Chair Outdoor Cushion
My dog chews on everything.?
My 1 year old German Shepherd/Alaskan Malamute mix chews on everything. We have only had her since she was 11 months old, but when we first got her, we never had problems with her chewing on anything. Then one day, we came home and she had chewed up our chair’s cushion.
She is getting worse. We have bought her rawhides and even a hard rubber chew toy. The rawhides she rarely chews on and the hard rubber chew toy, she ate half of it. She has already eaten a sock which resulted in her throwing it back up luckily.
No matter where we put her, she always finds something to get her mouth on. Her outdoor kennel, she found some old cables that were burried underground and chewed them up.
This is really getting out of hand and I need some ideas quickly. Beating her is obviously not the answer. My husband and I are running out of ideas.
Btw, she is 80lbs and has been spayed. I work at a vet clinic, so health reasons are not the issue.
Here is my answer, it is long but it will help.
By giving your puppy objects that resemble items you do not want them to chew on, you will be encouraging this behavior that much more.
Young puppies will chew on whatever they can get their mouths on for mulitiple reasons-
*They are bored and want to play.
Without you there, life for your dog just isn’t too entertaining. So they make do with your stuff, and you aren’t there to correct them. A dog does not differentiate between a remote control and a chew toy. Both are chew toys to them. What they do know is that you react in an unpleasant manner when it’s the remote control and remain calm when they goes for the chew toy. So, naturally, they’ll wait until you’re gone before tasting the forbidden fruit!
*They have a lot of energy and it needs to go somewhere!
Exercise is very important for all dogs. Certain breeds need more than others depending on the characteristics of that breed. Take time to exercise your dog frequently. Use this as quality time between the two of you. Have family members share in the responsibility. Others have used this as their exercise time as well, and have steady walking routines with their dogs as a personal weight management tool.
*They are teething and are relieving the pressure.
Not unlike their wild dog family, domestic dogs are first nourished from their mothers in the form of milk, and sucking at this stage has two advantages. One, a lack of teeth makes it easier for the pup to create the vacuum needed to get milk from the mother. Two, toothless gums pose less of a threat to delicate nipples, a real plus because infected nipples can lead to infected milk glands (mastitis) and undermine the health of both the mother and the pup.
As the baby puppy teeth grow in and mature, they make the gradual transition from milk to solid food and experience the behavioral changes that go with that. Instead of sucking, they pick things up and carry them around, chew on their mothers’ ears and tails, jump on their littermates and grab them by the neck. Mastering these gentler mouthy behaviors later enables adult animals to carry objects (including their own pups), play, and mate without harming the objects of their attention.
*They are just curious and exploring.
Puppies will learn through their mouths. as this is their tool for receiving information about the world around them. They explore by taste and texture. In addition, a puppy may chew around teething time. By nature they are inclined to use their mouths whenever they can. With proper owner guidance, though, many dogs learn to use chewing not only to relieve stress, but also just to enjoy themselves, the same way we humans might sip a relaxing cup of coffee. Certain breeds seem predisposed to chewing (Labrador retrievers, for instance)
When your dog leisurely chews with that faraway look in their eyes, could the activity evoke ancient memories of the wild dog gnawing on a choice morsel with their pack mates? Or could the chewing remind them of the times they chewed the mother’s tail after nursing? Better yet, could they be pondering how much fun they had playing fetch with the owner that morning?
*They are experiencing Separation Anxiety.
Each day when you come home, you make a mental record of the destruction…today they chewed the remote control into a gnarled piece of plastic, and there’s a bite out of your slippers. And the list just keeps getting longer and longer. Why is your normally happy and obedient dog pulling this Jekyll-and-Hyde routine?
Separation anxiety is another serious cause behind chewing. Highly dependant dogs may feel abandoned when their owners are away, and may chew when alone to relieve anxiety and stress. Chew marks near doors indicate “barrier frustration,” in which the dog is trying to break through the barrier to find his way to you. Dogs that chew as a result of separation anxiety often show other signs of this condition. They may follow you from room to room, shadowing you excessively. greet you in an over-exuberant way when you return after being gone, and sometimes vocalize, or will nonstop howl, bark, chew destructively, and may even urinate or defecate when separated from you. Some dogs with separation anxiety panic when they are unable to follow their owners around from room to room. If you suspect separation anxiety to be the cause of your dog’s problem, contact your local veterinarian. You may need to institute an independence program to modify the behavior.
Before you leave, try adding your scent into your dog’s toys. Rub the bone or toys between your hands and give it to your pup as you are leaving. Be sure and exercise your puppy to help relieve boredom and burn off energy – two factors that lead to destructive chewing. Make your exit of low importance key to help avoid separation anxiety.
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