We have two Lab boys; one Black, one Choc - very, very different characters. I've read umpteen books so I know this is normal and to be expected. In fact it's what makes it fun. They are same age (10 months) but different breeders; they have been together since 10 weeks. When separated for 'time out' they pine for each other and whine through the door - kissing each other once reunited. However like all siblings they bicker. Choc boy 'Boswell' is extremely highly strung and anxious. He has training for his impulsive behaviour as he jumps up and tries to sit on everyone's lap even though he is approaching 30kg now. He barks during the night, not because he needs a wee - usually because he has heard a sound and needs reassuring. However he also chews. We put them in crates when smaller, in the open plan living room but the noise of the fridge, light on the smoke alarm etc. bothered him. We moved them to a large pen in the utility room, but he is tall enough to reach items over the sides standing on his tippy toes. He has destroyed five coats, two iron cables and plugs, umpteen laundry items and multiple dog beds. Without a dog bed the tiled floor of the utility gets too cold for the slim, fine coated Black lab, Boomer - and he then howls. We can't fit a big enough crate in the utility, so we have just had a bespoke wooden crate built to go in the family room (1800mm x 800mm x 700mm). We put a couple of toys and Boomer's mat in for their first night. We came down the next morning and Bos has chewed through the wooden vertical bars (55mm thick). We sprayed anti-chew product on the wood, he actually licked it even more. I don't know what to do anymore. My husband wants to muzzle him during the night which I know shouldn't be done. The only time Boswell doesn't chew is when he sleeps in our room - which we have succumbed to on the odd occasion because we have been so tired from getting up multiple times in the night and haven't wanted to disturb the neighbours. I know chewing is the symptom of something else - and I believe it is anxiety - please please please can anyone suggest what else we can do. I realise we should have had a metal crate built, but i'm desperate to find a solution that doesn't involve wasting the £900 spent on this custom wood one.
Hello, I feel for you. Dogs are all so different and getting to the root of some behaviours is tricky. I have had 5 dogs, only one chewed. I don’t believe she was anxious, I think she almost had a bit of developmental delay and chewing ended up being a habit. Wood was just the best, she loved it. I think they love wood more than anything, it must reward them differently. You could be sat in the same room and hear her teeth start on a chair, table etc. She was never an only dog and not left for long periods. It’s quite sweet now as she has been gone years but we still remember her fondly looking our damaged table etc. To be able to settle your dog needs to be be tired from physical and mental exercise? You might find increasing those elements might have an impact. At 10 months they take some wearing out. However it does sound like your dog has some degree of anxiety so perhaps time to see advice from a behaviourist as you really don’t want to muzzle an anxious dog. Sorry to have not been more help.
Sleeping in the same room with you might be the best solution. Most dogs like to be with the rest of their family. The best way to stop them from chewing unwanted items, is to keep them away from them. While it may run counter to the other advise on this site, I would say NO if I caught one of our dogs chewing (or counter surfing) something they should not. I would also give them things that were appropriate to chew, and play a lot of games with them. I'm not sure chewing is a sign of anxiety, maybe just boredom. We have never lost any furniture, but all of our dogs, especially Cooper pick up the odd piece of scrap wood or fire wood and chew it up, even when they have plenty of chew toys and tugs.
Can you clear your utility room of chewables? It won't be forever and you can put everything back when they've grown up a bit. The unchewable solution to cold floors for my dog was a raised trampoline style bed. He absolutely loves it and it was very cheap online ( zooplus).
