Posted: 9/28/2012 3:30:44 PM EDT
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My 3 year old labrador still likes to tear things up from time to time if im not home. Anyone got any advice?
I recently had been leaving her out of her crate and she was great for about a week, then she tore up a pillow, today she got after a blanket. So, i guess its back to her crate while the wife and i are at work. She gets lots of attention and exercise. Its something I simply cannot break with this dag. I feel horribly leaving her in a crate w/ nothing in it other than hard toys. yes yes, pix of wife and dog, i know the rules...  "
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Put her back in the crate. It isn't cruel, it has become her den and she feels comfortable. Taking her out and leaving her alone when you leave is causing double anxiety and she is either acting out to punish you for leaving her or leaving her and not letting her into her den.
Crate her and the problems will stop. ETA: I have two labs, one aged 7 and one 5.5 years. The older (male) if left out of the crate doesn't chew, he digs up carpet or scratches at flooring and couches. The female will chew, but we leave the crate door open and she goes in and falls asleep until we get home. Having two will not help your problem. The younger will learn the behavior from the older one and you will have double the problem. |
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Thank you for having a good looking, not overweight, standard Lab.
Labs like having things in their mouths. Get your dog a couple of stuffed animals to carry around and chew on. And yes, it's about boredom. solitary dogs are unhappy dogs. Nothing wrong with crate training. |
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Quoted:
Thank you for having a good looking, not overweight, standard Lab. Labs like having things in their mouths. Get your dog a couple of stuffed animals to carry around and chew on. And yes, it's about boredom. solitary dogs are unhappy dogs. Nothing wrong with crate training. I disagree about with giving labs something to chew on. This only encourages them to continue chewing only but on things you approve of. When they don't have the toy, they will chew on whatever is available. Very early on, I broke the habit of my dog chewing by giving him a toy that we only use for fetching. He will NOT chew that toy. We give him dog bone treats which he chews and as a treat we will give him a toy, but that is a rare treat. Neither on of my labs have chewed any furniture, shoes or other items in years. |
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Quoted: Quoted: Thank you for having a good looking, not overweight, standard Lab. Labs like having things in their mouths. Get your dog a couple of stuffed animals to carry around and chew on. And yes, it's about boredom. solitary dogs are unhappy dogs. Nothing wrong with crate training. I disagree about with giving labs something to chew on. This only encourages them to continue chewing only but on things you approve of. When they don't have the toy, they will chew on whatever is available. Very early on, I broke the habit of my dog chewing by giving him a toy that we only use for fetching. He will NOT chew that toy. We give him dog bone treats which he chews and as a treat we will give him a toy, but that is a rare treat. Neither on of my labs have chewed any furniture, shoes or other items in years. |
| Whats with all the dogs chewing up shit ? Who is the King of the castle , anyway ? My 5 year old lab has never chewed up anything. She got in the trash once when we left but learned pretty quick that is a no-no. I wont have an animal rule the house. P.S. I have never beat my dog. |
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Keep them entertained/exercized, and be VERY clear what is theirs and what is yours. Don't let them on the couch, anywhere near your food, or put anything in their mouth that you don't hand them.
My 2 year old has been great, but he grabbed one of my boots last week. Lots of pointing and shameful words have put him on his best behavior lately. No beating needed when the dog respects you and seeks your approval. You just need their world to revolve around you, and for them to understand you are absolutely the boss. He has full roam of the house all day, and he hasn't destroyed anything but some dryer sheets (my roomate used to give those to him, asshole). |
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Pretty pup you got, black labs are the best dog a man and his family could want. I've always had a black lab since I can remember. Luckily you have a female, they are much easier to deal with than the males.
Your lab is only 3. Labs tend to be puppies for a very long time. I made sure to litter the house with chew toys, run her every night so hard she just wants to sleep, and keep your boots on a closet shelf. That will minimize the damage. I never did the crate training, I don't buy into it. My girl is 6 and a perfect little house dog, she has free run of the house and yard all day. With some good training a lab will take care of themselves. ETA........pretty wife! 
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Quoted:
Thank you for having a good looking, not overweight, standard Lab. Labs like having things in their mouths. Get your dog a couple of stuffed animals to carry around and chew on. And yes, it's about boredom. solitary dogs are unhappy dogs. Nothing wrong with crate training. It's depressing to see a fat lab, they are running machines that need to stretch their legs. Labs don't like to be alone. I take mine with me on errands and has a doggy bed under my desk when I work. When I lived out in the country she would stay outside and visit the old neighbor lady down the road and play with the kids at the bus stop and always be on the front doorstep when I got home. I've never seen the value in crate training. A well trained dog does not require a cage all day. |
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Quoted:
pics of wife from highschool?, or is she a teacher?  Sorta, she does teach at the local community college 1 night a week after her normal job. My lab has tons of toys out all the time. Lately when home for over 5 hours or so she get into my wifes pillows. Could it have anything to do w us having a baby in the house now? |
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Quoted: Quoted: pics of wife from highschool?, or is she a teacher? Sorta, she does teach at the local community college 1 night a week after her normal job. My lab has tons of toys out all the time. Lately when home for over 5 hours or so she get into my wifes pillows. Could it have anything to do w us having a baby in the house now? BINGO! |
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What about buying a 'wire play pen' and attach that to the crate to make a court yard...
win-win safety of the being contained, but dag still has room to spread out.. We bought a 16' pen (similar to this for our dog. it gave him plenty of room to move around Brian |
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While substituting a "good chew toy" for a shoe or furniture when you catch your pup chewing on them may have worked for you, it really isn't a good thing for the dog. It does nothing to allay its anxiety and stop the behavior. You are merely transferring the bad behavior to another item.
No different than transferring an alcoholics addiction booze by starting him on weed instead. You no longer have a puking, falling over drunk around the house, but a mellow lazy stoner who eats you out of house and home. 
It is best to discourage the behavior all together. With labs it is very easy, they are very smart and live to make you happy. Play fetch, they will wear you out. Go for walks, praise them if they chase a squirrel or rabbit. Any behavior that isn't chewing or destructive, you praise. Soon, you will have a non-destructive happy dog that knows that it is loved. |