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1 year Chewing labrador I need help.
Hi my labrador baily is chewing things up.When were gone she eats things like shoes,tape,dog treat holders,shirts,pants,chairs,plants,gates. And its not because she is bord its like she is mad at us for leaveing her in the day. Can someone help me with this prob she is haveing.And she knows she did wrong because when we get home she hides from us.
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Member 1035344
on Jun 20th 2011
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"And its not because she is bord its like she is mad at us for leaveing her in the day."
It's a 1 year old Labrador who is alone all day. Please do not make this into a silly "revenge" thing. The dog sounds bored and under-exercised. She needs to be either crate-trained or baby gated into a safe room during the day. Your house also sounds like it might need some dog-proofing, if she is able to get to tape, clothes etc. And when you are home, she needs a lot of exercise...walks, swims, fetch, mental stimulation (at-home training or a good obedience class). This is a very high energy breed at its prime age of energy! She sounds like a typical bored Lab. Good luck.
Kolbe
answered on 6/20/11.
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From a 40 year veteran lab breeder, Kolbe is right on! She acts that way when you get home because she has been trained BY YOU, that you are going to complain to her when you get home about her ruining your stuff which you should not have left within her reach.
That said, I would NEVER leave a year old lab loose in my house. She would be safe and secure in her crate where she couldn't get into stuff that I left within her reach. Labs are high energy, active dogs and when left alone will find something to entertain themselves with. Of COURSE she is bored... she needs some outlet for that energy and when she's not getting it, she will find something to do on her own. She choses things to chew because they are within her reach, not to punish you.
I did not leave ANY of my labs out of their crates if I wasn't going to be home until they were about 10 years old!!!! Even then, if I left something like a pair of shoes where they could reach them, I could expect them to be chewed.
Toto, CD, RN, CGC
answered on 6/20/11.
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put everything up so she can't get it. it's a pain but you have to do it. i agree with the gate idea. a lot of people use them. i do not like the idea of crating a dog all day, that makes them restless. i am a pet sitter and have clients who keep dogs in crate all day because they tear things up. well, i'd tear things up too if i was locked up all day. i can't imagine keeping a dog in a crate all day.
one of my dogs was a chewer and your's. we now keep everything up, if we forget something, it's our fault. he is better now. he has toys and a puppy now to play with.
just try the gate idea. consider hiring a pet sitter to walk her every day if you can afford it. that's what we do. we are there for the pets when you can't be. another thing to try is leave the tv or radio on. everyone does it including me, it seems to help, i'm not sure why. lol
and i have a 6 month old lab puppy too:)
Member 1001898
answered on 6/20/11.
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Growing up I had a German Shepard who would chew on anything and everything, including the walls of the house!! What was most effective for my family then and what I still use today with my puppy is sour apple spray, I know you can't spray it on all of your things but as someone else mentioned if you block him off in a secure puppy proofed room while your away and use the spray on things like his bed, (so he doesn't destroy it - I went through four beds before I tried the spray for fear Henry wouldn't sleep in this bed but he still loves his bed but now it doesn't end up in pieces), also on corners of walls as the spray doesn't harm the paint, the doggie gate you use to block him off, anything that you don't want destroyed. Good luck...
Henry Wiggly Bottom Pohlman
answered on 6/20/11.
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Trust me, she's bored. Dogs are destructive when they're bored and/or when they're experiencing separation anxiety. They're like kids that way. The answer is to crate train her when you are gone and whenever you're not supervising her. She may hate it at first, but eventually she'll see her crate as her own little den, and she'll go there for comfort on her own. You owe it to your pet to keep her safe, so you really must restrict her access to things she could eat that may kill her, frankly put.
Also, LOTS of walks and runs and swims for Baily. Lots of playing and snuggles and toys and fetches and tugs. Praise her like crazy anytime you see her chewing something appropriate, like a Nylabone or her Kong. Prompt her with a NO! anytime you catch her chewing something inappropriate, then replace it with an acceptable chewy item. Praise her like crazy afterward. When you leave, toss her a Kong full of peanutbutter. Get her some puzzle toys. You want her tuckered out.
Best of luck!
Libby
answered on 6/21/11.
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Baily's only problem is owners who don't understand dogs. She is bored. She has no idea why you are mad, but she expects it and avoids you. Her behavior is normal. Labs are always chewers, and until age 3 are still goofy puppies.
Answer is simple as 1,2,3,4
1. CRATE
2. Exercise before you leave and when you get home. An hour in the morning. Leash walks are preferred as well as training. "Playing", like fetch isn't enough, retrieval work is better.
3. Real bones and other good chew toys.
4. Training. While you are home, constantly reward & praise her when she's entertaining herself, chewing her bones or just being calm.
Consider a dog walker in the middle of the day if you are gone 8 hours or more.
While people are home, they should constantly shaping her behavior with instructions from a professional trainer. Therapy dogs need more training on self-control than pets.
Pepper
answered on 6/21/11.
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