Ask Experts Questions for FREE Help !
Ask
    amccarty's Avatar
    amccarty Posts: 1, Reputation: 1
    New Member
     
    #1

    Dec 2, 2005, 01:49 PM
    How long will my puppy chew?
    I have a daschound that is so cute but she chews on everything from puppy toys to furniture to TV wires. Shelby is only 9 months old. My fmaily has had enough and wants to find her another home. Please tell me she will grow out of it very soon. Thanks amccarty
    nymphetamine's Avatar
    nymphetamine Posts: 900, Reputation: 109
    Senior Member
     
    #2

    Dec 2, 2005, 01:58 PM
    It will not last very long but the thing is that for this to be true you will have to really train her not to chew. Dogs and puppies chew and tear things up all the time if they are not trained. You should teach her this is bad to chew on things or if you can take her to a dog trainer. They are very good.
    labman's Avatar
    labman Posts: 10,580, Reputation: 551
    Uber Member
     
    #3

    Dec 2, 2005, 05:07 PM
    My home has been infested by young labs for most of the last 15 years. I have a lot of friends that also have experience with chewing dogs. Some dogs settle down more quick than others, but I wouldn't count on her quitting soon. Nor would I waste money on a professional trainer. I doubt you could afford the quality of the ones advising me.

    You need to watch her carefully when you are around. Damaged possessions are the fault of whoever was watching the puppy. When you are watching it, immediately correct it as soon as it goes for anything except its own toys. In a quiet, but firm voice ''Bad dog, its name drop!''. Gently remove what ever and replace it with one of her toys, or if older, hold eye contact until the puppy drops it. Offer her one of her own toys. If she takes it and starts chewing it, praise her.

    A mousetrap is very effective in making a dog leave something alone. Most
    Dogs will stay away from anywhere they were surprised by a snap. The best
    Part is that it is not you that is correcting the dog. It works whether you
    Are around or not. The mousetrap is very patient and is always on task as
    Long as you reset it. You also buy Bitter Apple as a spray or cream and apply to things she chews. Works well on chair legs. Perhaps she isn't as bad about snatching things off the table or counter as the larger Labs.

    Better than mousetraps when you aren't around is the crate. Other dogs may
    Not be as bad as the young Labs I am plagued with. Still your house and dog
    Will be much safer with the dog in a crate when you are away. The dog may be
    Happier in its den than loose in the house. It relaxes, it feels safe in its
    Den. It rests, the body slows down reducing the need for water and relieving
    Its self. Dogs that have been crated all along do very well. Many of them
    Will rest in their crates even when the door is open. I think the plastic
    Ones give the dog more of a safe, enclosed den feeling. They are harder for
    Dogs to open too. Metal ones can be put in a corner or covered with
    Something the dog can't pull in and chew. Select a crate just big enough for the full grown dog to stretch out in.

    Leave it some toys. Perhaps a Kong filled with peanut butter. Don't leave
    Anything in the crate the dog might chew up. It will do fine without even any
    Bedding. You will come home to a safe dog and a house you can enjoy.

    A dog that has not been crated since it was little, make take some work.
    Start just putting its toys and treats in the crate. Praise it for going
    in. If you have been able to trust it with any bedding, put that in the crate.
    Feed it in the crate. This is also an easy way to maintain order at feeding
    Time for more than one dog.

    The "shut the puppy in a safe room" is a fallacy. Very few houses even have a
    Safe room. How many of us have a room with a hard surfaced floor and nothing
    Else? Most rooms have electrical cords to chew if nothing else. In addition
    To destroying anything a bored puppy finds to chew, it may choke or have
    Intestinal blockage from the pieces. I had a friend that left her dog in a
    "safe" room. It ate a hole in the floor covering. The safe rooms fail to
    Give the dog the comfort of the enclosed space their instinct requires. Nor
    Do they restrict activity extending the time the dog can go without relieving
    Itself.

    Some people with a poor understanding of dogs and limited experience claim crates are cruel. What is cruel is giving up on a dog like her and banishing it to outside, a shelter, or worse.
    fredg's Avatar
    fredg Posts: 4,926, Reputation: 674
    Ultra Member
     
    #4

    Dec 3, 2005, 05:51 AM
    Chewing
    Hi,
    The long answer by labman is very good; covers almost all bases. But, since she is 9 months old, still chewing, I doubt if she will stop anytime soon! It will take a whole lot of work, and someone being around most of the time to hopefully stop it. You might not have this kind of time, before your family makes their final decision to find a good home for her.

Not your question? Ask your question View similar questions

 

Check out some similar questions!

How long does it take? [ 2 Answers ]

I have been in the divorce process now for over 2 1/2 years. I feel let down by my attorney as he has allowed both my ex-wife and her attorney to complete pregnancies during this process. Even though I agreed to a settlement last July we are still no further ahead. Do I have a legitimate gripe...

When is a puppy not a puppy anymore? [ 3 Answers ]

Our Lhasa is now 10 months old. As a puppy we have had food available pretty much at all times, but maybe he's getting past that now, and for his weight should maybe only be fed about a cup to a cup and a half of his dog meal a day. We have been using Wysong, by the way, and it seems to have a...

Has it been too long? [ 2 Answers ]

I'm 19 years old and I dropped out of school in the 9th grade. I was currently 17 then because I was behind. How can I get all of it back by going back to school? Do you think it's too late?


View more questions Search