Gunther and Jake spend the day in their crates while I am at work as it is the safest place for them (so they can't get into anything).  Jake has a comfy bed in his and Gunther likes to go in there and lie down from time to time.  I would love to give Gunther some sort of bed in his crate but he destroys everything I put in there.  He has a Nylabone in there but I have a feeling that he doesn't touch that at all.  I am afraid that he may eat parts of the blankets or towels that I do put in there. 

How can I get him to stop destroying what I put in there so he can have a bed?

I'l be watching this because after trying everything I could think of I finally gave up and had husband cut rubber horse mat material to fit very snug in the crate trays. I'd like to give them something more 'comfy', but I'm not going to risk these nitwits killing themselves!

Matt all I can say is exercise, exercise and more exercise for Gunther before you crate him.  GSP's as a rule can be quite destructive when they are not ran out. Rocky does all kind of naughty GSP stuff when he is not exercised. I have to run the pants off on him before I go to work. Rocky is not crated and so far has been a perfect boy when we are gone. 

I've discovered that it is the stuffing that drives Bogart nuts ... so what I did for our long drive in the car is take a bunch of old polar fleece blankets and piled them up so that they made a comfy soft spot (to cushion the bumpy parts of the drive).

He has a towel and a blanket in his regular crate at home. After I wash them and carefully place in them in his crate, the next day I noticed they have been moved to the side. I really think he likes to lay directly on the plastic tray in his crate. My sister's lab does the same thing.

I agree that it is a little too dark in the morning to really exercise him.  He also pushes the blanket or towel out of the way and just lays on the plastic.  He does try to shred the blanket and towel but he hasn't appeared to try to eat any of it...yet.

I would love to let them have the run of the basement since the rest of the house is out of the question but when I tried that with Jake (long before Gunther came on board) he would pee down there.  I would also be afraid that they would go nuts with their rough play and one would be hurt when I got home.

Even if I run to the store and take them with me, Gunther will find something in the Jeep to destroy even if I am gone 5 minutes.  When I am around he simply chews on his toys and bones and sometimes goes and drags the blanket out of the crate.

I work second shift ( 3pm to  11pm). By the time I get home at night it is 11:30 pm and I have a happy GSP waiting for me.  I grab his extension leash and off we go under the city street lights for around 30 minutes brisk walk. On my off nights in winter it gets dark at 4:30pm and I play night ball with Rocky with a chuck-it then followed by a leash night walk. If it is below zero and snowing we still go and dress accordingly. We have clothes-boots ect for all weather. There was only a few days last winter in Wisconsin when the weather I was 40 to 50 below zero that we stayed inside.  I have one side of my basement cleared for indoor ball toss. Also I will turn music on in our family kids room and have Rocky zoom in circles catching soft toys in his mouth. These are some ways I exercise Rocky a very  high energy GSP in darkness and inclement weather.

Rocky has alot more energy in cooler weather than hot weather so Winter when it gets dark early is challenging keeping him exercised.  I love deep snow as the dogshave to work harder to plow thur in our back fields. When there is ice on the side walks, then we just go in the back fields. My husband does snowblow walking ball toss paths right in our back yard and this makes it easier for walking and not losing so many tennis balls. I absolutely love walking at night in a fresh snow under the moon light. I can see my dog better against the snow with the moon shining it brightens the night and enables me to see every tree and scrurrying rabbit.  Rocky also loves the balls that light up for night ball toss sessions. It is so funny in total darkness watching your GSP running back with the lighted ball in his mouth. All you see is this lighted ball bouncing up and down coming towards you.  Kids really love GSP night lighted ball toss sessions!!!  (Great activity when it gets dark at 4;30).  You can also have fun music playing with a portable battery boom box outside to make it  a fun party GSP nightball toss evening!!!!  Hope this helps some as we are all going to have to exercise our GSP's in the dark as our day light gets shorter and the weather gets colder.

Just got back from a headlamp/moonlight 5 mile run up a huge hill/ridge and back down with our #140 cart. I'd love to say that hard exercise cured the destructive chewing, but in our case it merely slows it down.... IF we're lucky....  *sigh*

Horray for Night walking and Dog wagon pulling  Isabella07 igot my night lighted balls from our local Walmart a few years ago. You can also get them in any pet store. There is soft glow in the dark balls.  The GSP's love them but like the jolly ball can chew them up easy.  Another winter idea we used to play with our GSP and Son's when they were around 7 and 8 yrs old was hide and go seek in the dark in our house and basement. Have the person who is it count with the GSP in the bathroom while the rest of the family finds a hiding place. The "it" person comes out with the family gsp and flash light hunting up family members. The first family member person found is the next  "it" person with the GSP and flash light  that goes in the lighted bathroom for counting.  The last family member found is the winner!!!!     It is alot of fun and laughs and makes the early dark winter nights go faster.

I usually (in bad weather) open the garage door as it is facing my back yard, and throw the frisbee & tennis balls for my dogs. Especially if it is snowy and blowing. In daytime I will run them through the fields with my 4 wheeler. (not fast) If there is enough snow I will run them with the snowmobile. They love it and the deep snow really works them out good. Same thing with mine though too, as soon as we are done and they drink, they are ready to go again. I am not looking forward to this cold cold winter up here again.

I love playing frisbee because Mocha jumps in the air to get them and when she hits the snow all you see is a big explosion of white snow. Sometimes she gets the frisbee on the driveway and she puts her front paws on it and pushes it up and down the driveway barking and whining at it the whole time. LMAO