need a dog whisperer!

[cgd7777777]

Well we have 2 dogs one is a german shepard mix over a year old
we live in the middle of no where with only one neighbor
I let the dogs run around where ever they please, mainly because i get called out to work lots of nights and they are pretty good watch dogs and momma feels a lil better since they bark at anything that comes up
but the shepard looking dog shreds ANYTHING..i went inside to eat supper and came out and she started shredding some fiberglass mat..walked next door for 30 min and chewed a hole in my boat seat i had on the ground.
Any ideas other than giving her a long ride?
She is a good dog other than that, she will stay by the kids side whenever thay are outside playing!

 

[eavega]

Re: need a dog whisperer!

Give 'em something to chew that is theirs and only theirs. Something hard. My own 1 yr old lab mix is a chewing machine. With two little ones around, they have quickly learned not to leave their toys lying around as they become the dog's chew toys in short order. What we have done is gotten him a couple of cow thigh bones (from the butcher, then well cleaned and dried out) or Antlers (those are available from pet shops), and made it clear that those are HIS toys. We have not had a toy-chewing incident since Christmas. It was explained to us that the chewing is normal behavior to relieve anxiety, so if they don't have something that they identify as "I am allowed to chew on this", then they will take what is available.

Rgds

-E

 

[idonthaveaname]

Re: need a dog whisperer!

Dogs usually chew for a few reasons.

1. Puppies and teeting
2. They are bored.
3. Separation anxiety

Sounds a lot like Separation anxiety...been there, done that with my Beagle. I also have a Weimaraner and she tears up towels while in her cage, but apparently that's "normal" for that breed. Outside her cage she chews her "stuff" and nothing else.

When it comes to just chewing it up for the sake of chewing, you can train the dog on what to chew and not to chew, but it takes time and attention. eavega gave some great advice. When it comes to separation anxiety that a whole other story and will take time to treat--there are some great books about controlling it.

 

[idonthaveaname]

Re: need a dog whisperer!

teething not teeting...sorry

 

[rbh]

Re: need a dog whisperer!

+1, young shepards are chewing machines!!

With ours I had to make sure he understood that his chew toys were his, and that was the only thing that got chewed up besides supper.
At one year of age +- it is time to get some training done and as Bubba said reighn him in, his place is around the house with the family, not 20 acres away.

Just my .02c

 

[nlain]

Re: need a dog whisperer!

Get into a dog training program, it will teach you a lot about the dog and yourself. The dog trainer, if a good one, will train both you and the dog. I have had dogs all my life and have enjoyed them all, had a few problems like chewing, usually as puppies, worked through them all. Last year we were without a dog, wife wanted another, found an Akita, 8 months old, very intelligent, very stubborn, very strong and at the time about 90 lbs, now weighing in a little over 100 lbs. We got her in training at PetsMart, she has graduated twice now, stage 1 and stage 2, we have learned a lot, she is a chewer, especially when we are at work. She is getting better as time goes on, we spend more time with her, we pay her attention, we praise her when she does good and we let her know when she is bad. I am starting to work on CDC training now and if I can get her certified we will have molded into a family unit, she will be able to go to hospitals to see the sick and comfort them. I really have my work cut out to complete this mission but I feel that if I hang in there with the training and with her intelligence, we can succeed. It will be a lot of work but in the end you and the dog will be happier.

 

[dockwrecker]

Re: need a dog whisperer!

Lots and lots of chew toys that they clearly understand are theirs. I have two labs and a mini aussie shepherd and some days my back yard looks like a Toys R' Us blew up. But, they play with their stuff, not Mommy's shoes or Daddy's boat trailer wiring anymore.