How to Stop my Dog from Chewing?

[candycandy]

His is a 1 year old lab - he has had many toys but that doesn't stop him chewing anything else he can find. It doesn't make any difference if he has been walked for hours a few times that day & the non-chew spray stuff doesn't work.
I have stopped buying him toys recently (even the ultra "strong" virtually "indestructable"ones (kongs ball of rope knots etc) as he destroys them totally, sometimes within the first 10 minutes & sometimes it takes him a couple of days. He has chewed his beds too so now at night when he is in the kitchen all he has is a blankets (which is ripped to shreads). He doesn't have any toys or even a bed anymore which I feel bad about but I can't keep giving him things to destroy within minutes!
I thought it used to be because he was teething & when his teeth had grown it would stop, but it hasn't.
Any advice please, I feel like I have tried everything.
Thanks.

 

[candycandy]

Nobody help me???????

 

[DoglessInSeattle]

Nobody help me???????

Sorry Candy, I don't even have a dog, but I have found that one of the best ways to promote a response on these boards is to post some obviously bad advice. So I searched the training forum and found this advice given to another poster with a chewing problem. However, it was given for a much younger puppy than yours, so it is obviously inappropriate for you.

chewing advice for yellowlabmom

Oh yeah, you'll probably have to wait until tomorrow morning, when the East Coasat wakes up, before people call me out for my bogus advice.

 

[Julie]

Labs and chewing go hand in hand. They are notorious for it.
Both of mine stopped chewing everything at about the 2 year mark.
You really can't get them to stop chewing.... only chew appropriate things.
And that can mean you will go thru alot of toys and pick up alot of stuffing.
Hang in there! It will get better...........maybe next year.

It really is normal and expected.

Your dog could be bored also....it could help to challenge his brain....teaching tricks, excersise, (a tired dog is a good dog).

Read that thread that DIS posted that might help too.

Good Luck!

 

[Herschel]

Herschel went through a huge chewing phase--he chewed on the legs of the couch, the corners of our walls, ripped out carpet, and either destroyed or scratched just about everything else he could touch.

Your dog is technically still a puppy so you need to start with the basics. Puppy proof your home! If you are unable to gate your dog into a specific place of keep him in a room where he is safe, then you should crate train him.

Puppy proof: http://www.cyberpet.com/dogs/articles/lexi/pupproof.htm
Crate Train: http://www.hsus.org/pets/pet_care/o...m/dog_behavior_tip_sheets/crate_training.html

After you either puppy proof or crate train, you need to give your dog something more constructive to do. You're on track to give him lots of exercise--his body needs it! But his mind also needs exercise:

-Have you tried stuffing a Kong with treats/peanut butter?
-Have you tried a Buster Cube? http://www.bustercube.com
-What about interactive toys? Squeaky toys? (If Herschel is feeling devilish, he can destroy a stuffed toy in 10 minutes--that's fine, better his toys than our couch)

Once your dog has something to keep his mind busy, you also need to curb his desire to chew. If you use a crate, you can give him a raw meaty bone (while supervised). http://www.petstyle.com/dog/health_well_article.aspx?id=432&section=Feeding amp Nutrition

If we're going to be gone for a few hours and Herschel is given free roam of the house, he gets a bully stick to keep him busy. http://www.redbarninc.com/c-11-bully-sticks.aspx

Hope that helps and good luck!

 

[vandynole]

Do bully sticks give your dog indeigestion? It seems like a lot to eat.

"Bully Sticks are 100% bull penises, Not a tendon, and not processed meat strips. Bully Sticks are dried, lightly smoked or natural flavor and delivered to your door."

Yikes!

 

[little liz]

Minnie loves to destroy all her toys too! and anything else that she can get her teeth into. Dino bones (the really big ones) slow her down a bit and keep her good for ages LOL. I am not an expert in any way at all but it seems like the advice everyone has come up with is pretty sound. The more you tire dogs out the less time, energy and inclination they have to get up to mischief ^__^