Hi there,

I was hoping someone could offer some advice or help! I have a gorgeous 1 year old chocolate lab whom I have had since she was 8 weeks old. She has recently decided to chew out my phone lines from the wall (4 times now) and I am at a loss as what to do. She completely destroys them no matter where I put them. The phone is not ringing as I switch if off (as I thought this is why she might be doing this at first.)

Her routine has not changed in any way, nor has her diet or exercise. She is left alone in the house for 4 hours max at a time but this has been the case since she was little and has not changed in any way. She does not bark or seem anxious in any way when we leave her. This routine is well established with her.

She was crate trained as a young pup and was then given the kitchen area as her own and now has the run of the entire living area which she has been great with for months.

I am at a total loss as to what to do with her and would greatly appreciate any advice or help.

Thanks :)

Why not just keep her in the kitchen when you are out?  In my experience dogs are happier and more relaxed when left in a smaller area. 

Yep, I agree, keep her in the kitchen or even go back to using a crate.  If you're not there you've no way of knowing what the stimulus for this behaviour is - might be someone coming to the door, it could be anything happing outside of the house.

> recently decided to chew out my phone lines from the wall (4 times now)

For her safety, and your peace of mind, she should be left where she cannot access items like this.  You must be very patient to have let his happen a 2nd time let alone 3rd and 4th! :)

My neighbours dog has the run of their house whilst they are out and it has made her a rather anxious dog.  It's almost as if she thinks she has been left in charge and needs to defend her territory, she worries about each passing walker or car door noise.  I often hear her barking and I can see her running between every window to guard her house.

It may be the age of your dog that has caused a change or perhaps something new that is happening whilst you are out, but either way it makes sense to restrict her movements in the house and perhaps her view too.  Many dogs will just sleep when their owners are out so the notion of being put to bed (perhaps back in her crate) is a good one. That may depend on your timings though - is 4 hours the norm?

If your dog has developed a desire to chew perhaps you could get her a kong or something that may appease her or if it's simple boredom could someone come in and let her out for you?  At 12 months old you may well be noticing that she simply doesn't need as much sleep as she used to and she might need a small step up in her exercise regime.  Good luck with whatever you try :)

Hi there,

Thanks for your reply and helpful advice. I have tried restricting her back to the kitchen again however she proceeded to destroy it by chewing her way out - literally!  I have bought her many toys such a Kong stuffable treats toy and toys specific for chewers which she loves and I rotate them so she doesn't get bored.

I have stepped up her exercise each month as she has aged. She now gets a half hour walk at 6.30am, ten minutes at lunch time and well over an hour and a half out through the fields etc at night time.

It makes sense that she might feel in charge of the house so I may try and restrict her view perhaps closing the blinds during the day?...
I am very patient and willing to try new things with her however my poor husband (who I spent a long time persuading a dog would be a great addition to our family) cant believe the state our house is becoming...:)

Thanks again for your reply.

You mentioned leaving her for 4 hours maximum but do you mean twice in a day ie before and after lunch.  In which case it is probably just too long and she is bored and lonely.  Could you arrange a dog walker to break up her day or better still find some day care locally, at a kennels or whatever.

Hi,

Yes I leave her before and after lunch. I come home each day for about half an hour or so and have done this since she was little. I do worry it is too long for her but she has been fine with it up until this past month or so. I have considered taking her daily to kennels that are local but I worried this would be a shock to her?? and worried it would make her anxious? However, I know I have to sort out this problem of chewing and fast before I have no house left. Thanks once again for your advice and help with this.

I think if you choose your kennels carefully the experience could be more rewarding than sitting alone at home.

Sorry I am bombarding you with questions...but what should I look for in good kennels?

I think it just boils down to if you like their attitude and you think your dog will like them.  Kennels all have to meet standards of hygiene etc so not so much to worry about there these days.  If it's day care you could ask about activities.  Walks, play with other dogs etc, but even the comings and goings in a busy kennel can give a dog some interest.

I am not sure if their would be much of a difference in price but I would honestly opt for a good dog walker twice a day. She will have more one to one.  I am not sure how the daily kennel set up works but the dog walker appeals more to me. 

Alternatively do you have anyone you really trust local, perhaps a retired person you could have walk your dog twice a day , give them a little pocket money for it.

There are solutions and may be worth trying a few. :-)

Good luck though.    Most dogs just hate being left that long and you can kind of understand how she feels.

WHilst sorting out walkers, kennels etc - I strongly recommend smearing a little Vicks vaporub (or Boots own equivalent) over the areas most likely to be chewed.

My Rotties liked walls, skirting boards, and one even had a penchant for extension lead (plugged in and hidden under a shoe rack). We are lucky that our trip switch is very sensitive, so we didn't come home to a fried Rottie or the house ablaze. I've found (following some advice on CD), that a very thin coating is sufficient for them to turn their nose up, even areas that have already succumbed to their jaws.