Guest cducasse Posted July 8, 2010 Share Posted July 8, 2010 Hey everyone, I'm new here to Greytalk. We've had our for 5 months, as of July 8. She's randomly started chewing things while we're away. We have a crate that she stayed in for the first few days we had her. We decided to let her roam the house while we're away at work, and it's been fine. Until about a month ago, she hadn't chewed anything. Randomly, she chews the weirdest things while we're gone. She doesn't go for furniture, but instead ads and newspapers that we leave on the coffee table. Today she chewed at our plastic container for the bunny food. Any suggestions to curb this behavior? I don't want her to go in the crate, though this will stop the chewing, there must be another solution? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeorgeofNE Posted July 9, 2010 Share Posted July 9, 2010 More exercise (that helps with most everything!), dog proof (absolutely NOTHING that's food should be anywhere "out" including rabbit food!), and leave her with something to keep her occupied, like a Kong with peanut butter smeared around the inside. If she's tired, from the exercise, she's much less likely to get into trouble. Some people muzzle their dogs when they're home alone. Quote Susan, Hamish, Mister Bigglesworth and Nikita Stanislav. Missing Ming, George, and Buck Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheFullHouse Posted July 9, 2010 Share Posted July 9, 2010 Yep, everything Susan said. Quote Judy, mom to Darth Vader, Bandita, And Angel Forever in our hearts, DeeYoGee, Dani, Emmy, Andy, Heart, Saint, Valentino, Arrow, Gee, Bebe, Jilly Bean, Bullitt, Pistol, Junior, Sammie, Joey, Gizmo, Do Bee Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Greyt_dog_lover Posted July 9, 2010 Share Posted July 9, 2010 I muzzle. But I also have 3 hounds, so there are other reasons for muzzling in my household. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest lasharp1209 Posted July 12, 2010 Share Posted July 12, 2010 We are muzzling right now because we have had problems with ours messing with a wound on his leg - but I think when it's all healed, we're going to continue to muzzle while we're gone. It keeps him out of trouble and if we ever do get a second one, he'll be used to wearing it already. It sure does give us peace of mind while we're gone. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest NJgrey Posted July 12, 2010 Share Posted July 12, 2010 Chewing paper is totally normal. Your hound is still pretty new so she may still be discovering new things about pet life, including what's fun to chew when no one is looking. Our girl loves to chew paper so we don't leave any of it within her reach when she's home alone. That includes books, magazines, newspaper, napkins - anything. And agree with the above comment about food items - NONE of that should be in reach as well. Like GeorgeofNE said, exercise will help, as will introducing her to things you WANT her to chew and encouraging her to chew those things when you're around as well. Kongs filled with whatever you want, nylabones, bully sticks - all good options. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CaliforniaGreys Posted July 12, 2010 Share Posted July 12, 2010 We won't even get into what Ekko does I've just learned not to leave anything laying around because all I would be doing is setting her up to fail. Most of what she goes after shouldn't be laying around anyway Quote Missing my little Misty who took a huge piece of my heart with her on 5/2/09, and Ekko, on 6/28/12 For the sick, the lost, and the homeless Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
monmeehan Posted July 12, 2010 Share Posted July 12, 2010 Chewing paper is totally normal. Your hound is still pretty new so she may still be discovering new things about pet life, including what's fun to chew when no one is looking. This was our experience with Cheyenne. Dog-proofing was a process: we'd come home to things moved to odd places, or chewed, or shredded. I really think she was just trying things out. We were lucky -- she messed with most things only once. I've also heard it described as a sort of "abbreviated puppyhood" as retired dogs explore the new things about home life. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest greytmiles Posted July 13, 2010 Share Posted July 13, 2010 After coming home to a completely destroyed dining room set (I should really post pictures of that thing), I started using the muzzle whenever I'm at work for the day. If I'm just running errands for a couple hours or so, I usually don't muzzle him. At this point I think he'd only get to chewing if he were super super bored (in other words the two hours of the day he's NOT sleeping). An aside... Though he LOVES them, I'm always hesitant to leave him alone with a bully stick thinking he might choke on it if unsupervised. Am I paranoid? Erin Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest NJgrey Posted July 13, 2010 Share Posted July 13, 2010 An aside... Though he LOVES them, I'm always hesitant to leave him alone with a bully stick thinking he might choke on it if unsupervised. Am I paranoid? Erin When it comes to the safety of the pups, I'm not sure there's such a thing as too paranoid. During relatively short absences or normal work day alone time we usually just leave Ellie with a kong and a few treats hidden around the living room. If we leave her for a few hrs on, say, a weekend evening, her SA tends to flare up a bit so we give her something extra special like a bully stick. I know she's a very diligent chewer and she's never come close to choking on her bully sticks (which is more than I can say for kibble, which she has yacked on more than a few times...) so I trust her. It all depends on your hound and what you're comfortable with. Bully sticks work for us because she doesn't chew the kong, just licks at it, so it's really the only thing that really works out that chewing instinct. That and the baby gate... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arandomchic Posted July 13, 2010 Share Posted July 13, 2010 (edited) Agrees with the others about exercise (like a long morning walk) and a Kong. Also, Molly loves paper --- especially newspaper, but magazines are fun for her too. We've just learned to dog proof as best we can. For example, she doesn't counter surf --- but anything on the coffee table is fair game. So now nothing is ever left on the coffee or side tables (including remotes)...it's always put away before we leave. ETA --- we first started using the Kong filled some kibble topped with PB, then frozen. But have since discovered she will go crazy for plain yogurt frozen (we use greek, because that's what I eat). She was happy to get the PB, but will actually get antsy when she knows I'm about to leave so she can get her yogurt kong. She'll literally keep going into her crate and looking at me like, HURRY UP! Edited July 13, 2010 by arandomchic Quote Jennifer, Mike and the menagerie --- Molly (Blue Sky Dreamin), Tinker (BT My Lil Girl) and their feline brothers Miles and Lewis Visit Molly's Photo Album Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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