you want to start a DAILY, ACTIVE Training program with this girl, using Positive Reinforcement (+R) training methods. (Treats and Praise) All of the basics...and if by some chance is already knows and is quick to respond to training commands..SIT, STAY, COME, LAY DOWN...then just kick it up a notch with more advanced training such as.. BACK UP, OFF, DROP IT, BRING IT, LEAVE IT, FIND IT! FIND IT can be especially fun, even with a breed such as this that is not especially well known for their sense of smell...the Chow's shorter nose is not going to prevent her from learning to FIND IT, when you train and PLAY this game. IT can be food, a favorite toy, YOU, your Child...IT should never be something like clothing, shoes, or other personal items that the dog could become confused about the mouthing, chewing or eating of...(Humans don't usually fall under a dog real consideration for eating...so WE are acceptable "things to find.") It can be played in the house or outside. Training along with adding a lot more exercise will provide STRUCTURE and ROUTINE for this dog. They will also help her to be a bit more TIRED and willing to rest and enjoy that stuffed frozen Kong when you leave for work...IN her SECURE CRATE! You didn't say how long she has been with you, but I can promise you that all animals thrive on ROUTINE...they do not like change, they don't understand CHANGE and change causes STRESS...a stressful dog is prime to have potty accidents, and to be destructive because of the stress...NOT because they want to punish anyone, or are trying to piss us off or be a "bad dog." Always think in terms of SETTING YOUR DOG UP...TO BE ABLE TO DO THE BEHAVIORS YOU WANT THE DOG TO DO. You want to remove the chances of them making mistakes and increase the chances of them doing the desired behavior. In this case, as long as you are allowing her to be crated in a crate she evidently can break out of..and you already know she has a "problem" you are setting her to TO DO the behavior you DO NOT want her to do... Bless you for taking on a challenging situation...you need to work some of the kinks out on YOUR end..so that you can support her learning what you DO expect her to learn...I hope she is as loving as she appears to be stressed and that the path gets smoother very, very soon! Remember as you begin to work on active training every day...if she is earning a lot of treats...and getting her stuffed Kong each day...factor THAT FOOD as a part of her daily total DIET...she may be quite smart and earn a good number of treats during training (train for about 30 minutes..always end on a positive..you can do 2 30 min training sessions...a day..less on the minutes if she is under the age of 12 months) You don't want to plump her up with too much total food per day...unless she is UNDER weight!

Watch animal planet"Its me or the dog" you will learn many tricks in order to handle your chow. After you learn the trick of the trade, you have to keep the traing up everyday, constently. And I promise she will come around, many animals are in shelters because people don't want to take time and teach their animals the correct behaviers, when deep down inside they are truly good animals. Find the root of your chows chewing and you and her can live peacefully for a long time. Stay strong and patient for her in the long run you will thank yourself and maybe even be amazed what you can do

sorry if you decided you cant cope please contact me, i will be pleased to rehome her,i love chows. i am used to retraining stubborn dogs in a good way, camposano@btinternet.com

I actually had a pit that did the same thing. My great aunt told me to keep a few glasses of water (about 2-3in of water in it) in the fridge so it stays cold. Nw i know this is going to sound mean but it just shocks them ok. The next time you catch the dog chewing on anything its not suppose to you walk by throw the cold water in its face and keep walking like nothing happened. It has the same effect as a shock collar would if a dog barked after a time or two it will stop. This worked wonders for me and my dog.

First of all, you have to accept that she is a dog, not a human. She needs to understand her place in the pack. You are the leaders of that pack, so you have to put her in her place. Caesar Millian "The Dog Whisperer" is the most amazing person to study. Get hold of some of his videos and see how he goes at stopping this behaviour.

Your dog is stressed out. I think you would be too if you were locked in a crate.Is she alone for long periods of time? This causes stress in an animal. Dogs are social animals.She may have been taken away from her litter-mates too soon. This also causes stress , but I suspect it's made worse by the crating. Who knows what kind of life she had before you got her, so that may be contributing to her behavior also. She also may have a lot of energy and just need to work it off. She needs exercise and play time so you need to do your part. Get a spray bottle and squirt her in the face when she goes for the furniture. If that doesnt' work, put a muzzle on her and try it again. She needs to know that the furniture is a no-no. Dogs like to chew. Get her something to chew on. It's not a good idea to use rubber or plastic because it can cause intestinal blockage and may end up in costly vet bills. Ropes, or even rags tied in knots may work. Buy some large knuckle bones for her to chew on. (they need to be cooked first) There are books on training or you could research on-line. The methods involve: shaping the CORRECT behaviors and rewarding them.(positive reinforcement). Have fun with your "baby".

How old is your dog? she could be teething, i would'nt use shock treatment on any dog, postive reinforcment, i trained up a stubborn rottie chewed something rotten, regular walks twice daily in the morning before work and in the evening pigs ears they are great get different games for her,make her cage a chill place with her food, make the garden her mad place so you both play the front room in chill area, Do not let the dog on the sofa, she is not a human she dont need a chair have her sit beside you and she get cuddles. she runs around or chews take her collor dont look at her or speak to her place her in the garden close the door, give her 10 mins then let her back in sit down let her come to you. if she misbehaves again show her the door again, she will soon get the idea, may take or few days but she will come round.

we have a chow chow girl which we have had since she was 4 months old but she has never chewed our furniture or anyting of ours but she never liked a crate so instead we have a child gate in between our kitchen and living room and she has the kitchen. Give her a couple of toys to chew(squeky and rope) and one of those bones that you can get at the pet shop. Dont give them to much choice as they get spoilt and bored. Becareful on the amount of dairy products as this isn't good for them and remember youre in charge not her.