puppy chewing help needed

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spike123

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I have recently taken on a 7month old labx puppy. He was rescued by one of my sons friends from a home where he was kept locked in one room and regularly kicked and beaten so is somewhat insecure.Unfortunately he was unable to keep him as he didn't have a garden so it would have been unfair on the dog.We have only had him for 2 1/2 weeks so far but he has already managed to demolish 5 pairs of shoes.The lad who rescued him gave him an old shoe to chew on and we have given him loads of chewy toys to play with, loads of exercise and plenty to eat but despite hiding shoes away from him he will seek them out to chew on. He does this at night when we are all in bed and it is becoming an expensive habit. Does anyone have any ideas how else we can put a stop to it.
 
Aha!! Your puppy has the typical labrador shoe carrying fetish!!:) I am afraid I can't be to much help as Max - nearly 2 - and all our other labradors have carried shoes around for their entire lives!!:eek: However the chewing is most annoying. The destruction/chewing is a sign of boredom - how much excercise does he get?:confused: and is some of it off the lead to burn his excess energy off?:confused: The other thing to do is to give him a big fresh bone every week - leave him out in the garden (Max happily stays out in rain, wind etc to chew a bone). Get a treat - so every time he picks up a shoes he 'Leaves' for a treat instead. Instead of a walk teach him sit, down, stay, fetch etc etc anything that wears him and his brain out will help. :)

When I first got Max he chewed a few pairs of shoes - since instigating some of the above he still carries them around (hence a slipper being left in the garden yesterday and getting a soaking:mad:) but no more chewing. I doubt he will ever stop carrying them around as all our labs have carried shoes but at the least there is no more chewing!!:)

Hope that helps.:):):)
 
exercise wise he comes to the horses every day and has a good run around the field.We are usually there a minimum 2 hours.Yesterday we worked on his retrieve and popped him over some of the jumps we have in our schooling paddock.He is really obedient and on top of going to the field he gets an hour walk every day which again some of it is off the lead depending on whether he goes to the beach/park or just around the town. He sometimes gets 2 or 3 walks a day on top of going to the field so he definitely has plenty of exercise.

I know how you feel about the slipper being left in the garden.He did the same with my joddy boots the other day.I know some of the chewing will be down to him teething and we have brought him plenty of chew toys to give him something to meet this need.One of his favourite games is to chase the torch light beam and he certainly has plenty of energy.He is crossed with a rottweiller so is a big dog already and seems to have boundless energy. I guess in time he will settle down.It's just annoying that he is costing us a fortune in footwear. I will try the treats in exchange for a shoe but he mostly chews them at night when we are all in bed.He seems to actively go from room to room in the hope of finding shoes to chew on.It's easier said than done to prevent him finding shoes because short of getting everyone to lock them away in their wardrobes it is difficult to keep them away from him. I also worry that if we keep shoes locked away he will find something else to chew instead like a piece of furniture lol.
 
Chew toys and chew sticks etc really don't do the same job as a real bone. Honestly find a butcher that can supply you with a big fresh bone once or twice a week - you can freeze them if you need to - they will help with chewing/teething thing. Most butchers won't charge if you buy meat from them but otherwise they ask for a donation for charity. However much is still cheaper then your favorite shoes.:D
 
I will definitely get onto the butcher and see if he can provide a good bone each week. Problem though is that we live in a very small town(more of a village)with lots of doggie owners.I may have to get him one from the pet shop in the big town as I know they do sell pretty much anything there.
 
blazingsaddles said:
Is is possible to keep him in only one room at night, that is virtually empty of anything that he might find tempting to chew on?!!
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What she said ^^^^ and slinky, u need a large kong to stuff with his dry food and tunaand then freeze it, uncooked bones, and u need to switch between them so he does not become bored, and he needs to be confined to a smaller area then the space increased gradually, if you want to teach him to be comfortable in his own space before allowing him more room, and jsut because he was kept in a small room does not mean you cannot place him there, as you will be doing it in a positive way, with rewards, feed him in his designated room, baby gate somewhere off if possible or introduce a crate.
You need to introduce firm rules and routines for rescue dogs more than any other due to their unbalanced past, so start as you mean to go on:D
 
Number one, giving him an old shoe was your first problem! How is the poor sod meant to differentiate between shoes he is allowed to chew, and shoes he isn't?!

Chloe has never EVER chewed any shoes and I think thats because she's always had so much else to chew on - literally, she's been inundated! She always has with her - empty cow hooves (pet shops/farm supplier shops sell them), raw hide bones, real bones, marrow bones, string toys (designed for them to rip apart!), and a variety of toys that you can twist and turn turn when she chews it.

If I were you, I'd get yourself a very large amount of all of the above, and only give them to her at night! And also put all shoes away, jsut for a short time, and start introducing them back without any fuss, and hope he doesn't eat them.

Good luck!

By the way, good luck! Chlo is now a year and shes been a total nightmare, but I love her to pieces! Well done for taking on a pup with so many problems xxxx
 
Would it make you feel better if I told you our lab chewed right through a door when he was a pup...?:eek:

It's early days yet and he is only a baby:) You have some good advice here though:):)
 
You've had some good advice already, agree to keep him in an area where he does not have access to chewables and agree a dog will not differentiate between an old shoe and a new one!

One thing I would say, which has been brought into my head by another thread, is to ask you to not overjump him at his age. As large, weight bearing breeds, labs and rotts are prone to hip and elbow dysplasia and I personally like to keep my dogs on the ground before 12 months of age while their bones are still forming. By all means, get working on his heelwork, attention, get him used to popping over small poles on the ground but the jarring caused by landing can put stress on joints at this young age.

Best of luck with him and thanks for giving him a chance after a rotten start to life, he sounds like a super boy.
 
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