My lab mix is 1 1/2 yrs old. She chews everything in sight. What can I do to make her stop?

Question

We give her toys, bones and the like and don't know what to do with her anymore. She has already chewed up the sprinkler system, the door jams, the fence, a couple of patio umbrellas and much more. My husband is ready to get rid of her at any moment. What suggestions can anyone give me to get her to stop the chewing?

Answer 1

Is she doing it when you're home or away? my dog has a separation anxiety....and does this. I have read a magazine the vet gave my mom on this, and it says to let your pet feel secure when you are gone...leaving the tv on, giving her something with your scent....normal everyday noises....it even went as far as to suggest making a 'mixtape' of everyday noises she would hear when you're home....i.e. dishwasher, tv, washing machine, you talking...etc...
If it's just chewing to chew, consider a bitter apple spray...made for dogs who chew! She may also have problems with her teeth....about $50-75 to get them cleaned and checked out...may be worth it! Good Luck

Answer 2

Labs are very intelligent creatures. I have 2 of them.

1) They need mental stimulation - get a buster cube. Put some food in there.
2) Walk that dog - several times a day. My guys are old now - 8 & 10 1/2. We do 1 1/2 to 2 miles twice a day. When they were young, my son used to put on roller blades to run them. It go to the point where every time he got out the roller blades, he had a canine shadow.
3)Get a Kong, put some peanut butter in it. Way deep, they like to chew, this will keep them busy chewing and getting the peanut butter.
4)Take your pup to obedience class- labs are capable of learning over 100 commands - this will help stimulate your pup.
5)Where are you when your dog is doing these nasty things...obviously not supervising. My dogs are stay with me all of the time. 99% of the time, they are in the same room with me. They are never left outside unsupervised. If you can not supervise your dog, crate it. If you are at work and you gave the dog a 2 mile walk in the morning, it will not mind spending the day in the crate.
6)When you catch your pooch chewing, tell it - No, No chew! in a stern voice, then give it an aceptable chew toy and when it chews the chew toy -- say Good Girl, be happy. She will learn.

Nylabones are good chew toys, so are Kongs - avoid pigs ears and raw hide. Get a good size nylabone and watch to make sure it does not get too small, or she can choke on it.

Just hang in there- if you do what I said...the chewing will soon be a thing of the past.

Answer 3

THere is a spray you can buy called Bitter Apple that my parents used on our furniture after our cocker spaniel was caught eating the expensive dining room set. What my girlfriend and I have found works even better (my mom said that Mugsy eventually got used to the taste and started chewing anyway) is to make sure he has plenty of things that he can chew around the house so he isn't tempted by other things. If he starts chewing something he's not supposed, we give him a firm No and hand him something he is allowed to chew. And it doesn't even have to be puppy toys. We found out accidentally when I got a package in the mail that he loves chewing on boxes- he'll rip them apart and leave the small pieces on the floor so we're always cleaning but it's better than him eating the couch. He also loves paper towel rolls and and plastic water/juice/soda bottles. We joke that we spent money on toys and all we really needed to do was let him be our reclying bin, lol.

Answer 4

Is she crate trained? That is the first thing to do. Then you should enroll in your Canine Club and get out to those classes. Your dog is bored and needs a job. Do you walk her? Exercise for dogs is a lot more that just pushing them out the back door. With labs and retriever's of any type, they need a lot of interaction with the owners (and with everyone else, human and canine). They are very social and need a job to do. I have had a lot of success with classes and you might consider a dig box for her outside if she spends much of her time alone. Make her a sandbox and fill it with sand. Before letting her out you hide some great chew toys in the sand box. (Kong's filled with treats, bones filled with treats, etc.. ) You have now given her job!!
You can do the same thing in a crate. If she is chewing while you are away (don't give her the opportunity) crate her and give her a job..Dogs need a job....If she has a job and things that she is praised to chew she will leave your things alone!!

Answer 5

Wait another year and a half. I know, it's hard, but labs chew. They're known for doing it. The other thing is to get her a Kong toy--one of the black ones made for really intense chewing. Stuff it with a couple treats and peanut butter, and let her chew to her heart's content. And the previous suggestion is good, too. Cayenne pepper did the trick when my lab mix started chewing on the carpet. He hasn't gone near that spot again!

Please don't get rid of her! Be patient--it will get better!

Answer 6

Try putting tabasco sauce on things you know she likes to chew...

Let me ask you this - Do you notice that she does it when you're not home or giving her attention? If so, it could be separation anxiety. If this is the case, talk to your vet and a animal behaviorist.

That's a lab for you though, their notorious for chewing and trying to eat anything in sight! I won't even go into the things my lab has eaten over the past 12 1/2 years!

Answer 7

Labs chew like you wouldn't believe. I have marrow bones all over the place and every night before she goes to be or when we leave, i fill her KONG with treats. She needs another outlet for chewing.

Answer 8

I know when our lab used to chew things it was because she was bored. You might not be able to leave her unsupervised. And maybe take her to a store where she can pick out some of her own toys to chew on.

Answer 9

Try crating (putting her into a kennel) the dog after chews on something. You must associate the chewing berhavior with a negative reward. Also, if you keep the dog locked up all day then she is probably just bored and trying to get attention. when you get home from work/school take the dog out for a long walk or go for a jog. If she is tired then she will be less likely to act out for attention.

Answer 10

What I did for my 2 Lab puppies was rubbed tobasco sauce on things that were inappropriate for chewing. Only took one time of them trying before they learned. No problems since.