We adopted a dog from Operation Kindness in June and have had her ever since. She is mostly a good dog, but lately, the past month she has gotten horribly rowdy and destructive, she is only 11 months old, i know she is still in the puppy phase, but we are bordering on ridiculous at this point!
She has been eating everyone's shoes, socks, legos, marbles, plastic toys, everything! I have bought her a ton of doggie toys - plastic toys, "tough" toys - she can rip a hole in them and start eating the plastic or stuffing in 5 minutes flat! I cannot keep spending $10 a day on toys for her to chew on! When she starts chewing on something she isn't supposed to, I give her one of her toys, to teach her that is what she is supposed to chew on. I give her toys and rawhides, we keep trying to teach her but she is not getting it and I am at my wits end!
I am sure some will suggest to keep the kids toys away from the dog, I have 4 children ages 12, 10, 6, and 4 -- they have toys and I cannot expect my children to not play with toys because the dog is eating them. Even when they keep their toys in their room, the dog will go in their room to get them. So no, I cannot keep the dog away from the toys without keeping the kids in their rooms all day with the doors closed, and that is not the kind of home we have.
What can I do to help her learn what she can and cannot chew on -- and anyone know where I can buy some heavy duty toys that will actually last more than 5 minutes?!?!?!?!
take her for long walks... doggie parks with a fence to let her play freely. purchase doggie toys at garage sales/resale shops... there's doggie obedience schools in the plano rec center schedule booklet. good luck.
I just breezed through your responses and I agree with a lot of what I read. My first thought when I saw your post was - Ceasar would say WALK that dog! He needs an outlet for his energy and then he would hopefully settle down for you and therefore be responsive to what he can and cannot chew/eat. Maybe while "in training" you could put some baby gates up on your kiddos rooms, they make one's that open and swing shut (so they are not having to crawl over). Or, you could contain the dog - baby gate him into the kitchen or laundry or depending on size place him in a playpen and like someone else suggested... take him out for "play time" when he can be watched. Hang in there,,, it's an adjustment for all and he should come around with training and patience! Thank you for giving a dog a home!Happy Holidays!
S., first thank you SO much for adopting your dog and not just giving up on her right away. Your puppy is bored and needs daily exercise (lots of it) and focused attention. With your kids being the ages they are it would be great if you all could fit daily family/dog walks into your schedule. Do your older kids bicycle? Having the dog on a leash running along side the bike is also a great way to exercise your dog. Own a treadmill? This can also be a great way to ensure your dog gets enough exercise. Please do check out Cesar Milan's books/DVDs/show as another reviewer mentioned, this will help you out immensely. If you crate your dog and let out when you and/or your kids have the time to watch what the dog is doing/chewing that will go a long way toward ensuring inappropriate items aren't destroyed. I am NOT recommending to keep the dog caged all the time, ONLY when you cannot watch her. Dogs are sort of like kids in that they need help, attention and consistency to learn appropriate behaviors There are some toys that are so indestructible that they have given them to big cats (tigers, etc.) in zoos to chew on. I bought several for my granddaughter's dog and don't remember the name now but will try to find it for you. While they looked a little worse for wear after several months they were/are still intact. Best of luck to you!!
I was going to recommend the Kong dog toy also. My 70 pound lab-mix dog is still a heavy chewer at 8 yrs old and this is the only toy she has never been able to destroy. She has also been trained to "leave it", but of course that only works if we are right there with her. We had to use baby gates & also crate trained her to keep her out of rooms where our children play as she would destroy anything left on the ground. She usually no longer does this in the house, but will chew up anything they leave out in the backyard, and my kids are only 9, 4, & 3 now. As a puppy, she chewed the siding off of our garage and chewed up a red-tipped photinia bush so much that it died, not to mention all the toys and things inside the house!I wish you the very best of luck with your rowdy dog!
You will likely go out and get the Kong toy based on suggestions, but listen carefully to what Shari said. It is Christmas. Crazy schedules often leave the family pet at the bottom of the priority list. Even if you are maintaining a walking, grooming, playtime schedule with your dog all the added craziness is enough to stress out most any pet. Just like kids it isn't about the money you spend with them - it's about time.
And when you check with Operation Kindness find out if there is a pain reliever you can give -- if it is time for adult teeth to cut through then all of this could get better if the pain stops.
Maybe giving her some things that she can destroy to satisfy the urge. My dog loves all empty food containers like milk cartons, pizza boxes, etc and will amuse herself shredding these. And maybe training on "leave it" so she'll learn to drop what she's not supposed to have.
Most importantly, always keep the dog toys in one place so that when it's playtime she can find the right thing.
You did not state the breed of dog and that 'can' have something to do with it.....call Operation Kindness and ask for help. I have been involved in rescue for years and we always talk with folks that might have issues. I have baby gates up in my house to keep the herd/furbabies out of where I don't want them.....furchildren are like all other children in many ways - they need attention, love, security......are the things getting chewed on when the dog is left alone? wants to go outside? are the things special in someway?
Best of luck with your newest family member! S.....just saw it was you...write me the details....
My heavy chewing lab also liked the kong football which you stuff with treats, and the Buddy Ball a hard/soft rubber ball, she never chewed through it. Tennis balls are great, but DO NOT buy the ones at the petstore, those can be chewed right through. You want the kind that tennis players use, Wilson's are great. Get a Chuck-It, ball throwing device. You never have to pick up the sloppy wet nasty ball with your hands, or even bend over, and you can throw the ball really far, then your pup will get a lot of that excess energy out, plus the kids will have a great time playing with him. American Kennel club soft toys are great for shredding, they are tough, as are Fat Cat soft toys. My dog loves to tear them up as a special treat, and it usually takes her a few days. I agree with the mom who suggested watching Cesar the Dog Whisperer. He is amazing, and a few tips may be all you need. Lastly, our lab would always search out a prized possession of my child's if she thought she wasn't getting enough attention, and she was usually right. I think your rowdy dog will improve with time and lots of love and outdoor playtime. Thanks for not giving up on your rescue!! Good luck. I hope this helps!!
my recommendation for toys is get to a big Kong brand toy that is for a dog one size up than she is. Fill it to the brim with PB and put her in her kennel for some chew and chill time. Try getting as much energy out of her as possible (walks, play time, etc.)...chewing and licking a kong can take a lot out of them if they actually do it...hence putting her in the kennel for that time.
I have gotten them at Pet's mart and target many times. My recommendation would be to stop by Man's Best Friend (close to operation kindness) and ask them the best toys for your heavy chewer dog. Nyla (sp?) bones work well, also. The chewing should get better once you find the appropriate balance of exercise and rest.
Cesar Milan form the dog whisperer has great tips on how to exercise your dog. Hope this helps!
