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Hello everyone. I have a 2 1/2 yr. old lab. Recently she has 'recessed' back to puppyhood. She has started chewing items (and destroying them) that are not appropriate for her to chew.
She has a condition called Evan's disease, takes a steroid and a chemotherapy drug. We have to be really careful what we give her. We were giving her rawhides, which seemed to solve the problem, then she began to have a diarrhea problem. She has chew toys, but she destroys them, and she'll eat them. I saw her chewing on the water hose today, and I'm at wit's end. She's gone through two Kongs. Does anyone have a suggestion?
I'd certainly suggest running this past your vet first, have you given antlers a try? Around here there are plenty of actual game hunters and rather letting anything go to waste dogs love chewing on the antlers of deer and antelope.
Hi, I just posted advice in another thread concerning a similar situation. Large breed dogs mature mentally by 3 years of age & physically at 1 1/2 years. So until 3..they're puppy minded. Labradors are soft mouthed. This was bred into them (lower back teeth) to avoid damaging the fowl they retrieve. They love to chew & chew. Here are some simple solutions. Keep her/him as well supervised as possible. Dogs have a natural den instinct & a kennel or crate is terrific for when you're gone for awhile or cannot supervise her fully. It is NOT cruel. Over 3 hours requires water. I recommend a large wire folding cage from Walmart. Do not supply your dog with a large available array of things to chew on. They will easily lose track of what is your & what is hers. Keep play toys seperate from chew toys. Keep play toys put up UNTIL you play with your pet. Play toys were never meant to chew up! Danger! Keep 1 to 3 (at most) chew toys available & show the dogs those if they try to chew on anything else not theirs. NYLABONE makes great chew toys for even the largest of dogs. Most Pet Supermarkets carry them & online as well. They last almost forever! And come in flavors! I do NOT recommend rawhide! It binds in the stomach & can cause the need for surgery! And I DEFINITELY do NOT recommend cows hooves or pigs ears or ANYTHING that can splinter with sharp edges. This WILL tear your pets esophagus & stomach lining up! I DO recommend Bitter Apple if they persist chewing indoor items. Outdoors be sure they do not have access to hoses & such items. With proper supervision & training & patience the chewing will pass. Good Luck! Coyote/Vet Tech
I have a chew monster. I order her Antlerz (naturally shed deer antler), Ocean Chews (dried sting ray tail), ostrich tendons, bull stix, and other all natural all digestible chews at http://www.petextras.com
My sympathies to you for your lab's chewing problem (and illness). We used to have a wonderful lab who went through the same chewing stage --typical for labs. Our lab also chewed up fence sections, and we looked out one day to see her marching around the yard with a whole rose bush in her mouth. If you let her in the house, be sure you have taken precautions (like child proofing a home). We learned the hard way how curious and tall labs can be.
That said, we have discovered a chew toy made of nylon rope with no loose ends. It is all twisted around itself very tightly; it is red, black and white, and is about a foot long. It has outlasted every other chew toy, has not come apart in any way and has lasted for months. Sorry, I can't remember where we got it (probably a big pet store) or what it's called since we've had it so long. Thought I'd mention it, though, because our dogs turn their noses up at Nylabone, Kongs and most other long term chews.
Our pet instructor recommened a toy basket or box. We have had great success this. We also keep part of toys put up and switch them out with the ones in the toy box occassionally. I would think you could do these things outdoors, too. It is so funny watching our dog search through her toy box for a specific toy, and because we keep the toys picked up, she almost seems to be hunting. That small mental stimulus has made a huge difference.
Labradors are soft mouthed. This was bred into them (lower back teeth) to avoid damaging the fowl they retrieve.
We know that she's 25% 'mix' - we got her from a co-worker of mine who lives in the country and raises full-blood labs. They know that the 'sire' was half lab, but didn't know what the other half is. Our other dog, which is a full-blood lab, is indeed very soft-mouthed. He's not a chewer at all, and never got into rawhides.
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That said, we have discovered a chew toy made of nylon rope with no loose ends. It is all twisted around itself very tightly; it is red, black and white, and is about a foot long.
We have those too - I think the brand is Nutz for Knotz. She won't destroy these, because they're her 'tug toys.' When my husband comes home from work, she brings him her rope, so they can play tug. Nutz for Knotz also makes a knotted 'ball' of the nylon rope, which she did eventually destroy, but it took her a while. It was a decent fetch toy.
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NYLABONE makes great chew toys for even the largest of dogs.
Nylabone is good. We have two Nylabones in the backyard, and we play fetch with them. She's knawed at them pretty good, but they still have some life left. This is where I was a little confused with her behavior: There are 2 Nylabones outside (her 'outside' toys) for her to chew on, but she chose the water hose instead. A couple of days ago, she tried to 'mouth' my husband. She quit doing that before she was a year old.
Thank you all for the wonderful suggestions! Evey, I will check out your website and run it by the vet.
My lab mix had a digging problem, LOL, the vet suggested planting trees where she dug! I tried pepper in the dig holes she made, and went back to make bigger, it did not affect her at all (I read that this was a sure cure for diggers), my back yard looked like a golf course! Then my husband took control and actually yelled at her, she does not like to be "bad" and that was the end of the digging (at least the big holes).
Your doggie is probably a puppy still and will grow out of this, until then the natural bones are best, although mine never liked them!
Dogs have a natural den instinct & a kennel or crate is terrific for when you're gone for awhile or cannot supervise her fully. It is NOT cruel.NYLABONE makes great chew toys for even the largest of dogs. Most Pet Supermarkets carry them & online as well. They last almost forever! And come in flavors! I do NOT recommend rawhide! It binds in the stomach & can cause the need for surgery! And I DEFINITELY do NOT recommend cows hooves or pigs ears or ANYTHING that can splinter with sharp edges.
Agree with this advice. Also, a dog that age needs plenty of exercise.
A tired dog is a good dog.
We had a female Mastiff who was quite a chewer. She wasn't crazy about Kongs, though.
We got her Nylabone's "Galileo." I think it is the biggest one they make.
It was a hit. They last forever, too.
Labs may have soft mouths, but of all the breeds, when it comes to chewing issues, they seem to be the one that I hear about the most.
All dogs are somewhat orally fixated, but Labs seem to be way up there.
I think I already posted this, but I heard of one young Lab who chewed up a checkbook and Evan Picone shoes, and another who destroyed a remote control. Both these dogs grew out of this behavior and are fine now, but they do get regular exercise.
Good luck with your pup!
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