What sould I do with my dog?

Question

My little girl wont stop chewing up things. Every time I come home there is something chewed up ie: my flip flops, my phone book, the cusion in the chair. What do I do? Please someone help me. I don't want to give my dog away, and I don't like putting her outside because she cries. Thank you so much.

My dog is 7 months old , and is part Cata-Hola, and Blue Heller. I don't like putting her outside because she cries and she has jumped the fence. Nopw we have to chain her up if we do put her outside, and I don't like doing that. I can't enclose her into a room(like the bathroom) becuase she was abused in a bathroom with out food and water, so inow if she is in the bathroom she chews the hallway carpet. She is a bogger, but we love her and wont give her up. Thanks for all the answers, they are really helping.

Answer 1

Make sure that things are out of her reach. Get some bitter apple spray (you can find it at the pet store) to spray the couch/chair with. The bad taste stops them from chewing.

Give her an alternative to chew on, a rawhide bone or a rope. Experiment with different things until you find something that she really likes.

Also, she may be chewing on stuff because you are not spending enough time burning up her energy. Make sure she gets at least an hour walk every day, play ball with her, something that uses up her energy.

Answer 2

I had that problem with my Gordon Setter! What I did was pen her for short trips away from home (not more than four hours). If I was gone most the day then I put up a gate in our kitchen doorway and put several of her favorite chew toys on the floor. I puppy proofed the place and left her with water and a rug to sleep on (not her bed which she could tear to pieces).

This is some training I did also: I taught her the 'leave it' command. I put the dog on a leash and would drop a treat on the floor by her feet. As soon as she attempted to pick up the treat I would say "leave it," then give the leash a gentle jerk at the same time. I would wait a moment then say "OK," and let her have the treat. Soon she learned what 'leave it' means.

Next level of 'leave it' command: I put several of her toys on the floor in a circle along with some of my personal items I knew she would love to chew. I put her next to me in the circle and let her sniff at the items. If she picked up a toy I praised her. If she picked up one of my items I would say "leave it." She learned that it is not OK to pick up my things with her mouth but a good thing to pick up her toys.

I noticed each week my dog chewed less things that were mine. I used to leave the house for 10 minutes then longer and each time I praised her if she didn't chew something of mine up. If she did, of course she knew I wasn't happy. (I never scolded her or shamed her though, just praised her when she was good). Now my dog has great house manners when I'm away from home.

Take it a day at a time and be sure to puppy proof your house. Your 'little girl' might be chewing because of separation anxiety, boredom or lack of attention. I always take my dog for a good long walk so that she is ready for a nap when I leave, then she seems content to be alone.

Please don't give your dog away! Putting her outside while you are gone will only create more problems not to mention neighbors complaining.You have a problem that CAN be solved. A class in Obedience Training does wonders to.

Answer 3

First off, puppy-proof your house. Secondly, try putting her in a crate while you are gone or an enclosed space such as a bathroom. Dogs are den animals and they like having an enclosed area of their own. It prevents them from getting into things while you are gone and assists with housebreaking them.
Chewing is a natural canine behavior. They are exploring the world and chewing is a way for them to explore and understand the world around them.
Always have a couple appropriate chew toys available for the pup and if they seem to be chewing on furniture, you can spray some bitter apple spray (available at most pet supply stores) on the furniture to discourage the pup from chewing on the item.

Lastly, the crate is not an end-all, be-all for prevening chewing and other behaviors. It is a management tool, but not a behavior modifier. Encourage appropriate chewing (rawhides, nyla-bones, etc.) If your pup knows what is appropriate to chew on, she will be more likely to stick with those items.

Another option is to sign up at a local PETCO or PetSmart for a puppy training class. Working with a trainer can help you overcome some of the basic puppy issues as well as prevent other undesirable behaviors from developing later in life.

You may also want to check out the ASPCA website for additional information or contact one of your local shelters for additional resources. Some shelters have resources/information they can give you to help overcome common behaviors such as chewing.

Good luck!

Answer 4

Try the sour apple spray...it worked when my dog started chewing on the corner of the walls in my house...you just have to figure out what she is going to chew...also, I go to pains to "de-dog" the house when i leave so she can't get at things like shoes, remote controls, books, etc...in the end just be patient, the chewing is a phase that dogs grow out of. Hang in there...you can't give her away, she will still chew and the next owner may not be as good of an owner as you and could do something horrible.

You could also crate train her.

Best Luck and hang in there.

Answer 5

I am not sure what age your dog is here but it may be that she is teething. If this is the case she will chew on anything she can to make it better. There is a great product for dogs who are teething or naturally just want to chew..Nylabone makes what is called a gumabone...great product and dogs love it because it is soft enough that it massages their gums. Also try and confine her to an area that she cannot get to anything else buy her a couple of those and she should be good to go. Good luck and if you have patience she will be fine and you will both be happy.

Answer 6

I have a dog too. During the night I have him inside as I don't want him barking and disturbing the neighbours. During the day, I put him outside. They are like little children. You have to teach them from the beginning that your the boss. As for the dog crying, she will stop it, if you just ignore her. My dog cries too, but I stand adamant with him and he has learnt in the long run. You just need to be persistant with your dog. Be loving to your dog and they will do the things you want in the end. Afterall, you brought them into your home, so they have to get used to the way you do things. Good luck. It does take patients and loving.

Answer 7

Oh boy I understand your problem because my german shepherd loved to chew stuff when she was little. The best thing to do is try giving your rawhide bones or Pig ears. The only reason she probably chews is because 1. She is bored. 2. or her teeth are hurting her. Also try a stuffed animal that she can just tear the stuffing out of. Dogs love that!!!

Answer 8

Good dog!

Dogs are designed to chew. Dogs chew by instinct. Dogs need to chew, all their lives

Get some acceptable chew toys.
Dog-proof your house by putting away as many things as you can.
Walk and play with your dog. A tired dog is a good dog.
Enroll you and your dog in an obedience class.

Answer 9

Realistically speaking; it depends upon the character trying the obligations of having any pets. What is your particular existence form? A dog needs companionship and not be left by myself for fine lengths of time, whereas a cat also need companionship, but can be completely satisfied with meals, water and a easy litter box. Be ready to be responsible as a mother or father would be for a baby. Heath, Cleanliness, and nurturing are major. BTW, i have normally had 2 cats. They help me preserve my sanity in a very crazy world! (smile)

Answer 10

Many solutions
1) Crate train- I would never leave my 12 week old puppy alone with teh house to her disposal. I would come home and not recognize the place. Every time I leave the dog goes to his crate. At first he would scream like I chopped off his head but now he does not mind and goes in quietly. This keeps him out of trouble and keeps me sane. Check the 3 links in the source box for how to crate train.
2) Put him outside- I know that you say he cries, but it is sortof like the crate training. He is going to cry but he will stop and only when he stops will you let him back inside. My dog likes his crate more than outside and I worry about him less when he is in his crate than when he is outside. Outside I worry about him digging out, eating somthing that makes him sick, over heating, or getting stolen. Inside, I know he is safe and happy in his crate.
3) Put everything away and saturate everything else in bitter apple. This will likely still result in a destroyed house as it is incredibly hard to puppy proof to the point of total trust.
4) Let your house be destroyed.
That is all I can come up with though I thought about it for a while. I know it may break your heart to listen to your puppy cry in his crate/outside, but remember that he will eventually like it and that it is better than you coming home mad at him every day. Good Luck!