Do dogs act out? What is the deal?

[Megan]

Brooks has been a good boy over the last few months and now suddenly, he's on a mission to chew up everything. I don't know if its boredom, new found freedom or just being bad!! My husband has been gone all week so his routine has changed. I'm not sure what to do. I started crating him again because the last few days he has chewed up stuff in the house including the corner of our base board! NEEEVER chewed anything like that before! I don't know what the deeeeal is. He's turning one in Aug...is he going through something? I thought we'd be through the chewing and badness! I feel awful because now I can't trust him out of his crate at all and I want to be able to!!!! Advice? Thoughts? When should I give it a try again?

[Chris & Boys]

I have considered buying antlers, but was afraid they were too hard. My GR broke two teeth on a nylabone, and my vet told me never to let him chew on anything that was too hard to hit your knee wtih.....So, I wondered if they were too hard, and had a risk of breaking teeth and splintering into sharp pcs.?

[Megan]

I'm kinda at a loss on this one. Brooks has never destroyed anything before and is now a year old and decided to chew on everything. He has always chewed on his bones and proper things (I guess he did get ahold of one flip flop), but now it seems those things don't satisfy him for long enough. I think I need to crate him for a little longer and then wean him back into leaving him out of his crate while we are gone. I think I'll also try some of those other chew ideas though for other times. I do have a fear of letting him chew on those things unattended...I'm afraid he'll choke and I won't be home!

[Allyson, Peri & Taquito]

I haven't worried about this, maybe I should. The pet store where I bought them is a pretty picky store. What I mean is that they carry only very high quality foods and treats. I wouldn't think she would sell something that was dangerous to teeth.
The antlers do get softer (like a bone) and I haven't noticed any teeth breaking. Peri still hasn't even lost any baby teeth and is 16 weeks. I don't know!

[Cherri]

My trainer said that dogs can go through teenage years. I don't know if this is true, but he told us that we may train our dog at 3 months and get ready to train again between 8 months and one year because of a "mischievious stage" that dogs go through maybe testing where their place in the pack is and trying to move to the alpha dog. I don't know if this is this case but he also said that this is the period when exercising is the most important and establishing our roles as the alpha is important. He said that this is one of the highest ages for animals going to the pound. I thought that sounded pretty good.

[HANNAH 8/2/07 & HONEY 7/2/08]

Sometimes dogs go through stages and you just have to ride the tide with them. He probably is upset if his routine has changed and he could be upset your hubby is not around. Can you spray bitter apple around or tabasco sauce so he does not chew on things you don't want him having and keep him tethered to you when he is out of his crate to keep an eye on him. My dogs are always crated when I am gone...they come out when I come home and if its for longer periods of time...like 8 + hours I either have family let them out and walk them or have a pet sitter for them. If you think he is spending to much time in a crate...try a pet sitter during the day to walk him...or even a neighbor who you trust and feel comfortable, they might even help. I don't leave chew things in crates either, except the biscuit I give them for going in their crates when they have to.

[Karen & Lucy]

It sounds to me like he is missing your DH. My DH swears that when I am at work all day, Lucy just lays around and sleeps, as soon as I get home she starts picking up anything that she KNOWS that she is not allowed to have and wants me to chase her. Maybe this is his way of getting the attention that he is missing from your DH. I have been very thankful that Lucy does not chew furniture, woodwork etc. I do have ALOT of chew things around for her, even empty plastic pop bottles. I like the antler idea though. Good Luck

[Maryann,Roo and Tigger]

Chewing is a total dog thing. Eventually Brooks will get the whole this is a chew toy, this is not thing. But three years old is about the earliest you can expect him to be left alone for any length of time, uncrated. Just keep on doing what you are doing. If you thought you could trust him, then he is getting the concept, but he is not even one! You are doing good, you are just not done. Some dogs like some children take longer to bake. Some are totally over puppyhood at two (rare) or three and some not until five or six. Even an older dog can surprise you occcasionally. Only dogs know is going on in there mind.

[Megan]

Okay, another question...do you think I should get a bigger crate for him? Right now, its just big enough for him to stand and turn around..but its tight....should I get a larger one where he could sprawl out more or am I just "humaninzing" this too much....he doesnt mind going in, I just feel like its cramped!

[Stella]

He is probably disrupted by the change in routine. Dogs also have a 'teenage' phase when they challenge everything you ever taught them and can be quite horrible! My F1LD was around that age when it happened, and he finally quit being horrible around 14 months of age - from then on he has been a dream dog. Dogs also have 'wisdom teeth' and I can't remember when they grow in, these late teeth erupting can make them want to chew on everything. So there a few things to consider as causes. Be patient, be consistent with your training, and like everything else this pause will pass!

[Stella]

Ugh, just realised I answered a really old discussion!! It always confuses me when they show up in the forum!

[Mary ann & Lincoln]

the conversion kinda got off the topic - We had issues with Lincoln when he turned 11-12 months .  It was like he was a toddler.  He got into everything!  my glasses, the tv remote, throw pillows.  UGHHH it was terrible.,  He wouldn't listen to leave it either!  

We just had to keep all of the that out of site for awhile.  He is now 17 months old and is much better.  He will still try to steal socks , but not chew things up.  At the time he went through all of his stuffed toys too.  Even ones he had for the whole time and had never chewed before. He never like the antlers, but just recently he started to chew on it. He dug it out of his toy box.  

also nylabones - the bumpy kind.  We got a few at Christmas that were dinosaurs and he likes to chew on them - not edible though, so have to watch he doesn;t pull off pieces.