Dog chewing...driving Me Crazy!! Aren't They Supposed to STOP at Some Point??

I have a black lab/austrailian cattle dog mix. We got her when she was 3months old. She loves to chew!!! We go through bones and chew sticks like crazy with her. The more attention she gets the better the chewing. If she gets adequate attention the bones and chew stick are treats not busy items. What we did to help at first was keep all the doors in the house closed when we were not at home. This told her it was off limits and there was nothing in that room for her, but she still had free run of the house. (I never liked the crate thing). When we were at home we opened the doors and just worked with her and it was fine. Labs are very energetic and need LOTS of excercise....Lily is now 3 1/2 and you don't see much of a difference, she is still very much a puppy and always wanting to play and go bye, bye...lol Just remember labs are very smart and easily trained.

It's NOT boredom, it's anxiety. My six-year-old Boston Terrier has it too. A vet has suggested putting her on prozac but I'm not willing, I just manage her anxiety. She has always chewed excessively and has never stopped- we have to keep a stock of chewies and chew toys on hand. She has worn her teeth down significantly. Do NOT feel bad about crating! You are doing your dog a service by crating him. He feels safer, more secure in his crate, especially when you are gone, because separation anxiety can be very debilitating for dogs. I also give her a full body massage sometimes, seems to help her relax. She needs lots of reassurance and love, and exercise.

Don't feel bad about crating. Most dogs like it and it is saving both of you. You aren't having to constantly replace things and he isn't having surgery to get a foreign body removed or hurting himself in another way. As long as the crate is big enough I wouldn't worry. I have a seven year old lab, who isn't a chewer, but is kenneled 95% of the time we are gone. She puts herself in when we get ready to go.

Keep giving him things he can chew if he does it in front of you. For kongs try filling with something yummy and freezing, peanut butter with cookies or dry food works well. It can take some a long time to out grow chewing and it can depend on why they are chewing.

Good luck on ending the chewing.

Labs chew. We had a 12 yo who still chewed anything he got his mouth on. It got to the point where I would see Legos' in the living room and say Hey come clean up this dog food, the kids knew it was their toys the dog had just tried to devour.

When you can't be near him to correct him crate him.
Give him LOTS of exercise. .
Get all sorts of chewie toys for him
Try Bitter Apple, my cats hate it, my Beagle could care less though.
Get the Kong and put peanut butter or treats in it.

Sorry, I just reread, he doesn't like Kongs so no Kongs for him. :o)

Exercise, exercise, EXERCISE! Labs are chewers and they can be high energy depending on the breeding. He's probably chewing because he's bored and has an overabundance of energy. So, here are a few things you can do: get a Chuck-it (http://www.amazon.com/Chuckit-Ball-Launcher-Colors-Vary/d...) and take him out to a park or field and let him fetch until he's totally exhausted, get a Walky Dog:( http://www.amazon.com/Walky-Hands-Free-Bicycle-Leash/dp/B...) and attach him to your bike and run that puppy until he's tired. Get him on a leash and rollerblade with him, go running with him. The first two options will be the easiest on you though and they are inexpensive. I don't think you can find the Walky Dog at Petco, but you can find the Chuck-it just about anywhere. You can also take him swimming at a local dog park.

We have a high-energy Golden Retriever and these are things that have worked for us. The Walky Dog is amazing as long as you are heavy enough on your bike that he can't pull you over. When our Golden was your dog's age, I used to clip him to the Walky Dog on my bike (he's 75 lbs, I'm 115) and he used to pull me for about a mile before he got tired. I wouldn't have to pedal once and he only pulled me off my bike once in the years that we did that. (and it was my fault that happened, so no fear. :))

Make sure you deplete your little guy of energy before you leave him for any stretch at the house alone. We also got a very heavy duty metal gate that he could not chew through to block him off from our living areas while we were gone. Those plastic and wood gates are worthless when you have a chewer who is motivated. We found our gate at Babies R Us and I think it was a Safety First gate. It was wide and tall and had only vertical bars so he couldn't climb it.

Hope this helps!

Hilary

P.S. Crating is fine. They're den animals, so they're quite comfortable in a crate. I just never liked leaving my dog in a crate for more than about 6 or 7 hours at a time. Just seems cruel.

Oh my, have you ever read Marley and Me? Yours sounds just like Marley! Labs are known for staying in the "puppy" stage longer than most dogs. Here's what I suggest: If you go to like a Pet Smart ask one of the workers there for a "sturdy" chew toy. Tell them you are having issues and see what toy they recommend. Then if you catch him chewing on something he isn't, take it away with a firm No, and then give him the toy he is supposed to chew on. That worked pretty well for my dog, who not only chewed on everything in sight, also created a very large hole in the carpet, and chewed right to the concrete!

I have a dog who is a little over a year and still chews. And....he just figured out how to bust out of his crate! LOL - luckily he does not chew big ticket items (furniture, etc) but ... he will go to town on shoes, toys, etc anything little in his reach (he is a 70lb golden ret mix) ... I moved the crate to the living room (i have another dog 4yrs old that is not crated) and I shut all the bedroom doors. Made sure nothing is on the floor or within his reach. He's been good this week. He doesn't chew anything when I'm home, even at night when I'm sleeping he's good. Only when I leave the house. I'm hoping they eventually will just grow out of it.

you said that you walk and play with him, but maybe not enough? I am not suggesting that you don't put in enough effort, but perhaps he needs more than normal? In most cases of chewing after 2 years old its from boredom or lack of attention. If you cannot give him as much as he needs (again maybe he is just needier than other dogs), you might consider finding a new family for him with a huge fenced yard or something so he can thrive.

I hate to even suggest that because our dog is part of our family and I am not trying to be cruel in my suggestion, but perhaps that would be best for him?

he's bored get him some of the major undestructable chews. like the dog tire (big one) there are toys made out of recycled fire hoses that are pretty steardy. also the kong toys that you fill with peanut butter is good also. keep him sequestered to one room at night like the bathroom and give him water and toys he will be fine. I have a 4yo bullmastiff that will take a nip on my dd toys if I dont get them all cleaned up. I have made my own chew toys also with old socks I will pul the socks one over the other up my arm until I have to take out my hand, then I will continue to add to ituntil it get so thick that its difficult to put the socks over it. Gaby will walk around with it in her mouth then lay down and almost suck on it like a paci. she loves old socks. plus they have our scent. gl