My dog is destructive. How can I stop his chewing without costly training?

I would strongly recommend against any sort of punishment as they are notoriously ineffective for training long term goals. Hitting him with the newspaper or locking him away in a room is only going to confuse him and make him sad. Positive reinforcement training (rewarding behaviors / actions that are preferable) has time and time again been show to be the most effective method of training puppies and the majority of adult dogs. Golden Retrievers are very smart and usually eager to please their masters. You just must understand that Austin is very, very young and is behaving in a way that is totally normal for a dog of this age and breed. I would encourage you to begin crate training Austin if you haven't already. Once he views the crate as a positive place (sort of like his own personal den), you can ask him to go to it and stay in it without it actually appearing like a punishment / time out. Crate training videos can be seen all over the internet on YouTube. That would be my advise to get things moving in the right direction. I would also encourage you to exercise him as much as possible (assuming he is vaccinated) so that he is less inclined to be destructive or annoying when he is around you mother or you. Hope this makes sense!

I certainly understand and sympathize with your situation. I have one younger dog that is much too high energy. I have a few suggestions for you that have helped me, but I would try to figure out anything that has triggered Grizzley's new behavior. When an 8 year old dog has sudden behavioral changes, it is worth going to your veterinarian for an exam and blood work just to make sure nothing is wrong. And if Grizzley is going to risk hurting himself, be sure to keep him in a crate when he is not supervised. As far as keeping Grizzley occupied, one thing that people think of first is treats that keep them busy for a longer period of time. This does seem to help. You can use long lasting treats like a Kong filled with peanut butter, yogurt, treats, etc and frozen so it takes longer for him to eat. My dog also really like Bully Sticks which I also freeze to make them last a little longer. And keep him mentally and physically busy during meal times. I love using a feeding balls like a Buster Cube or Tricky Treat ball to feed meals in. It keeps my dog busy for at least 5-10 minutes at each meal and requires him to work. And speaking of working. I have found that my dog is the most tired after we have done a good round of training. Even if you have done a basic obedience class, I would consider trying an advanced class, a nose work class, a tricks class, etc. And if taking a class isn't an option right now, work on training at home. When he goes on walks, make him sit at each corner before he crosses the street. It sounds simple, but additional mental stimulation can go a long way. Playing with other dogs is a great outlet for energy. If you haven't tried it yet, look into your local dog park or doggy daycare center. Sending my youngest dog to daycare once a week has made a huge difference. There are a number of interactive dog games and toys available now. Outward Hound makes a number of toys that your dog has to figure out a puzzle of some type before they get a treats. Here are some ideas for those. https://www.petco.com/category/dog/dog-toys/interactive-dog-toys/dog-puzzle-toys-and-games I have not tried the Clever Pet yet, but it is an electronic interactive toy that I am intrigued about. https://clever.pet So, I think the key is to vary his activities daily and include a wide range of physical and mental stimulation. Be sure to be creative to tire him out on a regular basis and help everyone keep their sanity. Good luck! I hope that was helpful. Thanks for using PetCoach.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. I have two comments for you. One is, he could be doing this for attention or because he is not getting enough exercise. Perhaps try extra time with practicing tricks or playing. An extra walk or run can also help keep boredom and pent up energy under control. 90% of the time, this is the issue. If you feel you are already doing a great job in these departments, consider crate training him so that he has “quiet time” while you’re working etc. The other comment is redirection. When he runs off with your shoe (or whatever) tell him no firmly and immediately offer something he CAN chew/play with. Then praise him and maybe play with that toy with him for a minute or two. If those are not working, it’s timw to involve a trainer. Best wishes to you and Stitch!

Hi there and thank you for using pet coach to address your concern. It sounds like Loki has a fitting name! Unfortunately, he has separation anxiety and this can be difficult to correct many times. I would recommend providing him with plenty of toys including the kong toy that allows you to insert peanut butter or small treats so that he has to really work to get the treat. Adaptil priducta, which can be found online, can also help. If you are unable to correct this behavior, I would try NaturVet quiet moments calm chews with Melatonin which can be found online or at your local pet store. If there is still no improvement after trying these, I would recommend having a veterinarian examine him so that the most appropriate treatment can be recommended such as anti anxiety medicatioms. I hope this helps! Please let me know if you have any other questions or concerns and I would be more than happy to help you further.

Kailana is adorable! Thanks for including some pictures. I certainly understand and sympathize with your situation. I have one younger dog that has a lot of destructive energy and loves to destroy everything. I have a few suggestions for you that have helped me. First, find things that will keep her mouth busy. One thing that people think of first is treats that keep them busy for a longer period of time. This does seem to help. You can use long lasting treats like a Kong filled with peanut butter, yogurt, treats, etc and frozen so it takes longer for her to eat. My dog also really like Bully Sticks which I also freeze to make them last a little longer. Keep her mentally and physically busy during meal times. I love using a feeding balls like a Buster Cube or Tricky Treat ball to feed meals in. It keeps my dog busy for at least 5-10 minutes at each meal and requires him to work. And speaking of working. I have found that my dog is the most tired after we have done a good round of training. Even if you have done a basic obedience class, I would consider trying an advanced class, a nose work class, a tricks class, etc. And if taking a class isn't an option right now, work on training at home. When she goes on walks, make her sit at each corner before she crosses the street. It sounds simple, but additional mental stimulation can go a long way. Playing with other dogs is a great outlet for energy. If you haven't tried it yet, look into your local dog park or doggy daycare center. Sending my youngest dog to daycare once a week has made a huge difference. There are a number of interactive dog games and toys available now. Outward Hound makes a number of toys that your dog has to figure out a puzzle of some type before they get a treats. Here are some ideas for those. https://www.petco.com/category/dog/dog-toys/interactive-dog-toys/dog-puzzle-toys-and-games I have not tried the Clever Pet yet, but it is an electronic interactive toy that I am intrigued about. https://clever.pet And finally, give her appropriate things to destroy. My dog loves paper towel rolls and cardboard boxes. I also get toys that he loves to destroy, so he can get that destructive energy out. So, I think the key is to vary her activities daily and include a wide range of physical and mental stimulation. Be sure to be creative to tire her out on a regular basis and help everyone keep their sanity. Good luck! I hope that was helpful. Thanks for using PetCoach.

I hate to hear this is happening. German Shepherds are very active dogs and require a lot of training and exercise. Chewing is normal for puppies Enzo's age. So is picking up things they shouldn't. Also, dog training needs to be positive and consistent. Here are some links which may help: https://www.petcoach.co/article/chewing-in-puppies-how-to-control-it/ https://www.petcoach.co/breed/german-shepherd-dog/ https://positively.com/ https://www.petcoach.co/article/basic-dog-puppy-training-rules/ https://www.petcoach.co/article/rewards-are-necessary-when-training-dogs-and-puppies/ I hope this helps.

Unfortunately this is a common problem in puppies, but luckily there are many things you can do to help stop it. Redirecting him to appropriate toys and providing praise for when he chooses the correct things to chew on can help. Go to https://veterinarypartner.vin.com and type Destructive Chewing by Puppies and Dogs and Bones are Unsafe for Your Dog, No Bones about It in the search bar for more information. Also see the link below for training tips: https://drsophiayin.com/blog/entry/how-to-prevent-damage-from-a-destructive-dog/