[stina27]

My husband and I have a one and half year old yellow lab who is really good dog when we are around; however, when we leave for work, if we have left anything of ours in her confined area you can be sure it's chewed by the time we get home. Her favourites are our shoes and the better they are the more they are chewed into millions of pieces. Exercise is not an issue as she gets 3 or 4 one hour of walks each day. Obviously we should try our best not to leave anything near her, but I don't want this to last forever... Any recommendations on how to curb this habit?

[TooneyDogs]

Can you describe her confined area? Windows? External stimulus? Anything else that would interrupt her sleep during the day. I also assume she is off the puppy food but, what are feeding that might be keeping her awake during the day?
Three or four hours of daily walking should be tiring her out enough to sleep the normal 16 hours a day but, it's not.
Another consideration is how she handles your leaving the house. Upset? Bark/howl/whine excessively or anything like that?

[PeppersPop]

Crate.

Does she have her own toys?

I read something somewhere (could I be anymore vague?) about being a good dog owner... a little poem or something. It's from the dog's point of view and basically says don't get mad at me when i chew your shoes while you're gone. I'm lonely and they smell like you... the more I chew, the softer they get, and the better they smell.

Does she chew when you are home but out of sight? If she's only chewing while you are gone, it might be helpful to find a blanket or towel that is for her... put it on your bed and sleep on it for a couple nights, then leave it in her area.

Good luck.

Originally Posted by stina27

My husband and I have a one and half year old yellow lab who is really good dog when we are around; however, when we leave for work, if we have left anything of ours in her confined area you can be sure it's chewed by the time we get home. Her favourites are our shoes and the better they are the more they are chewed into millions of pieces. Exercise is not an issue as she gets 3 or 4 one hour of walks each day. Obviously we should try our best not to leave anything near her, but I don't want this to last forever... Any recommendations on how to curb this habit?

[Love's_Sophie]

I second a large crate...then she is totally safe, not just being kept away from your items.

If you can't get a crate, then make sure to double check that nothing of value is in 'her' area, and give her a stuffed Kong, and some kind of tasty bone...Raw comes to mind, or an antler. Give her some acceptable 'chew toys' like a large Rope toy, as well, that way she can shake it and play with it...most dog's don't play with Kongs or bones, but she may shake the heck out of that Rope if she get's bored with her bone, and Kong.

I also second the towel, old shirt, or something else that smells like you...something that you don't care if she shreds it to little peices...Lol! Or even sleep with one of her stuffed toys, and give that to her when you leave. I don't normally like to leave dog toys like stuffed things, out when I am gone, but my girls both have a toy to snuggle with...if they wreck it, they wreck it, atleast its not a thing of value!

[stina27]

Thanks for the advice! It’s much appreciated.
To answer some of your questions Lola is left in a spare bedroom 8x8 when we leave for the day. It does have a window (should she be left with no view to the outside?) When we leave for the day we have the same routine when we get back from her morning walk we get her breakfast and stuff her 2 kongs as well as grab a couple of toys from her basket and a raw hide. Then we go up stirs fill her water bowls and toss her toys and treats into her room and I close the door. She never resists going into the room or even cries when she is in there.
I will try the towel and see how it works…
Thanks again