1 Year Old Chewing Evrything He Can

[cookierhys]

My 1 yr old medium cross breed chews everything he wants, i bring him inside during the night because it's getting cold and i wake up in the morning and he's chewed a slipper or a dish washing cloth or a plastic lid, i try to hide everything i think he will chew but he still finds something. i bought him a toy tennis ball on a rope kind-of-thing and gave it to him when he was outside and left him to play and 5 mins later i looked outside and he had it in pieces. Any suggestions?

[Nekhbet]

for inside get him a nice crate with bedding. If he cannot access he cannot chew

since you have a chewer you needs some better, hardier toys and treat balls. Feed him out of his toys, rotate them and exercise the dog as much as possible!

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[tlc]

Sounds like he may be bored? How much excersics and training do you with him?

[cookierhys]

Sounds like he may be bored? How much excersics and training do you with him?

I've only had him for a few weeks, so i haven't done much training with him. He has some basic obedience training and i've been training him too because he gets too easily distracted. I'm renting this house i'm at and the woman who owns it has her dogs here too and they all get along really well so whether he's outside or inside, he's never alone. i have been pretty busy lately with work so he hasn't gotten much walking and exercise time plus if i only take him out the other dogs bark and we don't want any noise complaints, but the backyard is fairly big and he's active and plays/chases the other dogs so he gets exercise. On my days off i usually train him a bit but sometimes i'm just too busy. He has a coat so he will be okay outside at night on the verandah with the other dogs and i was thinking of getting him one of those Kong toys that Staffy's always have! And if he comes inside i'll just have to chew proof the house first i guess. Does that sound good? Anyone else got any other suggestions i could use?

[dancinbcs]

Crate or puppy pen inside to prevent destruction and provide him with lots of things he can chew. Sturdy toys, bones, kongs, nylabones, beefhide chews, etc. Outside few large untreated wood chunks can be useful for serious chewers.

When he is out of the crate, under supervision, provide him with a toy box or basket full of toys he can chew. Praise lavishly every time he takes something from his toy basket and growl whenever he looks interested in chewing something he shouldn't. They soon catch on to what they are allowed to chew and what they aren't. If mine feel like chewing something they make a selection from their possesions, not mine.

Chewing is an individual trait. With all related dogs, I have had had some that hardly ever chew and others that chew everything they come in contact with. Having a doggy toy basket has saved my sanity with the last few chewers. I wish I had thought of it with my earlier dogs. It would have saved a lot of damage to my house and household items.

[cookierhys]

Crate or puppy pen inside to prevent destruction and provide him with lots of things he can chew. Sturdy toys, bones, kongs, nylabones, beefhide chews, etc. Outside few large untreated wood chunks can be useful for serious chewers.

When he is out of the crate, under supervision, provide him with a toy box or basket full of toys he can chew. Praise lavishly every time he takes something from his toy basket and growl whenever he looks interested in chewing something he shouldn't. They soon catch on to what they are allowed to chew and what they aren't. If mine feel like chewing something they make a selection from their possesions, not mine.

Chewing is an individual trait. With all related dogs, I have had had some that hardly ever chew and others that chew everything they come in contact with. Having a doggy toy basket has saved my sanity with the last few chewers. I wish I had thought of it with my earlier dogs. It would have saved a lot of damage to my house and household items.

Thank you for the tips, they sound pretty good actually.

Thanks everyone for your help!

Am off to get a bunch of hard to chew toys!!!

[Addicted to Dogs]

I'd highly recommend turning him into a Kongaholic. Check out http://www.dogstardaily.com/training/error...hewtoy-training for instructions - also check out the videos (professional and people's home videos) down the right hand side of the page to see how others are working with the approach.

Basically stop feeding him from a bowl. From now on his food comes from a few Kongs a day. Don't make them to hard to get food out of to start with and don't give in early and feed other ways.

Once addicted you don't always need to put food in them and you can go back to feeding all or some meals from a bowl.

Sounds like you have your hands full. Let us know how you both go.

[cookierhys]

Since my boy lives outside i had to get him a coat and he even chews it, so for the moment at night he is coatless, at least it hasnt been too cold during the nights, yet. is there anything i culd spray or put on his coat that tastes/smells bad so he wont chew it. tho i dnt want something too stinky because he will be sleeping in the coat and i dnt want him to be uncomfartable.

Anyone got anything for me?

[di_dee1]

I have chewers, the doggy toy box saves everything here, has kongs, pigs ears, rawhide bones, tennis balls, 2ltr juice containers, the cardboard rolls on used gladwrap. It also pays to keep your stuff out of reach. Mine are in their pen at night though.

Edited April 18, 2010 by di_dee1

[Jennt]

My husband laughs and says that our dog has more toys than the kids did when they were little - he's probably right! Charlie is an inside dog most of the time - we live in a snake area and I'm not willing to leave him outside all day when we're at work. He has soft toys, rubber toys, food puzzle toys, toilet rolls, paper towel rolls (both empty). His favourite toys are the soft squeaky ones.

So my advice would be to buy dog toys - buy one a week (maybe 2 a week to start with). Keep buying them every week until you think you can't fit any more toys in your house - then you should be OK... ;-)

NOTE: As I was typing this he was on the couch behind me playing happily (and chewing) on his soft koala and his soft giant flea... looks like he's got his sheep ready to join the game at the other end of the couch.

Edited April 18, 2010 by Jennt

[MavericksMission]

Maverick is a chewer.

He is getting better finally now, he is 15 months old.

I fill up a treat ball or puzzle cube in the morning for his breakfast. Sometimes I give him a kong with some cream cheese and a chicken neck.

Bones are also good distraction!

I either completely dog proof our kitchen/dining area or crate him.

Also since I got him a friend, He is more distracted playing with him and not chewing

I do agree with Jennt, lots of toys! But rotate them so he gets different games each day.

I also take Maverick for long walks, runs & play dates daily.

Good luck with everything!!

[Mike.Lambert]

Maverick is a chewer.

He is getting better finally now, he is 15 months old.

I fill up a treat ball or puzzle cube in the morning for his breakfast. Sometimes I give him a kong with some cream cheese and a chicken neck.

Bones are also good distraction!

I either completely dog proof our kitchen/dining area or crate him.

Also since I got him a friend, He is more distracted playing with him and not chewing

I do agree with Jennt, lots of toys! But rotate them so he gets different games each day.

I also take Maverick for long walks, runs & play dates daily.

Good luck with everything!!

Just curious, what do you use to proof your puppy from certain areas in house?

[poodlefan]

Just curious, what do you use to proof your puppy from certain areas in house?

Doors!

If I don't want Howard to get something, he's kept on the other side of a door from it.

[persephone]

I would also suggest the only way to stop him is to confine him to a space (room/pen/crate) with ONLY his toys in . Then he cannot get to the human goodies

[cookierhys]

A friend of mine suggested i use Bitter Ex, i think its called. its the stuff people put on their fingernails to stop chewing them.. Will that work? it wont harm him and it doesnt smell bad apparently, just tastes bad!!!

[MavericksMission]

We have baby gates, between the kitchen/dining and the living area.

It is all tiled and everything on the surfaces just go away when they come inside.