Doggy Problem....?

Question

My dog (Lab Mix) won't stop chewing on things. He will chew on anything that he can get to,Help!!! I don't want to get rid of him!

Answer 1

You didn't say how old he is, but I can tell you for certain that very few people on this forum actually know what they are talking about. Very few of the people here actually have any professional training at all and frankly, I think they do more harm than good. Even the person who is going to be a vet tech has a lot to learn. I'm sure that will get me a lot of thumbs down too. People hate the truth.

Anyway, you need to be trained on how to train your dog, until then, you will not understand dog behavior and how to get what you want from your dog the CORRECT way.

When you catch your puppy chewing on something inappropriate, you should re-direct his attention to a toy that is his. When he gives up the illegal chew-item, praise him profusely, and give him the appropriate chew-toy.

Teething puppies need to chew, and this usually means on anything they can reach. If he gets one of your shoes, that's your fault, not his.

A spray that works well, and is sold in pet stores is called Bitter Apple. Most dogs and puppies don't like the taste, so they will not chew what has been sprayed. It does not harm the finish on wood furniture, and it does not have a strong smell.

Go to Petsmart and get into a class. You will always be very happy you did.

Answer 2

is he teething or is it lack of exercise and therefore boredom? walk him and exercise him more often and see if it makes a difference. do some training with him too, he might just need more mental stimulation, but do it after you burn off the excess energy. if he's a teething puppy, give him toys he can chew. when he's chewing on something he's not supposed to say 'no' and give him the appropriate toy, praise a little so he knows he can chew on that. you don't have to give him up, you just have to work hard to find the source of the stress/frustration that manifests itself by chewing. I'm willing to bet it's lack of exercise because labs have sooo much energy. Good Luck, figure it out. show him as much loyalty as he gives you and don't give up on him.

Answer 3

Honestly, I bought a chihuhua/pit bull mix, and a regular chihuahua, and they want to chew on EVERYTHING! They chewed up 3 of my favorite pairs of shoes... So I went out and bought them about $70 of dog toys/treats... (tennis balls, suffed animals, chew toys) now, they don't even want to touch anything of mine... I give them 2 treats a day, one in the morning and one at night, and for the rest of the day they are so entertained with all of thier other toys, they don't bother with my things.. and if I do catch them chewing on something of mine, I put them in thier cage and show them whatever they chewed on and say no, and keep them in there for like 10 minutes (so they realize, if i chew on this, i'll get put in the cage)

Answer 4

My dog did that for a long time, and every now and then she will do that if shes alone and nobody is paying attention to her. But it really depends on the age of the dog. My dog outgrew it as she got older. I suggest buying chewtoys and letting your dog know whos boss, and when he does something wrong he needs to know.

Answer 5

Get him chew toys and rawhide rolls to chew. They are cheaper than furniture and keeps dogs occupied and their teeth clean.

Answer 6

theres this stuff you can get at petsmart called bitter apple... its like a spray that you use on stuff that you don't want the dog to chew and when they taste it they stay away... trust me it works!

heres the link: http://www.petsmart.com/global/product_detail.jsp?PRODUCT%3C%3Eprd_id=845524441775320&FOLDER%3C%3Efolder_id=2534374302033167&ASSORTMENT%3C%3East_id=2534374302023689&bmUID=1186122680946&itemNo=0&In=Dog&N=2033167&Ne=2

Answer 7

he might be teething, give him ice cudes, and good things to chew on(dog bones, rubber toys, ect) get sour spray spary wat he eats, say bad boy, and give him a bone or a toy, be calm and assertive!

Answer 8

hey all u have to do is yell at him when he does it or yank his/her collar
im not meaning animal cruelty by this at all
they just have to know who the boss is
buy some chewtoys

Answer 9

Chewing is a common complaint among those with dogs younger than one year old ..... and sometimes older !

Part investigation, part teething and 100-percent fun, chewing is a rewarding activity for dogs; and rewarding activities are likely to be repeated.

But with a combination of training and chewing-management methods, dog guardians can keep their homes intact and their dogs in their homes.


Dogs are apt to chew for several reasons.

First, they are curious creatures who lack opposable thumbs. Hence, they cannot pick up most objects with their paws for closer scrutiny. Instead, they examine them with their mouths.

Second, from four to eight months of age, they will shed all their deciduous (puppy) teeth and grow a new set of permanent teeth. Chewing assuages the discomfort that accompanies teething.

Third, chewing expends energy and gives a bored pup something to do. Older puppies and young adolescents are bursting with energy. If not properly exercised, they may expend that energy gnawing on your family heirlooms.

Fourth, dogs suffering from separation anxiety often chew objects embedded with their owners’ scents to help relieve the stress of being left alone.

Finally, some dogs were purposefully bred to use their mouths. Retriever owners are the group most likely to complain about excessive mouthing and chewing by their pups.



Take the Bite Out of Teething -
It is possible to get through this difficult stage without major losses. The first step is to create a safe haven for your puppy. A sturdy dog crate (please not a cheap one) or a molded plastic Veri-kennel is almost a requirement if you own a pet.

Check the structure. I've heard of several stories of pups actually bending the wires at the door, sticking their head or leg in, and becoming trapped in the tight door. Yes, I know of a couple of pups that died from choking. It's why I said no cheap, flimsy crates.

The other thing you can do is carefully dog-proofed an area. However, I will tell you, I've seen dogs tear up linoleum floors, carpet, the molding of the baseboard, and chew on the flat wall!

I could never do without my wire crates or Veri-kennels.

When dog-proofing an area, get down at puppy eye-level to scope out potential problems. Electrical wires, drapery cords, and curling wallpaper corners will jump out at you from this vantage point. When you cannot supervise your puppy, place her in her safe haven with an approved yummy chew toy, like a rubber Kong™ toy stuffed with kibble in a bit of cream cheese.

I hate using potty pads or newspapers for a potty place, but sometimes it can't be helped. I bought a large molded crate for my new pup and put her bed in the back and heavy newspaper in the front. I put in a small piece of paper with her urine on it on the clean paper. Water dish was wired in on both sides --- this pup liked to try to climb in the bucket! so she'd end up without water for several hours. A deep bucket, therefore, is not a good idea for a small pup like a happy, bouncy chihuahua who could climb in the bucket and drown. *Never say never, accidents happen.*

TOYS !
Invest in a variety of chew toys appropriate to the size and chewing preferences of your dog. As the dog’s guardian, being able to select desirable yet safe chew toys falls on you. If you go to a pet store, remember, they may have a lot of knowledge, but they want to sell items. Or they have a small dog who can't tear off and swallow that chunk of cow hoof like your larger dog can.

Items such as beef-marrow bones, rawhide, chew hooves and pigs’ ears all have their pros and cons. The first few times you offer such items to your dog, watch closely to make sure they’re suitable for her. Don't leave the house without taking it away unless you are 110% sure it is safe. I love those hard compressed chews that help clean teeth - you know it will break down to smaller bits.

Throw away any sharp splinters or small, sticky remains. Alternate the chewies to keep her interest high, and save the most desirable of them for crate time or when the puppy is left alone.

Check to see if it came from China, Thailand, Brazil etc..... if it does, I would think twice. If it says "wash your hands" after handling the chew treat........ why would you give that to your dog?


Praise Good Behaviors
The only way a dog can learn which items are okay to chew and which ones are forbidden is by getting well-timed feedback from her humans. When she eyes or chews a table leg, give a verbal warning such as “no!” or “ank-ank!” slap the object with your four fingers so it makes a popping noise, saying "no, no, no !" and then draw her attention to an acceptable toy.

When you catch your dog chewing on an approved object, don’t forget to praise her, play with her by teasing with the toy so she'll grab and play back for a few seconds; then release the chew or toy. This will tell her to carry on.

Remember that rewarded behavior is more likely to be repeated. If the table leg or rug fringe remains your dog’s favorite chew toy, diminish its desirability by coating it with a commercial anti-chew cream (for wood) or spray. However, it is best to simply NEVER put your dog in that room (put up baby gate, slide a solid barrier, or install a French bottom door with protective sheet metal on the bottom - those brass kick plates look good.


Children and dogs:
It’s also important to keep in mind that a young dog does not need access to the entire house.

If you have children who are messy with their toys or a spouse who can’t seem to locate the dirty laundry bin, keep the dog out of those rooms by closing bedroom doors or installing pet gates during the dog’s chewing phase.

Keep the dog in the same room you are in in order to watch her. If housebreaking, watch closely for sniffing, running short spurts back and forth with a raised tail, the dog may come to you. I teach my dogs the words " pee-pee?" or "go potty?" Whether or not the pup needs to "Go potty" take the pup outside. Dogs are a whole lot faster in learning toilet training than a toddler, so you will be learning patience ! Oh - there are diapers for dogs if you are afraid of a mistake --- but do not rely on them !!!! you'll never get the dog housebroken.

Through a combination of management and training methods, assisted by the natural aging process, it won't take long to housebreak and prevent chewing.

Until then, make use of your dog’s safe haven with water and a safe treat when you aren’t there to supervise, and you’ll no longer fear what awaits you when you walk through the front door.

The *Magic Words * are:

'consistent' type of correction and
'persistent" sorry, but you don't get a break - you have to keep at it !

Answer 10

Then train him moron. crate him when he can not be watched.

how often do you excersise him?