yesterday i actually put my black labrador up for sale because i had, had enough of his biting. he has bit my trainers, a designer top, slippers, my new leather handbag which cost me £55 in a sale plus lots more. yesterday was the last straw when i came back home to find all my kitchen floor ripped to pieces. after speaking to lotti i decided to give him another chance and so ordered him a large cage off a website.
today i had to leave him for an hour and on return found he had now had a go at the floorboards, there were pieces of wood all over and deep stratches where he had tried to get more up.
i really dont know why he is doing this, i expected him to damage things as a pup, i got through that ok, he then went through about 5 months with not doing anything and so ive no idea why he has started to do it again. he has lots of walks and twice a day he has a run on a field for an hour, its not like hes stuck in doors all the time. just sometimes for a couple of hours.
can anyone please give me any advice and what can i do so he doesnt bite anything else if i do have to go out. iam supposed to be going to see my uncle who is in the hosptal.
i have added pics now if you wana see him, they are on the third page.

Could it be seporation anxiety? Or boredom? What do you leave him with when you go out?

Labradors are working dogs and need loads and loads of mental stimulation and exercise. Is he getting this, as if not this could be the route of your problem?. Labradors are known for destructive behaviour, but this is usually remidied if they are given enough stimulation.

At 5 months he is a teenager and will push the boundies. apart for use of a cage (though not for hours on end) not sure what you can do. Our dogs have wrecked countless things, but are a breed renowned for it and my vinyl floor in kitchen has been ripped too. you could try distraction toys too: nice meaty raw bone, buster cubes that have to be rolled to get treats out or kongs stuffed with nice fillings (fish paste is good). none of these will occupy dogs for hours but should stop bordom and anxiety setting in for a couple of hours

Suzan I thought you were working with lottie ? What's changed ?

Is he castrated? is there or has there been a lady doggy next door or close by who could be in season and hes trying to get to her?

Suzan I thought you were working with lottie ? What's changed ?

iam still in contact with lotti, she wasnt online when i posted this, i just needed to air what had happened.

Could it be seporation anxiety? Or boredom? What do you leave him with when you go out?

i always leave him his favourite things, a big ball, his fleece blanket and usually a meaty bone.

Labradors are working dogs and need loads and loads of mental stimulation and exercise. Is he getting this, as if not this could be the route of your problem?. Labradors are known for destructive behaviour, but this is usually remidied if they are given enough stimulation.

max goes out numerous times a day, his first walk is at 6.30am, then again at 8.30 when hes out for an hour running in a field, then around 1pm, at 3.30 hes out for another hour, then around 6, and finally around 10pm. some days he has even more walks. so he does get plenty of walks. we take him out in the car when we can, cant when we go shopping tho cos he would have a birthday. thats something else too, a couple of weeks ago he bit one of the car mats that i had just bought, we were only in the car 15 minutes.

At 5 months he is a teenager and will push the boundies. apart for use of a cage (though not for hours on end) not sure what you can do. Our dogs have wrecked countless things, but are a breed renowned for it and my vinyl floor in kitchen has been ripped too. you could try distraction toys too: nice meaty raw bone, buster cubes that have to be rolled to get treats out or kongs stuffed with nice fillings (fish paste is good). none of these will occupy dogs for hours but should stop bordom and anxiety setting in for a couple of hours

max is 20 months, he does have meaty bones and bones with treats in them.
he gets through them in record times iam sure. when i get the chance iam going to see if i can get him something he hasnt had before, hopefully this mite distract him for a while.

i want to say a BIG thankyou to everyone for their advice. i have taken it all on board and i will keep you all posted as to how he goes on.

Suzan ours is the same She peeled our wallpaper off stripped our flooring up ate my wooden venetian blind and anything she can get hold of and she even ate my ipod all I can say is try and use the cage when it comes but other than that keep working on it he will eventually calm down.

changed title to explain better

Have you read 'The Dog Listener' by Jan Fennell? Her simple 4 step method of Amichien Bonding eliminates problems like anxiety seperation which often causes destructive behaviour. I read it when I got my first dog and it was a revelation! It sorts out the way the dog sees him/herself in your 'pack' & all the usual problems that make dog ownership difficult are sorted out!
However, one of my dogs just loves chewing shoes so I ended up having a porch built!
The book is published by HarperCollins ISBN 0 00 257204 4

I have heard, that it takes labs ages to grow up - about 18mths - but, I did see the dog person Victoria Stilwell on TV with a dog with a similar problem. I cannot recall what the outcome was, but you could look out for it on Tv.

I seem to think it was down to separation anxiety.

Kongs are excellent but buy the black one as it is the strongest. You can fill with a food paste and it will take him ages to get it all out, as Labs love their food:love: I am sure he will love Kongs

here is a link to a picture


http://www.kongcompany.com/worlds_best.html

I second kongs. If you freeze them they lasty even longer (my cocker went nuts for em)

our lab was destructive untill she was about 4! She chewed shoes, tights, plaster of the walls, the setee, the wallpaper, chair legs and this was when we were in the house! We got another dog to keep her company, not another lab tho, and this soon stopped , depends what your dog is like with other dogs though, i'm guessing he is bored, hope it gets better soon!

Kongs are excellent but buy the black one as it is the strongest. You can fill with a food paste and it will take him ages to get it all out, as Labs love their food:love: I am sure he will love Kongs

here is a link to a picture


http://www.kongcompany.com/worlds_best.html

if the cage comes today im gona go and get one, anythings worth a try. ive looked at the link, thanks

I second kongs. If you freeze them they lasty even longer (my cocker went nuts for em)

good idea, i will freeze it when i get one. thankyou

our lab was destructive untill she was about 4! She chewed shoes, tights, plaster of the walls, the setee, the wallpaper, chair legs and this was when we were in the house! We got another dog to keep her company, not another lab tho, and this soon stopped , depends what your dog is like with other dogs though, i'm guessing he is bored, hope it gets better soon!

omg 4, not another two years to go. max hasnt bit any furniture or anything household apart from the floor covering and the floorboards, he is fine with other dogs when hes having a run in the fields. i dont know about having another dog though, he could be jealous cos he is when i cuddle my little grandaughters.

Sorry I meant to add earlier we were also told not to advertise the fact we were going out by actually saying goodbye to the dog. And also not to make a great fuss when you come home let them calm down then fuss them it helped us quite a bit.

Sorry I meant to add earlier we were also told not to advertise the fact we were going out by actually saying goodbye to the dog. And also not to make a great fuss when you come home let them calm down then fuss them it helped us quite a bit.

when iam about to go out i just tell him to lay down and be a good boy. if he doesnt do anything wrong while im out i give him a treat when i get back and then hes taken out.

We used to do it to ours but we were told just to put it in the kitchen and leave apparently they read your goodbye as a cue your going and start geting stressed. we usually now chuck a couple of treats in her basket then leave she hardly notices we have gone now most of the time.

Would just say, be careful about treating him specifically when he hasn't done anything. It might be that he went wild when you first went out and has done nothing in an hour, so if he thinks he's in troublw when you get home he will be confused.

I know how hard it is when you feel there's no way out, thats [the above advice] just something I've picked up from my reading. My OH's dog did the same thing (ripped up the brand new kitchen floor) at his parent's house (blade still lives there) before he was neutered, but he is now the most wonderfully well behanved, happy and balanced dog. OH's mum put him up for sale that day, but was now so devestated at the thought of him leaving when OH moved in with me that Blade had to stay behind.
The reason I'm telling you this, is that there is light out there.

Vicki

Fill them with Dairylea !!!!

when iam about to go out i just tell him to lay down and be a good boy. if he doesnt do anything wrong while im out i give him a treat when i get back and then hes taken out.

By that time though he wont know that he's getting a treat for being good.

ive just been told that the cage wont be here until monday so i have cancelled it. anyone got any ideas where i can get one today that doesnt cost a fortune.........im desperate

Pets at Home have a good selection.

Pets at Home have a good selection.

ive just called them and they are too expensive. im just looking in argos book, theres 1 in there for £50, might have to get that one. its got a fleece part inside it but he wont have that long though.

its crap, I had it. They are only as good as what you pay for IMO

its crap, I had it. They are only as good as what you pay for IMO

then i wont get one. think i might have to take him to my daughters tonight so i can go out.

The P@H are pretty good for the money. The ones in Argos are weak, plastic bottomed so crack and break easily. Try Jolleys also, the one I had for my Cocker came from there and it was pretty good :thumbsup:

jolleyes cages look really good and very neat.

i already called jolleys, they dont have one large enough in stock. ive been to 2 pet shops in hillsborough and cant get what i want. looks like iam going to have to reorder the one i cancelled. they will think iam.....:loopy:

pick up a copy of wednesdays ad mag. I got a brand new large one for £25 from ad mag for my lab. If nothing in wednesdays get tomorrows. They had about 5 for sale when I got mine.

or try the free ads? Just google it :)

Kongs are excellent but buy the black one as it is the strongest. You can fill with a food paste and it will take him ages to get it all out, as Labs love their food:love: I am sure he will love Kongs

here is a link to a picture


http://www.kongcompany.com/worlds_best.html

We got the red one for Ailsa (big daft doberman bitch) and its still in great nick after 5 years of chewing. We used to stuff all manner ofgoodies in ours and leave it for Ailsa to try to prise it al out whilst we were out - always kept her amused.

Of course, make sure you cut back your dog's other food intake and dont give a load of treats as well as the normal food intake, otherwise you will end up with one fat lab and labs are prone to overweight if over fed/under exercised.

ive just called them and they are too expensive. im just looking in argos book, theres 1 in there for £50, might have to get that one. its got a fleece part inside it but he wont have that long though.

I've got one (a sturdy large car crate suirable for a dobe, boxer, lab, collie or similar) that cost £90 new and Im selling it for £30 - I advertised it on here but the ad has disappeared now.

Large metal dog car-crate suitable for Labrador, Boxer, Doberman, Border Collie or similar sized dog - or would be OK for smaller dog or dogs.

Folds flat and is good sturdy metal construction with built in metal tray. Designed to fit hatch-back cars with one tapered side and in very good but used condition.

I bought it from a reputable inline website - see link below: mine is very similar to the single car crate they sell now but the model has changed slightly - mine does not have a divider and the door is in the side facing out of the car rather than up-and-over.

http://www.doghealth.co.uk/flexi.htm

The dimensions are: base: 3' x 2'. height: 26". top: 3' x 16". It is very strong and sturdy - not at all like some of the flimsy models you can buy nowadays. Although sold as a car-crate, it would be equally as good as a house crate and folds neatly away when not in use.

Accept £30. Note: this crate cost £90 when new and as far as I am aware, still retails at around that price.
PM me if interested please.
__________________

Have you tried leaving the dog with something that smells of you? An old t-shirt, blanket or anything. Wear it for a little while and leave it nearby. I had to do this with one of my dogs as she would pine all night literally (cruel mother not allowing doggy upstairs, that rule didn't last long though :hihi:) After a couple of nights of having something near she calmed right down :thumbsup:

Have you tried leaving the dog with something that smells of you? An old t-shirt, blanket or anything. Wear it for a little while and leave it nearby. I had to do this with one of my dogs as she would pine all night literally (cruel mother not allowing doggy upstairs, that rule didn't last long though :hihi:) After a couple of nights of having something near she calmed right down :thumbsup:

i wish it was that easy, max would just shred it to bits, just like he did to my trainers and leather bag and my partners slippers and the wellies he used to wear to take him on the fields.

Maybe you could do this when you have a cage? Put it outside the cage if he will chew it. Don't give up on him, there has to be a way to help him :)

Maybe you could do this when you have a cage? Put it outside the cage if he will chew it. Don't give up on him, there has to be a way to help him :)

i do sometime feel like giving up, but when he gives me the look with his sad eyes i just melt.

did u get the crate suzan?

HI Suzan,

As an owner of two chewy 2 year old labradors I know what you are going through. Unfortuantely this is a very popular trait in a labrador.

We did get a cage when they were little but stopped using them.

Evetually after trying lots of things we bought a dog shed and run for outside. Very expensive but well worth it. They dont go in at night.
We only use it when we are at work.
They love it. Its really warm and sheltered from the wind where it is. The reason we got it was because we were fed up of coming home and panicking what we were going to find, it was either chewed skirting boards, floor boards or doors etc.......It didnt matter how much toys and chews we left they still destroyed other stuff.
Now I have the dog shed they are so happy and so am I because they dont have to worry that when I get in I am going to be angry and I dont have to worry what I am going to come home to. :) Smiles all round.

I know alot of people recommend cages but I personally dont like them. Its too easy for people to get into the habbit of putting there dog in it too often and I think for labradors even the big ones are too small. I think dogs should be able move about alot and cages restrict it too much. I do think they are good for training and for very very short spaces of time but not more than an hour or so.

How is it going with max now? what have you decided to do?

:)

did u get the crate suzan?

i will have it tonight, my partner has just gone to pick it up. i will finally be able to go to the shops without worrying about what im going to come home too.

HI Suzan,

As an owner of two chewy 2 year old labradors I know what you are going through. Unfortuantely this is a very popular trait in a labrador.

We did get a cage when they were little but stopped using them.

Evetually after trying lots of things we bought a dog shed and run for outside. Very expensive but well worth it. They dont go in at night.
We only use it when we are at work.
They love it. Its really warm and sheltered from the wind where it is. The reason we got it was because we were fed up of coming home and panicking what we were going to find, it was either chewed skirting boards, floor boards or doors etc.......It didnt matter how much toys and chews we left they still destroyed other stuff.
Now I have the dog shed they are so happy and so am I because they dont have to worry that when I get in I am going to be angry and I dont have to worry what I am going to come home to. :) Smiles all round.

I know alot of people recommend cages but I personally dont like them. Its too easy for people to get into the habbit of putting there dog in it too often and I think for labradors even the big ones are too small. I think dogs should be able move about alot and cages restrict it too much. I do think they are good for training and for very very short spaces of time but not more than an hour or so.

How is it going with max now? what have you decided to do?

:)

iam getting a cage for him tonight, he wont ever be in it long as i only really go out when i go shopping. if i was to go out for any length of time i would take him to my daughters, my 2 little grand daughters love him to bits, the smaller one even sits on his back. apart from the biting he is a lovely dog. he is laid down at the moment fast asleep, he looks like butter wouldnt melt. :)

I'm glad to hear you're getting a cage tonight Suzan, I was preparing to find one for you should you not be able to get hold of one!

Cages aren't as bad as people think - dogs should be able to move about, it's true but in reality, when you're out, most dogs just sleep (so are still anyway) and those that don't are usually chewing - which probably means they're trying to pacify themselves so they can't be that happy.

In the majority of dogs, when used properly a cage not only stops them being able to chew, but it also stops them feeling the need to because they don't need to pacify themselves anymore as they are in a safe confined space.

I know you had one for him before and he was happy in it so I can't see you having any problems with it!

Whilst Tattybear has a great system set up - not everyone has space for a dog shed, we certainly don't! :lol:

Suzan - an interesting point though, do be aware that if you are getting home angry at what he's done, and he can sense your angry, it could actually be making the problem worse. I know you can't help being angry but if you can prepare yourself and don't react in front of him it may help the situation a little. (It might not, but it might!)

hi all, got a lovely big cage for max now, so i wont worry when i go shopping now, i know i wont have anymore damage now. :) here are some pics of max which were took today

http://s131.photobucket.com/albums/p319/suzan46/?action=view&current=006.jpg

http://s131.photobucket.com/albums/p319/suzan46/?action=view&current=005.jpg

http://s131.photobucket.com/albums/p319/suzan46/?action=view&current=004.jpg

Aww what a lovely looking lad. Glad you've sorted things out with him :)

I hope the cage works for you :) Its like anything; things in books and on the internet and advice people give wont always work on every dog. Training ways and advice are differently by every person and there is no right or wrong. I hope this works for you, im sure it will. Max is lovely :)

I hope the cage works for you :) Its like anything; things in books and on the internet and advice people give wont always work on every dog. Training ways and advice are differently by every person and there is no right or wrong. I hope this works for you, im sure it will. Max is lovely :)

max was in a cage for the first few months i had him. when i put the new cage up i said to him go to bed and he just looked at it (i think he knew i wasnt going out). today i did have to go out so i put my coat on, when i said to him go to bed he just walked in it and laid down. it was like he knew what was happening. now he keeps on going in the cage and laying down, he loves it. he is lovely your right, and i love him to bits, hes my baby.

So glad to hear its working for you Suzan!

That's fantastic suzan! So, so glad it's working for you! It sounds like he's quite relieved to have his own little space when you go out!

I am also a great believer in crate training for puppies and dogs with destructive problems.
The point made by another contibutor is very much valid and the cage should only be used for short periods. It is also important to 'condition' the dog to the cage first, it should not be seen as a 'prison' but a nice safe and confortable place to go! Start by leaving it open and putting all the nice things inside, treats toys and even the dinner!
I had two giant crates for my two Alsatians some years ago, they took loads of room up so i eventually decided to put one away, ther two dogs used to race to see who could get in the remaining crate first!
Someone quite rightly siad to beware of the cheap versions around, they have a plastic tray and usually get chewed quickly. The good ones have a front and side opening and a metal base. South Yorkshire Animal Rescue at Walkley sell these at 10 - 30 pound discount on RRP, they order them in and take about 4-5 days.
I think you Lab will settle down, ours was about 3 yrs when he finally calmed down a bit! Having him neutered might also help.

I am also a great believer in crate training for puppies and dogs with destructive problems.
The point made by another contibutor is very much valid and the cage should only be used for short periods. It is also important to 'condition' the dog to the cage first, it should not be seen as a 'prison' but a nice safe and confortable place to go! Start by leaving it open and putting all the nice things inside, treats toys and even the dinner!
I had two giant crates for my two Alsatians some years ago, they took loads of room up so i eventually decided to put one away, ther two dogs used to race to see who could get in the remaining crate first!
Someone quite rightly siad to beware of the cheap versions around, they have a plastic tray and usually get chewed quickly. The good ones have a front and side opening and a metal base. South Yorkshire Animal Rescue at Walkley sell these at 10 - 30 pound discount on RRP, they order them in and take about 4-5 days.
I think you Lab will settle down, ours was about 3 yrs when he finally calmed down a bit! Having him neutered might also help.

hi, i had max neutered when he was 6 months old and thats when i got his first cage, cos the vet said i should get one as it was the only way to stop him biting plus he said they love their own space. unfortunatly i gave the cage away cos i thought he had grown out of biting things, silly me. anyway the new cage i got was metal with end and front openings with a metal tray in the bottom. i always leave the doors open and he is in and out of it all day. i only close the doors when i have to leave him which is never long. oh and i always make sure he has his favourite toys in it too.