Shredding shoes

[Martin1959]

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Hi, I'm new to this but I'm hoping to get some help/advice.
I have a Labrador/Golden Retriever cross called Sunny. He's very loving and mostly walks very well on the lead and is generally well behaved. But now and again he will decide to shred something. Shoes, gloves, t shirt, books, pretty much anything we haven't put out of his reach but only occasionally. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Finsky]

Hello and welcome!
How old is your dog?

 

[Hemlock]

Dogs and especially puppies, are great at teaching humans to put things away! And make sure he has lots of safe things to chew, because they need to chew. Cardboard boxes (without staples) big raw vegetables, raw bones once you've studied which are safe and which not. Avoid pet shop chews as they mostly come from China and may be full of chemicals like formalin and peroxide.

We'd love to see a photo of your dog!

 

[Martin1959]

Hello and welcome!
How old is your dog?

Hi, he's four years old next month

 

[Martin1959]

Dogs and especially puppies, are great at teaching humans to put things away! And make sure he has lots of safe things to chew, because they need to chew. Cardboard boxes (without staples) big raw vegetables, raw bones once you've studied which are safe and which not. Avoid pet shop chews as they mostly come from China and may be full of chemicals like formalin and peroxide.

We'd love to see a photo of your dog!

Hi. Sunny has an unending supply of things to chew including Kong toys of various sorts and raw bones. He occasionally has a carrot or cabbage stalk but too many upsets his stomach. No soft toys or carboard as he will do his utmost to destroy and shred them.

 

[Finsky]

Hi, he's four years old next month

Ah....I though to check because if your dog would have been still a pup, it would have been perfectly expected behaviour.
If he is chewing kind of dog, then all you can do is give him LOTS of safe options to use his teeth on.
Hmmm...does he like to play rope pulling with you? It will give him lots of 'jaw challenge' and good session with rope could give longer lasting after effect to keep him off from unwanted chewing.

 

[Martin1959]

Ah....I though to check because if your dog would have been still a pup, it would have been perfectly expected behaviour.
If he is chewing kind of dog, then all you can do is give him LOTS of safe options to use his teeth on.
Hmmm...does he like to play rope pulling with you? It will give him lots of 'jaw challenge' and good session with rope could give longer lasting after effect to keep him off from unwanted chewing.

Yes, he does enjoy pulling games whether with a rope or one of his toys but after a while, if he doesn't win, he loses interest and goes to find something else to chew on.

 

[merlina]

Well you really know the answer don't you? Either file it or he'll restyle it! Dogs can't know what is acceptable as a chew toy and what isn't. You're the grown-up! He's gorgeous BTW. I'd say 'and he's a working dog' till recently when my 4yo working cocker had been (mistakenly) left for the afternoon with my Italian boots and the 12yo corgi x. And the corgi destroyed them.... Tearing up all over again at how lovely those boots were. And dear.

 

[Martin1959]

Well you really know the answer don't you? Either file it or he'll restyle it! Dogs can't know what is acceptable as a chew toy and what isn't. You're the grown-up! He's gorgeous BTW. I'd say 'and he's a working dog' till recently when my 4yo working cocker had been (mistakenly) left for the afternoon with my Italian boots and the 12yo corgi x. And the corgi destroyed them.... Tearing up all over again at how lovely those boots were. And dear.

Hi, thanks for your advice. I must admit that as he is getting older the number of things he destroys is getting fewer but that may be because we are getting better at keeping them out of his reach.