# Chewing When Alone



## Buckeye_Fever (Nov 10, 2012)

I have a wonderful two year old Golden. She's is absolutely perfect except for one thing I've been dealing with for a while. We recently got rid of her cage in the house and we let her roam the house while we are away. She never messes in the house but she chews stuff up when we are gone. She has bones and toys to chew on but she always finds something that's doesn't belong to her to chew up. It's usually paper or our rugs. She never swallows what she chews up. 

I don't know how to correct this. I'm completely against ever hitting an animal for discipline. I also think a muzzle isn't humane. I set up my webcam to watch her while I'm gone. I've played saved audio files of me telling her no when I've caught her chewing something up. She doesn't seem phased by it. She always chews up something almost immediately after we leave the house. 

Please share your advice on how I can fix this. Thanks a ton!

This is the mess I get to go home to today....









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## Claudia M (Aug 8, 2012)

From the picture I see that your dog has access to a lot of stuff that he was not ablt to encounter while caged. Just because he is 2 years old it does not mean that the house should not be dog proofed. 
You cannot spank or correct the dog while you are away and most definitely not when you get back as he will have no idea what you are correcting him for - you will only teach him to be afraid of you coming home. 
Dog proof the house, start small with pet gates and lesser space, close rooms that have toys and other small children items laying around. Also start small as far as timing. Open his access to one room, leave the house and come back in 15 or 20 minutes. If you catch him in the act you can correct with a no, leave it and then reward him for listening to you.


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## SusanLloyd (Sep 30, 2013)

The only way I know how to deal with this easily is just not to let the dog have access to things. Maybe gate off an area such as part of the kitchen or a hallway where there's nothing she can reach that's not hers but she can still move around more than she would be able to if crated.

I've never let a dog have the roam of the entire house when we're out because it's just too much temptation! Also for the dog's own safety I feel it's better not to have access to everything. If I'm out for longer than anticipated then I know he's in a safe area and I don't need to worry.


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## Charliethree (Jul 18, 2010)

Suggest giving her back the crate, leave the door off or open so she can access it when you are not home. It can provide a sense of security, and feels to them to be a 'safe place' to sleep when left alone, or to retreat to when they are feeling the need for a nap. 
Prevention and management is key. Dogs are curious by nature, explore the world with their mouths and in their eyes many things make wonderful toys, paper crinkles and rattles, a new item provides a new taste sensation or may be tested for 'chew' factor whether we like it or not. 
Having her freedom while you are out is a new situation for her. Help her make better choices by picking up before you leave, or blocking access to areas where she can get herself in trouble. Ensure that she has something appropriate to do while you are gone, try giving her a frozen stuffed Kong, or a good chew bone, a few treats in a treat ball or puzzle to work on while you are away, having access to her crate may help to minimize any stress she may be feeling. Also consider whether she is getting enough exercise (mental and physical) on a regular basis, a 'tired dog is a good dog' the saying has a lot of truth to it.


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## Buckeye_Fever (Nov 10, 2012)

Thanks for all of the great advice. I'm going to make a better attempt at dog proofing the house before I leave. I'm also going to try the frozen kong idea. I don't have room to bring the crate back in and the layout of my house makes it difficult for me to block it off in any sensible way. I just wish I knew why she was doing it. She never chews things up in front of us.


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## Buckeye_Fever (Nov 10, 2012)

Also going to make sure she gets more exercise.


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## Charliethree (Jul 18, 2010)

Dogs chew for several reasons, aside from it being a natural behavior for them, it keeps their teeth clean and jaw muscles in shape. Puppies 'explore' with their mouths, constantly 'taste testing' to figure out what is good to eat, and what feels good to chew. For older dogs, some just enjoy chewing, it feels good to them, for others, chewing can be a 'relaxer', a stress reliever of sorts, (some dogs get anxious when left alone, some dogs get bored and find something to chew).


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## SusanLloyd (Sep 30, 2013)

Retrievers in particular are natural mouthers of just about everything! Some are also compulsive swallowers of whatever they put in their mouths, and it's this that worries me most about a leaving even a young adult dog never mind a pup on its own with access to all kinds of stuff that might put it in danger. 

It's most probably a reaction to your leaving him at first, followed by a bit of boredom as the day goes on.


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## Buckeye_Fever (Nov 10, 2012)

Well I've tried my best to "dog proof" the house the last few days, and there has been several days in a row with nothing chewed up!


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## ahama757 (Feb 19, 2014)

*6 month golden with separation anxiety chewing walls*

I have a 6 month old golden puppy. When we first got him we tried the crated thing while we were at work during the day...my husband comes home halfway through the day, everyday for 35 mins and feeds him, plays, and takes him outside. We learned very quickly that he had separation anxiety and crating was not going to work. We have him in an area of the house and that was going fine for about a month. Then he decided to chew our drywall. He has every toy in his area and a kong filled with frozen banana. He has chewed the wall 4 times...over months. I just don't get what else we can do. There is no pattern to him doing it, he has plenty of toys to keep him busy and he gets let out half way through the day. I am just at a loss for what to do and crating isn't an option due to his severe anxiety, he is covered head to toe in drool if he is crated, which then also means daily baths. Any advice is greatly appreciated! !


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## Brave (Oct 26, 2012)

ahama757 said:


> I have a 6 month old golden puppy. When we first got him we tried the crated thing while we were at work during the day...my husband comes home halfway through the day, everyday for 35 mins and feeds him, plays, and takes him outside. We learned very quickly that he had separation anxiety and crating was not going to work. We have him in an area of the house and that was going fine for about a month. Then he decided to chew our drywall. He has every toy in his area and a kong filled with frozen banana. He has chewed the wall 4 times...over months. I just don't get what else we can do. There is no pattern to him doing it, he has plenty of toys to keep him busy and he gets let out half way through the day. I am just at a loss for what to do and crating isn't an option due to his severe anxiety, he is covered head to toe in drool if he is crated, which then also means daily baths. Any advice is greatly appreciated! !


You will most likely get more answers if you start your own thread. 

In regards to your situation, can you set up x-pens so he doesn't have access to the walls?? I have a 6 yr old foster who has severe anxiety in the crate during the day if no one is near her (at night she sleeps in a smaller crate without problem b/c I'm right next to her in bed). We got around this by putting up an x-pen around the living room so she has access to water, toys, her open crate - which she is fine with - and the soft dog beds without risking her being out to get into things. She's recently discovered the window and so we leave some of the x-pen in front of the drapes so she cannot get up to the window. I assume the same would work to prevent her teeth from reaching the walls. 

Also, have you considered trying the thunder shirt or seek a professional's advice regarding her separation anxiety? Some dogs end up needing medication to overcome their extreme anxiety.


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