Chewing

Hey all,

How can one get a black lab male dog to quit chewing? I have tried all different kinds of sprays and taste sprays but he loves to chew. I also have got him all sorts of bones, toys and other stuff to chew on but he will go for furniture and valuables instead. Someone told me to get him fixed to help stop the chewing but I also hear that will make him not so hyper anymore and I really enjoy him being hyper because he gives me a great workout every day

Any ideas?

 

Altering your dog won't prevent him from chewing. Chewing is a boredom behavior or a behavior that results from physical symptoms (something caught in the teeth, painful/loose teeth). When does he chew your furniture and valuables?

 

Chewing is definitely a sign of boredom. It can be hard to try and curb that boredom and wear your dog out if he has too much energy. I personally feel that you should have your dog fixed, but not just for the energy aspect but for the health of your dog. Fixing your dog is better for him in the long run, and most vets would recommend it. Plus, even if it does decrease his energy levels that might be a good thing at this point. He seems to have so much energy that you can't really do anything to help him really expend all of it.

At the end of the day having your dog fixed won't change his energy levels drastically, if they even do at all. If worse comes to worse I suggest letting him have some time to play outside by himself after your play with him. He'll most likely enjoy the time outside and it keeps him away from chewing the furniture and valuables inside of the house.

 

I agree with getting him fixed. Mainly for his health but also because there are just too many dogs in shelters.

About the chewing... since it is a boredom issue, have you tried tiring him out? Regular walks and exercise can help. A game of fetch can do wonders. Dogs can have a lot of energy and they need some kind of an outlet for it

 

I would hate for this thread to become a place to bully someone into getting his dog fixed. The fact is that without a female his intact dog is not going to generate a single puppy to put in a shelter. There are just as many health issues with altered dogs as there are intact dogs, so there's no real benefit either way.

As to chewing being relieved by exercise: yes and no. A dog won't chew when it's sleeping, so it will help for it to be worn out. However, that's treating the symptom and not the disease. Boredom is a mental problem, not a physical one. If a dog does not have physical issues, like sores or allergies, then it's important to find out what is lacking in its environment.

 

Getting your dog fixed won't stop him from chewing nor make him not hyper anymore. It will just make him not have balls anymore...and not have aggression related to wanting to mate or dominate for mating. Just exercise him to get him worn out and that tends to help, and teach him that chewing on things is bad behavior. When you catch him, say "NO!" sternly until he stops.

 

Well, there’s just this dog (or pup) amongst your family of dogs who’s too strong head that even if you’ve given him his chew thing, he would still prefer your foot wear or furniture or whatever it is that’s on his way when he felt his fangs needs sharpening. Usually we scolded the dog at first like a parent does to his child. But if it still doesn’t work we punished him. He’ll be on leash and there we give him his chew toy until he got too familiar with it or sometimes we let him out of the house.

 

Maybe the Lab would outgrow that chewing phase. But it may take time. Candy was four before she gave up chewing as a delectable past-time.

 

You have to provide him with something appropriate to chew. Kongs are amazing for something like this, stuff it with his favorite treats and he can chew until his heart is content. My dog loooooves them!

 

Maybe bringing him outside to play often could get rid of that habit or even make the chewing lesser. Introduce him more activities that maybe can make him forget about chewing. Make sure the things you can not afford to lose by his chewing addiction was far from his reach as much as possible.

 

That's a good point as well. Most dogs chew because they are either bored or need to excercise their teeth. Giving them something to occupy their minds and a replacement something to chew will really help this I hope.

 

You may want to just block off certain areas in the house that has things in which he can chew on. Like keep him only in kitchen when you cannot monitor him so he can't get to the couch. Otherwise keep things that he typically likes to chew on higher up. It may just be something he has to grow out of.. our dog liked to chew on things as well until he was about 2 years old.

 

Yes, they say that a dog is really a puppy until they are 2 years old. So if he continues to chew it might just be a puppy habit. Confining him to a smaller space is a good idea.

 

Both of my dogs went through terrible chewing phases as puppies, but outgrew chewing on anything but their toys after about a year. Dogs need to chew a little, though, since it's the way they naturally clean their teeth. A dog trainer recommended Nylabones for my dogs, and they really love them (they're virtually indestructible). I also agree that your dog (if he's past his teething stage) might be bored - intelligent dogs like Labs need to have something to do or will find their own entertainment. Good luck - I hope you can curb this habit before he eats your entire house!

 

Both of my dogs went through terrible chewing phases as puppies, but outgrew chewing on anything but their toys after about a year. Dogs need to chew a little, though, since it's the way they naturally clean their teeth. A dog trainer recommended Nylabones for my dogs, and they really love them (they're virtually indestructible). I also agree that your dog (if he's past his teething stage) might be bored - intelligent dogs like Labs need to have something to do or will find their own entertainment. Good luck - I hope you can curb this habit before he eats your entire house!

 

Sometimes chewing can a way for a dog to express its frustration at being neglected. In cases like that, giving more love to the dog may stop its chewing.

 

If the lab is still a puppy that will have a lot to do with it, but they are working dogs and need to have something to do or become bored very easily. Perhaps if you try taking him for a good long run shoot put some roller blades on or something or even ride your bike while letting him run. However if you don't address the issue while still young it can become a big problem later down the road.
But when it comes down to it, chances are that he's just really bored, it doesn't take much for high energy dogs to become bored. On another thread they were talking about Cesar Milan one thing he does that I really think is a great Idea is how he'll get a doggie backpack for the bigger dogs like that and put a couple of bottles of water in it to make the dog feel as if it's serving a purpose in terms of working. Can't hurt to try.

As for getting the dog fixed it won't help the chewing, it might help if it's a bit hyper but it will mostly help the aggressiveness that can come into play later, towards people and other animals. Good luck.