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I have a 5 month of German Shepherd named Apollo. He is usually a wonderful puppy, very calm (for a puppy anyway lol), listens, very very smart and catches onto things very quickly which makes training him a breeze!
Other then 1 thing, he eats everything in sight! I don’t mean chewing on things and spitting them out, he actually swallows whatever he has picked up as soon as my boyfriend or I go to take it out of his mouth. A firm "No" does not work, we have tried that over and over, without result. He knows "leave it" and will leave treats on the floor until I say he can have it, and he knows "drop it" for the most part. I just don’t know what to do as this is potentially hazardous to his health! I've tried everything suggested that I’ve found on the internet and i watch him all the time but he still manages to pick up something and eat it...
Does anyone have an idea what I can do for him? Or is this just puppy thing that he will grow out of in time?
Yes it is quite hazardous. You need to combine close supervision with crating him when you can't watch him.
It is only natural that a puppy resists its crate at first. What the puppy wants more than anything else is to be others, you, anyone else in the household, and any other pets. In our modern society, even if we are home, other things distract us from the attention an uncrated puppy must have. The only real solution is to crate the dog when you aren't around. The dog may be happier in its den than loose in the house. It relaxes, it feels safe in its den. It rests, the body slows down reducing the need for water and relieving its self. Dogs that have been crated all along do very well. Many of them will rest in their crates even when the door is open. I think the plastic ones give the dog more of a safe, enclosed den feeling. Metal ones can be put in a corner or covered with something the dog can't pull in and chew. Select a crate just big enough for the full grown dog to stretch out in.
Leave it some toys. Perhaps a Kong filled with peanut butter. Don't leave anything in the crate the dog might chew up. It will do fine without even any bedding. You will come home to a safe dog and a house you can enjoy.
A dog that has not been crated since it was little, may take some work. Start out just putting its toys and treats in the crate. Praise it for going in. Feed it in the crate. This is also an easy way to maintain order at feeding time for more than one dog.
He sounds like a little rascal!
To me, the simple solution would be to clean things up! Puppy proof your house.
I know, I HATE cleaning, but I'll do it for my dog. It should be so clean he has nothing left to eat. If he eats table legs, you can try bitter apple spray, but be warned, some dogs LIKE it! However, this may not be just a puppy problem. How much exercise does he get? It could be a result of not enough stimulation or exercise. It's great that he catches on so fast!
Pick up a copy of "The Power of Positive Dog Training" by Pat Miller. It covers almost everything and how to deal with it. Reward him when he doesn't have anything in his mouth. Make him think that having nothing in his mouth is more rewarding then having something in it. A good trick would be "Go to your mat" so that you can have him go to his "place" or "mat" instead of chewing on the couch or a table leg. Paw Mail me! I might not reply until next week though, I'm out a lot!
Good Luck! ~ Rosie
Is this a new behavior? Is he teething? Maybe try cleaning everything up, including the yard and giving him some tough chew toys like a Kong full of peanut butter. You could also try raw meaty bones to help him work on his teeth. (Check out the raw forum if interested in this to learn what bones are safe)
it is kind of a puppy thing to do that he could grow out of. But i think i would rather be safe then sorry. Puppies are just like human babies and you have to baby proof your house. keep everything picked up or put away where they cant get it. it sounds like you have a good start on training , just keep that up. And just keep in mind, is hemay be picking up everything for the attention even though it may be negative attention. Keep your eye on the puppy and good luck.
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