Why is she chewing?

Question

We have a 1 year old colker spanier/terrier mix, she has been a great dog up until now, she has suddenly started chewing everything bathtub stoppers, my jacket zipper, pencils, backpacks, you name it. She has plenty of toys and a cat that she drives CRAZY. Why is she suddenly doing this and how can we stop her. I don't want to kennel her as she spent the first 6 mos of her life in a kennel just large enough for her to stand up and lie down in (her previous owners had her there)

Answer 1

I had a dog that was a destructive chewer well after the puppy teething stage passed. My vet told me that many dogs will still have an urge to chew even after the puppy teeth are gone. The reason is that even tho the adult teeth are in, they are still shifting within the jaw line into proper place, thus creating an urge to chew. Some dogs can have this urge up until the age of 3 yrs old. Mine did. Once she was about 3, she no longer had this issue. I used a crate for her until she got beyond this phase. Not all dogs have this issue, but it is not uncommon.

Answer 2

Teething. Just being a puppy.
Anything my puppy can get ahold of he'll start chewing at it. He's 10 weeks old (around that). And he is a yellow lab.

What I do is put up all stuff that are too important for him to chew (like shoes, clothes, etc.) Put your backpack up and all that. Close any doors you don't want him in. I have 3 bedroom doors closed in my house. He only has access to the living room, den, kitchen, bathroom and hallway.

Get him a bone or any kind of chewable toy for him to chew on. I just got my puppy a bone a few days ago and he already chews on it when he needs to most of the time. So, it's good. When he goes to bite something (or you), just take his bone or toy and put it in his mouth. Then praise him.

Good luck.

A lot of people have told me that they'll grow out of it. As long as you don't praise him for biting.

Don't hit. A firm "NO!" should do the trick. My puppy has already started stopping dead in his tracks when I say no.

Answer 3

Could she be developing seperation anxiety or has something changed in the household that's causing her to be nervous?

I think the best thing in this situation is to redirect the dogs intention.

Perhaps get her one of those toys that hold treats. She will have to work at it to get them out, and this might deter her from chewing other things in your home. I would only give her this toy when you are leaving the house. By doing this, you are giving her something to look forward to when you leave. When you return, pick up the toy and put it away. Good luck.

Answer 4

All dogs go through this stage in their growing up years. Give her a old sock to chew on and an old shoe. When she goes for something else, scold her for it, and then she will learn. If she continues to disobey you, then she will have to go back into the kennel until she learns when she gets older.

colker spaner is correctly spelled as: Cocker Spaniel.

Answer 5

Wow, my dog is eight years old now ( he is a black lab ) and here are things that me and my mom did. I hope they help a little bit.


* Keep him in sight, on lead or confined in a crate or small room.

* Put away things he likes to chew.

* Keep doors closed to rooms you do not want him in.

* Work on his "Leave it" and "Out" commands.

* Teach him to work for a living -- perform a positive behavior in order to earn attention, food, treats, walks, and playtime. This will help establish you as leader and prompt him to pay attention to you.

* Give him more exercise.

* Stay CALM when you see him chewing. If need be, let him drag a leash around attached to a FLAT, nontightening collar WHEN YOU ARE HOME so you can easily get a hold of him to CALMLY remove the item if he chews on something.

* When possible, apply an anti-chew product at items he likes to gnaw on.

* Stuff a sterilized bone or small Kong toy with cheese or peanut butter. Kongs are excellent chew toys. For creative ways to use them, see http://www.kongcompany.com/how2use.html

* Rotate his toys to help keep him interested in them.

* If he is on puppy food, consider changing him to a good quality adult food.

Answer 6

My question to you is: WHEN does she chew? Does she do it when no one is home? Maybe she has SEPARATION ANXIETY. Does she do it when you are involved in something else but at home (visitting with a friend, a new baby, playing with another pet, working on the computer, etc)? Maybe she is ATTENTION SEEKING or JEALOUS. Has she been to the vet recently? Maybe she is TEETHING or has another DENTAL RELATED ISSUE your vet needs to address. many things can cause this behavior... finding out WHY she is chewing will enable you to get her to STOP chewing in the right way.

Answer 7

Try giving her raw hide chews and a Kong toy you can get these at the pet shop or walmart. some dogs like to chew.

Answer 8

This is why so many dogs end up in shelters. Their young dog changes behavior and instead of asking why-like you are doing, they surrender their dog to a shelter.
My advice is take your dog to a training class. You will learn about your dog's behavior, get help dealing with the problem and end up with a wonderful dog that will be a member of your family for years to come!

Answer 9

Training your dog will be a huge part of your interaction with him for the first few months. Learn here https://tr.im/BNwiW
This includes housetraining, leash training, obedience training, socialization, and problem solving. In addition to providing your dog with needed skills, this time will also be a great opportunity for you to bond with him. Take the time to really get to know your pet while training him and a loving relationship will easily develop.

Answer 10

She's just an aggressive chewer, but she could be bored or anxious. Make sure has had plenty of exercise , DAILY. also get her good chew toys and bones. this will help alleviate her chewing instincts.