Chewing

[Whinpin]

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Hello everybody I really need some help. I am sat writing this in tears and have been all night. Rosie my 8 month old Whippet is wrecking my home and my daughter's house too. She looks after her three days a week for us. She has a Lab so that Rosie has someone to play with. We both work full time. I walk her every morning before work I get up really early to do this. I take her on long walks at the weekend. I think last night was the last straw. She had chewed shoes, she has shredded my dining room carpet. She has chewed up 2 dog beds etc... the list is long. I just do not know what else to do. She has loads of toys. I dread going anywhere because of what we will find when we come home. We would love to take her on holiday but how can we. I can not trust her. Believe me I have tried everything

Are we not been fair to Rosie? I am not the owner that Rosie needs? Do we let her go to some else we can give her more attention? Sorry for any spelling mistake or grammar the tears are flowing.

 

[JoanneF]

This will be the worst time for her chewing. She will be getting her adult teeth and they will be settling in her jaw, she will have a compulsive need to chew right now.

I don't remember, is she crate trained?

 

[JudyN]

Big hugs, because it sounds like it really is getting on top of you, understandably so. A few thoughts:

- When you leave her, if she isn't crate trained then leave her in a dog-proof room or dog pen. You can also put her there when you can't watch her like a hawk.
- Shoes, books, phones, etc. - simply put them away. Get a big chew-proof box with a lid and get into the habit of putting everything in there.
- Dog beds - get her a moulded plastic one and line it with old blankets, towels charity-shop duvets (as long as she's not likely to swallow the bits.
- Make sure she has plenty of opportunities to chew on other stuff. A lot of 'chew toys' aren't that appealing to dogs, so try bones, or cardboard boxes she can shred, Kongs with frozen food inside, or even frozen carrots. Cold things will also help if she has sore gums from teething.
- Make sure she's getting enough brain work as well as exercise - have a read of this thread: Mental enrichment for dogs

This really is about damage limitation. In a few years time you will laugh at the memory of this, and groan at the expense, but you will have a lovely dog who hardly ever chews anything she shouldn't.

Also, have a google for "my dog destroyed my". You will realise you are not alone!

 

[Hemlock]

Just as the others have said: she isn't a bad pup and you aren't a bad owner. She has a desperate need to chew just now, and she will grow out of it.

Hugs.

 

[Inka]

Chewing is a normal behaviour, it is about chewing the right things rather than what you don't want chewed... Dogs know chewing releieves anxiety, could be anxiety of teething pain,or left alone or too much space she feels she has to 'look after' herself or one of many other things that triggers anxiety like she hears a noise and thinks she is going to be 'told off' for chewing, so chews to releive that anxiety, these 'things' she chews smell of you, so they are important in her head and so chewing them comforts her...
Chewing makes dogs feel happy, it is also a fun game and you have a 'teenager' sweetness and light one moment and little horrors the next...... so pick up and put away everything you don't want chewed, find good chewing things like raw meaty bones, raw carrot from the fridge so it is cold, 'chew toys' are marketed to sell to humans, if a dog was choosing them, they wouldn't sell any, restrict the area she is eg a crate/puppy pen, small room with no carpet with a stair gate on the doorway

 

[Tinytom]

How long is she left each day .....whereabouts is she left ...

 

[Whinpin]

How long is she left each day .....whereabouts is she left ...

 

[Whinpin]

She is left in the dining room but has access to the conservatory. Where literally everything has been remove. And 2 days a week she is left for about 5 hours the rest of the week she goes to my daughter's and plays with her Lab. But she still chews at my daughter's even when she is with them all day. I have tried everything that anyone has told me on here.

Could she be coming into season for the first time and her hormone are all over the place? Or is this a silly assumption.

 

[Tinytom]

You sound like you are doing all the right things ...have you tried giving her kongs filled with food and frozen ...
She could be coming into season .....Have you tried giving her cardboard boxes or things that she can safely chew ....
This phase will pass its just very frustrating xx

 

[Inka]

Do what you need to do to keep your sanity, some pups are worse than others I know I had one and I really think 99.9% of owners would not have kept her ...vintage club full hide leather chair she destoyed completely in less than 30 mins while I had a bath and she had been out for 2 hours just prior walking/training, table leg chewed up in 20 seconds like a silent assasin while I had her on a lead and got a phone call...so she was standing next to me I am very observant, but it took her 20 seconds of not 100% focus on her and I could give you any number of examples, it was daily, twice daily or more...so beleive me I know how you are feeling

ANYTHING can make them chew more..you being frustrated, her getting told off , just because it makes her feel better or it is fun...I have a beautiful, well mannered darling of a dog now even though I aged 10 yrs getting past the chewing stage

 

[Hemlock]

Chewing releases endorphins. It's a big comforter. She's still very much a pup. Though she may or may not be coming into season, there are huge physical and emotional changes going on in her. You are best to concentrate on damage limitation, and understanding that one day she will be all grown up and mostly angelic.

Come to us whenever you need to rant. Most of us have been there.

 

[PupC]

This will be the worst time for her chewing. She will be getting her adult teeth and they will be settling in her jaw, she will have a compulsive need to chew right now.

I don't remember, is she crate trained?

Our puppy is chewing like mad too - we work too and I have guilts about this but June We’re doing all we can. Paid help and voluntary so not alone too long. I agree with Joanne not all chew toys appeal. Connie much prefers boxes all types , an empty milk carton air sucked out and lid back on. Also frozen carrots and banana chunks have helped. I also read in this forum a frozen dishcloth is nice and soothing. Connie loves this as she’s always on the hunt for tea towels and cloths -I have knotted one, wet it then into the freezer - she chews and plays for a while then when loses interest I pop in food bag and then refreeze. I hope these ideas help -keep pushing on it’ll be worth it x

 

[Pam99]

Just read this as am also starting to dispare with my nearly 9 month old. 80% of the time an angel 20% of the time. i am that woman in the park screaming and that person putting my brand new shoes in the bin as my little devil/angel has chewed them. When you think its just tiny puppies that chew i guess its not. it will pass and soon! If i have to leave ruby i leave her in the kitchen where there is nothing to chew. I went to the drs for 40 mins and my neighbours said she whined for half that time and she had just been walked for an hour. Very frustrating

 

[Inka]

When you think its just tiny puppies that chew i guess its not.

Oh no.... you have terrible teenager, so 'tiny puppy mentality' with a bigger mouth and stronger teeth, who pretends they have never done any training and pushes your boundaries to the limit...they do grow up and out of it however you have a boxer ( if that is the little darling in the photo), well known as the clown of dogs .

Screaming in the park? Put the little darling on a lead and remind them, 'off lead' freedom has to be earned and until they obey your rules they don't get benefits...your sanity is important!

 

[Whinpin]

Thank you PupC and Pam99 it nice to know I am not alone. I also have to scream like crazy just to stop her jumping up at people. We had a lovely day yesterday but today has already started bad. It does not help that she can run so fast. She can steal something and be gone in seconds. I guess we just have to hold on to the good days. She can be so loving be you can actually see she gets that look in her eye and you know she is going to try your patiences. Does this little darling look like the devil in disgust. Cos believe me she is.

 

[JoanneF]

I also have to scream like crazy just to stop her jumping up at people

The easiest way to stop a dog jumping up is to train an alternative behaviour that she can't do St the same time, and make that alternative behaviour so we'll rewarded that it becomes her better option. Normally I'd suggest a sit - but somehow I got it into my head that sight hounds are not comfortable in a sit - can someone confirm that for me, or tell me if my head is making things up?

 

[Whinpin]

Joanne F she will happily sit. This command she can do, she will sit and wait for her food to be put down. But all this goes out of the window when outside and there are other distraction. She thinks everyone what's to fuss her and that every dog is her friend.

 

[JoanneF]

Sometimes you need to be really strict with other people too, that they have to ignore her until she is in a sit. If the jumping gets no attention, and the sit gets sausages (or whatever she finds high value), she will eventually work out what her best option is.

 

[Hemlock]

Young sighthounds can sit - it gets more uncomfortable as they grow on and their backs get longer. Whippets usually have shorter backs than other sighthounds, unless they are of the type known as "non-pedigree" which have a dash of greyhound in them.

Does she do this jumping up when on-lead or off?

 

[Robins mum]

Hello everybody I really need some help. I am sat writing this in tears and have been all night. Rosie my 8 month old Whippet is wrecking my home and my daughter's house too. She looks after her three days a week for us. She has a Lab so that Rosie has someone to play with. We both work full time. I walk her every morning before work I get up really early to do this. I take her on long walks at the weekend. I think last night was the last straw. She had chewed shoes, she has shredded my dining room carpet. She has chewed up 2 dog beds etc... the list is long. I just do not know what else to do. She has loads of toys. I dread going anywhere because of what we will find when we come home. We would love to take her on holiday but how can we. I can not trust her. Believe me I have tried everything

Are we not been fair to Rosie? I am not the owner that Rosie needs? Do we let her go to some else we can give her more attention? Sorry for any spelling mistake or grammar the tears are flowing.