Stop eating / chewing on everything! He doesn't chew anything major (he is crate trained during the day while I'm at work) But, man..... today he was in his crate for 2 hours and chewed up his doggie bed. Outside, he eats sticks, bugs, pulls out weeds by the root and eats the root.....if I put blankets in his crate he will chew the blankets. If clothes or socks are left on the floor he will chew them. I found 2 pairs of cotton shorts during laundry (after I took them out of the dryer) that had holes! Have no idea how he got to them. He's a total counter surfer. No food can be left on the counter. Before I realized this, a couple of months ago he ate an entire loaf of bread (plastic and all) by taking it off the kitchen counter. He ate his PLASTIC water bowl once, that was when I was trying to get him out of the crate. I went to Target for 45 min and when I came back his hard plastic water bowl was in peices. Needless to say now, whenever I leave he is in the crate - I'm afraid he's going to get hurt! Let's see...he's eaten an entire roll of bubble gum (the kind that rolls up like tape) He ate almost a whole roll of toilet paper.
How do I stop this? Oh, he is a Golden Ret mix and he is almost 9 months. Other than the eating stuff he is sooooooooooooooo calm. He is the calmest puppy I've ever had!
**I must add, that I normally do take him on an hour walk per day. But the past 2 days......... no walk. I have 2 dogs and they are driving me crazy. lol - I know it's because I haven't had time to walk them in 2 days. Tomorrow....... LONG WALK!! And, I do give him rawhides... BUT, he eats them so fast! So I try to only give him one every week or so. I've heard it's not good for them to eat so much rawhide. I am going to try those hard plastic cone things that I can put peanut butter in! ****
Exercise... like everyone else said... Lots of chew toys that it is OK to chew on... Also, you can buy a topical spray that smells/tastes bad that you can put on things that can take it. You might try leaving on the TV or radio so he can have some "company" when he is home alone.
I'm thinking anxiety!
Chewing is (among other things) a way of alleviating stress. Even though the dogs aren't called Goofy Goldens for nothing, I think maybe you have a worried puppy there. He can't talk to you about his worries, so he chews.
It's hard on him because he's still sort of a kid, and his leader (that's you!) is gone a good part of the day, and he needs guidance and attention. Not that you don't have anything else to do, but showing leadership is a must for owners of pups! Can you work a good walk back into his daily schedule? Or two short ones, morning and evening, when you can't do a longer one? Set aside some time to play with him a couple of times a day, too - just five or ten minutes could do the trick. If he has a superabundance of energy, he really NEEDS good walks every day, and even hikes on weekends if your family can do it.
If you can't trust him in the kitchen when you're not there, can you gate it off with baby gates?
Instead of rawhides (one gulp and they're gone), look in your pet store for the hard bones that have filler in them. The bones are made so they won't splinter, and they're great for a heavy chewer. When he gets the insides licked out, you can put peanut butter inside instead. You can put them in the freezer and then he'll find them even more fun. He'll chew on the bones, too, and when they get too ugly you can toss them (but they last a long time). Kong toys are good, too. (Our dogs always like anything with peanut butter in or on them.)
Another thing to do is to take him to obedience classes. It gives you something to do together - including the homework - it gives him a chance to socialize with other dogs, and he may learn some obedience, too. While you're there, ask the teacher to tell you what other indications of stress to look for. You'll be surprised what they are.
If you buy the Kongs and put peanutbutter or anything in be sure and freeze them because they take longer for them to eat.
I love my Kong. I have a german shorthaired pointer. I stuff hers with lunch meat (the cheap kind), string cheese, and some dog food or treats then one of the Kong treats. I then freeze it so that she will chew lick on it for any where from 30 min. to an hour. I do this for whenever I am having company so that she will calm down. She takes her treat and goes and lays down.
I understand about the chewing (my kids bedroom doors have to remain shut unless my dog is crated), as well as leaving food on the table and counter top. I wish I could find a way to break my dog of getting food off the counter and table. The only safe place in our house is the stove top, microwave, and on top of the fridge or in cabnets.
I can not put anything in her crate that she is not supposed to chew on because she gets board and chews up anything that is in there with her. She has chewed up 2 dog beds so she no longer has one. I have 3 blankets on my floor (it is tile) in my livingroom that are stack together and that is where she lays down at when she is not crated. She is either outside or crated when I am gone. She is never left out of her crate if I can not watch her because of her chewing. I wish I could trust her but she is only a year and a half so she is still a puppy.
Also go to www.kong.com for more recipe ideas on what to put in them.
Good luck.
Chewing can be boredom, anxiety or it can be a normal need -- it's very common for younger dogs to chew (Dogs are still puppies under age 2.) You need to get lots of chew treats and redirect his chewing energy. When you're home and you see him chewing, take away the item he shouldn't have - tell him a simple "NO" and then give him one of HIS treats and praise. If you see him chewing on his own treat -- praise him.
Get a variety of chew treats. I have two Goldendoodles that I adore and spoil them with chew treats and toys :) They really enjoy -- Antlers, Bull Tracheas, Braided Bully Sticks, Himalyan Cheese chew.. etc. Kongs are great too -- you can fill them with peanut butter or yogurt and toss it in your freezer. It will give your dog something to work harder to get. (It's also way cheaper then buying their filling.) Antlers are great because they DO hold up a long time even with aggressive chewers. I ordered Deer and Elk, from the experience I had the Elk was a much better, larger antler. Rawhide isn't really great for dogs, that's why I give treats that are safe for digestion and even provide good benefits for the dogs...
I order my chew treats from http://www.bestbullysticks.com/ but there are lots of sites out there I would bet. Looking here should give you lots of ideas though.
Good luck :)
yep, he's doing what puppies do....chew! Be thankful he hasn't chewed the siding off of the house.....been there, brat dog did it! My husband was furious!
It truly sounds as if he needs more discipline, more supervision, & definitely more exercise. & unfortunately, labs & goldens are notorious for chewing well into age 2! & yes, we've had lab mixes for the past 20 years.....& the chew marks to prove it! Good Luck!
Oooooh, & one more thought: as the adult human involved, you are responsible for keeping his area safe & secure. Our labradoodle was a beast about swallowing socks whole....which is soooo dangerous & can be life-threatening. We learned to be vigilant about doing "floor patrol" thru-out the entire house.....every single day! He's 5 now & still tries it.....just yesterday in fact! Good Grief.....
Does the dog get exercise. You should be walking him at least 2 hours a day.
Puppy is BORED!!!!
You didn't mention whether you give him chew toys, rawhides, etc. If he is still teething chewing is a natural instinct. Couple that with his boredom and you get what you've got right now.
You should check out Victoria Stilwell or Cesar Milan for advice. Both give great advice and positive reinforcement.
It sounds like a great puppy, creating alot of memories. He is a puppy and naturally needs to chew. Lots of chewing toys to get the erge out. He will eventually get over the chewing.
Have fun and enjoy!
Lots of rawhide bones and those rubber toys with holes for treats or peanut butter.
He may be teething again. Most of that is around 4 months but he is a bigger dog, so it might be lasting a bit longer.
Get him out for lots of execise when you get home. He may be bored. Or if you have a nice homeschool family pay the kids a little to come and walk him, mine just got a lunch time dog walking job with the neighbor's pups.
Agreed with everyone else.. he needs lots of walking (morning and evening) and some acceptable chew items. Have you tried any of the "puzzle" type chew toys? They make toys that the dog has to work to get the treat to come out. Like dispensers that the treat falls out as the dog rolls the toy around on the floor; and Kong toys that you stick treats inside or squeeze peanut butter or cheese filling into. Those are supposed to help with boredom. Sounds like your pooch could use something like that...
A bored puppy will occupy himself... and its never pretty. My Benjamine (Golden Ret) ate close to two thousand dollars worth of tack, furniture, leashes, shoes... I finally bought a dozen jumbo rawhide bones and a bottle of bitterapple spray. I sprayed everything in sight except the bones. It worked. HOWEVER... he was loose all day and we played fetch for hours EVERY afternoon. You MUST keep him busy. No excuses. Teach him to fetch and find a pond to let him swim. Do buy him a kong, and the puzzle feeders. Try to let the two dogs stay loose together to play. The good news is he will probably out grow the phase. Ben lived with us 14 years before cancer took him. He was forgiven many times over. And to have him back, he could have whatever he wanted to chew on! Enjoy your boy. He will be worth it.
