Chewing Problems

[Tesla]

So I got Tesla in mid May - she's 7 1/2 months old now- and expected her to pretty much chew up everything from the start…but that wasn't the case. The whole summer she was pretty much fine, with an occasional mistake here or there. Now that school has started again, she's going after everything... pillows, towels, tissue boxes, papers, storage boxes, and especially shoes. I feel like its related to me being gone now more than she is used to, but I have lots of toys of her own for her to play with. I kennel her at night and by the end of summer had been letting her stay out in the living room if I were only going to be gone an hour or two and things were fine. Now she goes after everything that isn't hers and not much of what is hers. Has anyone else had problems with this before? I'm back to kenneling her during the day while I'm gone which upsets me because I want her to have room to run about. But I want to be able to fix this habit and don't know the best approach to it. Any advice?

Thanks!

[tanza]

And how do you think that she knows what is hers and what is not? Not trying to be a smart ass, but they don't know… You have obviously changed things in the home that she is used to... she is confused by this... you being gone more then before... when things change, they know.... and yes, you should kennel her during the day when you are gone if there is not a place that she can be in that is totally hers....

[Buddys Pal]

Go online to see more ways of keeping her occupado….http://k9domain.org/problems.aspxYou should definiately put things up and out of harms way, even if you are home…it only takes a few seconds-I Know!!!! here is an excerpt from Whole Dog Journal that only allows copying if it is for informative purposes:Destructive Chewing- Simple Ways to Prevent and Cure Destructive Chewing

One of the basic tenets of positive dog training is that it's much easier to teach the dog what to do rather than what not to do. If you program your dog's chew preferences early in life by consistently directing his attention - and teeth - to appropriate objects and preventing his access to inappropriate ones, you won't have to constantly tell him he's chewing on the wrong things.

Interactive toys can help here too. A stuffed Kong suspended just out of your dog's reach can keep him occupied and work off excess energy as he jumps and grabs at the tempting prize. Instead of giving him his bowl of food in the morning, fill the Buster Cube with his kibbles and make him work for his meal by pushing cube around to make the food fall out. He won't have the time, energy, or desire to shred your grandmother's antique afghan if he's out "hunting" for his breakfast! Hope this all will give you something to go on…..