Please read to bottom... I kept adding information as my brain was connecting to your dog and situation..
Hi, It is so hard to find something for a dog to play with when alone when they would rather play with you instead... however... I did find a pretty neat treat dispenser when I was desperate when training my rescue basset hound who should have been named "the destructor".
Its called the "manners minder". I love it.
sorry its pricy too. my disclaimer is this... read the reviews... decide for yourself.... Not a replacement for training human...just a tool. Might be more mass produced now, so hopefully product is still the same quality as the one I purchased years ago.
http://www.amazon.com/Premier-Treat-Remote-Reward-Trainer/dp/B0010B8CHG
Anyway.... My guy was so destructive (probably why he was dumped here) that I didn't put the manners minder on the floor for fear of it becoming a chew thing. This thing is very strong, but my basset was very determined.. so, I took off the tray, elevated the dispenser and it just dumps the treat out on the floor or into the crate when I leave.
It can be set up as timed, you can control the amount of treats dispensed at each interval. Dog can get his whole meal by dispenser when you are gone... It can have a beep or a silent dispense for dogs sensitive to sound. You can use a remote control to dispense and reward for when you are in the room for additional training. Smallish treats work best. I shouldn't say "treats". I fill with dog food kibble.
Fred doesn't need the manners minder now, he sleeps when I am gone and is relaxed and I only use it now for reward training.
Anyway ... I am not one for fancy gadgets, I always try bones and decent non destruct sort of toys. My dogs that chew bedding, don't get bedding. It is a safety hazard if they ingest bedding material, not a big deal to skip fluffy bedding and chewable toys.
Cheers... congratulations by the way. He sounds smart,,, best wishes.
ps...my dog fred really needed a crate so I put the manners minder on top of his crate to stop the barking and digging and crate resistance since he was an older rescue dog. . Your boy would probably rather be in a big crate in the house, than in a huge garage area separate from his pack family. Just my opinion.. Would love to see your boy in the house, in a crate, and getting a really nice long walk at least once, if not twice a day. More than 20 minute walk. Not just potty walk. Folks think more space is better and that the dog will get "exercise" in the larger space... what most dogs do when you are gone is lay in one spot.. wait for you to return, or if they are starting to stress about being alone all day, they pace, cry and destruct until you return..... Crates are not a bad thing, you are just telling the dog where they may lay rather than having them choose themselves. You might try to set up a video camera to see what he is doing when you leave. Might be educational.
My first recommendation is this.... that I would try crating in the house... no bedding... something destructive proof to chew on put in the crate, and two decent length walks per day over 20 minutes worth to start before purchasing any gadget. Dogs really are pack animals, closing a pup in a garage all day might not be good for his mind. If all else fails, you could try hiring a dog walker to come in mid day and give him a brain break from boredom and some exercise.
pss, my fred has enjoyed the elk antler "bones", they are pricy but he chewed much more than the nylabones or kongs I got him. My first hound. He has taught me a lot.
