# she's out of control



## Thaisslima (Jan 15, 2013)

.. and its not an exercise issue.

I've just spent 40minutes playing and she was apparently done... tired.
I was out in the shower for 10min and in my way back to the living room.. this is the result.


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## nolefan (Nov 6, 2009)

Um, welcome to the forum. How old is your dog? How long has this type of behavior been a problem? What plans do you have in place to manage her - eg. Is she crate trained? Do you crate her when you can't watch her? What kind of chew toys are available to her? Do you give her frozen kongs? What kind of training do you do with her? What is her daily routine/schedule?


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## Oaklys Dad (Dec 28, 2005)

oOthing a little spackle and paint won't fix. You didn't say how old you pup is but you may want to find yourself a good puppy class. Exercising their minds is as important as exercising their bodies.


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## Thaisslima (Jan 15, 2013)

Thanks!

Meg is 9 months old and has been eating walls and wood in general since she's 5 mths old.
I have tried several products, pepper etc but she seems to like it better when I use them (she's an eater really).
I work during the day but there are usually people in the house during the day.. she spends around 3/4 hours a day alone top.. never in the crate, as I live in an apartment.

I walk with her in the mornings and in the evening.. around 1 /1.5 hours a day.
When its raining or I don't walk her for any reason, we play ball or just hang out.


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## Sally's Mom (Sep 20, 2010)

My dry wall, couch eating pup does well with mental exercise, I.e obedience training...she is a pistol!


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## Wendi (Jul 2, 2012)

Meg is beautiful! (I looked at her picture in your profile)

Have you ever crated her or used an X-pen, because those are the only two things I can think of to help when your not around to watch her.


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## mudEpawz (Jan 20, 2011)

Does she eat, or attempt to eat, wood or the walls when you in the same room as her? If so, what do you do to get her to stop?


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## nolefan (Nov 6, 2009)

So, the checklist

1) spackle, sand and paint 
2) Go on line and find a few videos if you can't take classes, start working more on obedience and try to occupy her brain more on a daily basis.
3) I would crate her when you can't watch her, eating things like that isn't good for her and it's going to get expensive before it gets better.... Keep up the exercise and Hang in there.


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## Tennyson (Mar 26, 2011)

That's plaster. 
Mentally stimulate your pup. The puppy is bored when she's not next to you.


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## Marlee&Me (Apr 12, 2013)

From my experience her behavior isn't considered unusual. It certainly is unwanted and annoying though! My advice is crate her when you can't keep an eye on her. She is basically going through another teething stage and her chewing at this stage can be much worse than when she was younger. Plus, her jaws are so much stronger now and can cause a lot more damage in a short period of time. 

Another thing I would suggest is provide her with more interesting chewing toys. There are toys out there that can be stuffed with peanut butter, and my dog can spend half an hour licking out the PB! That's a half hour of peace and quiet that I appreciate! Also, there are toys that provide a little more mental stimulation and require the dog to work a little harder to get the treat. And her favorite chew toy is a fresh cow knee bone from the butcher. She can work that one all day!

You can get through this stage with her and your house will survive. Limit her to safe areas and provide her with a lot of other fun chew things. Oh, and if you find her chewing something she isn't suppose to be chewing, like the carpet, grab her favorite chew toy and trade her. Another thing you can do is when you do find her chewing on something appropriate, praise her a lot!


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## Thaisslima (Jan 15, 2013)

mudEpawz said:


> Does she eat, or attempt to eat, wood or the walls when you in the same room as her? If so, what do you do to get her to stop?


sometimes she tries. I guess she is just too lazy to get her toys and she just goes to whatever is closer to her jaw.
when she tries to eat wood and walls and Im around I tell her not to do so and give her a chewing toy instead..


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## DesmondsMommy (Jun 29, 2013)

I would suggest using bitter apple to spray on wooden corners or surfaces you know she's prone to chew on. It's a spray you can purchase at any pet store to discourage destructive chewing. Also have you tried nylabones or bully sticks? Bully sticks and RAWHIDES should be used sparingly (only up to 2-3 hours a day or so). But it should distract your pup when you're busy doing something for a few minutes. 

Also I would highly recommend a crate or some kind of baby pen. I know it's hard to accommodate in a small apartment (I also live in a one bedroom apt). But it definitely helps avoid the house and our belongings from getting chewed!


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## DesmondsMommy (Jun 29, 2013)

Also, I heard from a breeder that 6-9 months is the age that most golden owners return their pups to the breeder. It is probably one of the most difficult times for owners because the adolescent dog will be hyper active and somewhat unyielding depending on how dominant his/her temperament is. I was assured that these same "crazy" pups end up being completely pleasant and amazing dogs after a bit of positive reinforcement/training and just old fashioned waiting it out. BEST OF LUCK!


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## USAFWife74 (Jan 13, 2013)

Ellie would eat the walls and scratch at them when she was having anxiety issues when I first rescued her. It wasn't exercise, it was stress. And yes, mental stimulation is just as important as physical! Ellie can walk, walk, and walk without exhausting herself. But, start training, she gets so mentally exhausted after short training sessions of 15 minutes or so. And I notice as her confidence built from training, her socially anxious behavior stopped. 

Best wishes!!! I know you don't crate, we didn't either, but limiting her access to places will help!


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## Claudia M (Aug 8, 2012)

Our puppy did almost the same thing, I ended up screwing plexi-glass in the corners and around the trim in the hallway. I wasn't concerned as much about the damage (I am glad I have an excuse change my trim around the house now) as much as I was concerned about her health and safety. 
This is probably the reason I enjoy field training with her - it exhausts her mentally and also physically. She has to sit/stay, mark, run when told, find/hold and bring back.


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