How to stop my 6-month beagle from eating floor items and stealing shoes?

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! You need to teach Sofi basic commands: come, sit, drop it, leave it. You can't expect a dog to know how to do this things naturally. Leave it is a great command, as when you see her going for something you can use it. Also drop it is great because once she has something you can call her to you and have her drop it/give it to you. She is a young dog and sometimes it takes 2-3 years to grow out of this. I would pick up things you do not want her to get in to, close bedroom/closet doors and confine her when you are not home. I would also hire a trainer or take her to classes if you feel teaching her these things yourself will not go well. Good luck!

Yikes! It is perfectly normal for puppies to chew, and it is important to provide them with appropriate toys to chew on. Even if she has a lot of toys and chews Zoe might still be attracted to this area of the floor however. I would recommend keeping her crated or confined to another puppy proofed area whenever you are not directly supervising her. If you think she may have eaten larger pieces of the floor you should watch for signs of an obstruction like vomiting or a decrease in appetite.

Hello, and thanks for your question. Sounds like Alex is quite the trouble maker! You're right - the best way to prevent them from eating material is to simply keep the house as spotless as possible. Dogs naturally explore the world with their mouths, and some are more prone to eating what they find than others. Teaching Alex the "drop it" or "leave it" command will help when you see him getting into something he shouldn't. I would also recommend crate training Alex and keeping him safely confined when he's alone. In a few extreme cases, I have had patients wear basket muzzles to prevent them from eating what they shouldn't - but this is not usually necessary and is only something I usually consider after a dog has had multiple foreign body surgeries! If you are thinking about going this route with Alex, I would definitely touch base with your vet for guidance. It's important to make sure it's an appropriate fit so dogs can still pant, drink water, etc, and they need to be properly trained to wear the muzzle to minimize stress. Hope this helps!

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Sadly this is a puppy and or breed problem that MOST dogs eventually outgrow. Everything he could chew on should be put away or removed until this phase of puppy-hood is over. The family needs to learn to put their shoes in the closet. All plants should be put up on furniture or shelves. All exposed wires should be hidden or blocked with baby gates. When Damon can not be 100% watched he should be crated for his own safety or penned in a dog play pen or gated in a room that is puppy proofed. Make sure he gets plenty of exercise with walks and one on one play or sign him up for doggie day care during the day. Most chewing occurs out of boredom. Sign him up for training classes or start teaching him "leave it" and be sure he knows how to come when called. This is going to take time and patience and everyone doing their part to prevent injury to their belongings and to Damon. I hope this helps and I wish you the best!

Ziggy is just being a puppy and exploring his area. Puppies don't know what is and is not appropriate to chew on or play with. First, I would recommend putting away everything that is not appropriate to chew on. If there are things that cannot be picked up, like electrical cords or upholstered objects, then you may have to prevent Ziggy's access to those areas by blocking off the object or using baby gates. Second, you can try a product like Bitter Apple Spray that can be sprayed on things to make them taste bad (fair warning, though, some puppies don't care about the taste!). Third, make sure that Ziggy has plenty of appropriate puppy toys available. You may have to try several different types to find what he prefers to chew on. Always monitor him - if he is able to tear it up then it is not safe for him! You may also hide some of the toys and rotate them every week so that he thinks old toys are new. Puppies get bored just like humans. Fourth, when you are gone, consider crate training to keep Ziggy safe. It doesn't take much for him to swallow something that gets stuck in his intestines! Here is some more helpful information: http://www.veterinarypartner.com/Content.plx?P=A&S=0&C=0&A=1129 http://www.veterinarypartner.com/Content.plx?P=A&S=0&C=0&A=1517

He’s using this as a way to get you to play. I would try to put up things he shouldn’t have and ignore him when he takes something. Your trying to get it is what he wants. If he likes to go outside or for a walk take the leash and act like you are leaving so he’ll want to join you and hopefully will drop the object. When I teach the command ‘Drop’ which is what you need in this instance, is to offer him a very high value reward. Steak, cheese, hot dogs or his favorite toy. In order to get the reward he needs to release the object he isn’t supposed to have. I recommend putting him on a short leash, giving him a toy and working on the ‘Drop’ command. That way he can’t run away, and soon he’ll learn what you want. He’s just a bratty teenager so don’t go along with his games. He will improve as he gets older. A general group obedience class will help you learn to work together also, and is fun. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to help you care for Jax.

Startle him in the act. Set up cans filled with loud objects precariously positioned so when he jumps up it all crashes around and startled him. Set this up time and time again. Best of luck and thank you for using Pet Coach.