chewing puppies

[kl. Lipke]

Our 11 month old mini golden doodle is chewing on our carpets.  We've tried many things including not letting him out of sight!  Anyone have some ideas to try - he gets lots of exercise, has many chew toys, etc.

[Adina P]

wall to wall carpeting or area rugs?
what do you do when you catch him in the act?

does he do it with you watching him?

[nate]

Mine did the same. I sprayed the area he kept going after with Bitter Lemon and yelled at him, then locked him in the bathroom for 30 seconds ( trainer taught that ). It didn't help much , until I used a rolled up newspaper to (softly) smack his ass (also from a trainer). I let him go after it a few times in eyesight, then punished him when I "caught" him. After a few times he realized what was going on.

[Joanne ~ Spud*]

:(( no newspaper, no locking, and get a trainer who is up-to-date with training!

A squirt bottle may work. If its rugs, get rid of them for awhile.
Just my thoughts, but I would say, " that's not yours", then hand the pup a chew toy. Simple.

[Joanne ~ Spud*]

I have used the squirt bottles, and still don't want to recommend even that! So scratch that idea. A better idea is.....
It is a perfect time to .....Start teaching - drop it and leave it, commands.

[Joanne ~ Spud*]

Teaching Drop It

http://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=teaching+a+dog+to+drop+it&v...

http://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=teaching+a+dog+to+drop+it&v...

http://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=teaching+a+dog+to+drop+it&v...

Teaching Leave It

http://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=teaching+a+dog+leave+it&vie...

http://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=teaching+a+dog+leave+it&vie...

etc..... There are many videos on Youtube.

I did not watch these, just grabbed some ideas for you.   I don't have sound and my computer is broke. So, I borrowed a computer to answer you.

If these aren't the best, do your own search and find some ideas for Drop it and Leave it.

It will come in handy for many many things for years to come

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

I second getting another trainer. Hitting a dog with a rolled up newspaper teaches him to fear long cylindrical objects as well as you and your hands. Locking a dog in a bathroom teaches him to fear small closed in spaces abnd can also encourage barrier aggression.  I would have hoped these ideas on how to "punish" a dog went out with rotary dials. 

Somebody hit JD with rolled up newspapers and locked him in bathrooms before I got him. How do I know that? Because of the way he flinches at the sight of long cylindrical objects, or when someone reaches out at him, and the way he will not walk all the way into the bathrooms in our home. 

[Star and Goldie]

Aww what you said about JD makes me so sad. Sadly, owners may think they are solving the problem with an immediate fix like that but long term the puppy is very emotionally scarred. It breaks my heart that people still use methods like that as well. I had a rescue once who was treated very badly by her previous owners and they used a plastic hanger for punishment. For the 2 years that I had her, any time I did laundry and had hangers out she would run and hide :(

[Joanna, Zoe & Bender]

Oh Star!  that's so sad!!!!!

and JD :(  I'm glad Karen is your mommy now 

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Thanks, guys. He is much better now; after 7 years, I think he's pretty sure no one here is going to hit him. 

[Joanna, Zoe & Bender]

:)

[Amy, Cubbie & Ollie]

that's how it is with Ollie.  I can't go near him with mail in my hand and if I happened to have the mail rolled up forget it.  Our mailboxes out here are at the end of the block so I always stop to pick up the mail at the end of our walks.  If I forget and go to grab Ollie's leash with the mail in my hand goes flat to the ground and then tries to get away. 

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Makes you sad thinking what he might have gone through before you saved him.