My dog is chewing everything up now, even to the point of making herself sick. Help!

[muffinmom]

We have a 9mo. maltipoo. Earlier this week she ate the rubber bottom of her metal water bowl. All of it. Then she vomited about 20 times in a half hour, which is how we knew she had eaten it...LOTS of chewed up rubber pieces. Had to take her to the vet...turns out she seems to be OK, just some rubber left in her stool that should pass. sheesh.

 

We have been having to watch her like a hawk...she's looking for anything and everything to chew. Now she has chewed off and eaten the end of a chew toy.

 

Why so chewy and how to control? I thought that was supposed to get better as a puppy gets older.

[hornblower]

It's normal & yeah, you have to watch them.:)

 

1) a tired dog is a good dog: EXERCISE. Several on leash walks + lots of offleash play daily

 

2) a tired dog is a good dog: MENTAL STIMULATION. Training tricks & obedience makes dogs think & their poor little brains are actually not very good at it :D It tires them out.

 

3) a tired dog is a good dog: APPROPRIATE CHEWING. Good chewing objects tire a dog right out. It's appropriate for dogs to want to chew, & it's what you give them to chew that will make the difference.

 

KONG - at least one of her daily meals should be fed inside a kong. Make her work for it. Dogs enjoy this type of puzzling out http://www.kongcompany.com/ It can take 15 -30 minutes for a dog to get an entire meal. Much more biologically appropriate for a hunter - she has to work & think & get that food out, not just have it presented for doing nothing.

 

RAW BONES - a big raw bone (for a maltipoo I'd go with a buffalo rib or a lamb shank) will keep her busy & then she'll pass out. My big guys chew on buffalo knuckles for about 1-2h and then go into a coma for 1-2h from exhaustion.

 

APPROPRIATE TOYS - vary them, get different ones, rotate them. Keeps interest up & stimulates different learning pathways. Kong makes not just food kongs but other toys & is an excellent company. Kong used to have a guarantee that if your dog chewed up a toy they'd replace it....not sure if they still have it...

 

Tug a Jug is another great toy - put cheerio type treats inside (this toy is loud though on hard floors)

Nylabones

Fire Hose toys are also good for power chewers & you can also play fetch or tug with them.

 

She will settle down - it's just that you're in the crazy toddler phase. Lots of energy, little impusle control & just want to play! play! play!

 

 

Do start teaching a quiet relax command. You can start very simply by just observing & when you see her looking a bit relaxed (not just lying down but rolling onto a hip, eyes softening rather than piercingly looking around etc), then you calmly & quietly pet her with long, gently smooth strokes & quietly say 'Relax. Gooooooooood Relax.' If she starts revving up, ignore her & see if she'll settle again. It's a good idea to 'install' on off switch in these guys but a lot of it just comes with maturity.

[Mommee & Baba]

I like what the previous posted listed. I think those are all very good pieces of information.

 

Also if the toys won't help and the excersize I highly suggest taking them to the vet to get checked out. There is a known sign in dogs that will eat non-food items because their is a vitamin they are lacking.

 

Coming from a mama to 2 furbabies myself. I had to get this checked out in my wanna be lab - chow/shepard female dog. Turns out she's just bored alot...thank goodness!

[muffinmom]

It's normal & yeah, you have to watch them.:)

 

1) a tired dog is a good dog: EXERCISE. Several on leash walks + lots of offleash play daily

 

2) a tired dog is a good dog: MENTAL STIMULATION. Training tricks & obedience makes dogs think & their poor little brains are actually not very good at it :D It tires them out.

 

3) a tired dog is a good dog: APPROPRIATE CHEWING. Good chewing objects tire a dog right out. It's appropriate for dogs to want to chew, & it's what you give them to chew that will make the difference.

 

KONG - at least one of her daily meals should be fed inside a kong. Make her work for it. Dogs enjoy this type of puzzling out http://www.kongcompany.com/ It can take 15 -30 minutes for a dog to get an entire meal. Much more biologically appropriate for a hunter - she has to work & think & get that food out, not just have it presented for doing nothing.

 

RAW BONES - a big raw bone (for a maltipoo I'd go with a buffalo rib or a lamb shank) will keep her busy & then she'll pass out. My big guys chew on buffalo knuckles for about 1-2h and then go into a coma for 1-2h from exhaustion.

 

APPROPRIATE TOYS - vary them, get different ones, rotate them. Keeps interest up & stimulates different learning pathways. Kong makes not just food kongs but other toys & is an excellent company. Kong used to have a guarantee that if your dog chewed up a toy they'd replace it....not sure if they still have it...

 

Tug a Jug is another great toy - put cheerio type treats inside (this toy is loud though on hard floors)

Nylabones

Fire Hose toys are also good for power chewers & you can also play fetch or tug with them.

 

She will settle down - it's just that you're in the crazy toddler phase. Lots of energy, little impusle control & just want to play! play! play!

 

 

Do start teaching a quiet relax command. You can start very simply by just observing & when you see her looking a bit relaxed (not just lying down but rolling onto a hip, eyes softening rather than piercingly looking around etc), then you calmly & quietly pet her with long, gently smooth strokes & quietly say 'Relax. Gooooooooood Relax.' If she starts revving up, ignore her & see if she'll settle again. It's a good idea to 'install' on off switch in these guys but a lot of it just comes with maturity.

 

thanks for all your advice! it has been so hot here lately that we haven't gone on as many walks, and even though we let her play in the yard every day for a period of time, we've been limiting it due to heat and humidity. so she hasn't had enough exercise, I'm sure!

[hornblower]

It's tough in the heat! Is there a beach/lake/river you can go to?

In the yard - does she like sprinklers? A baby pool? One of my previous fosters was crazy for the hose & sprinklers & she would happily play in them for ages.

 

We go to the beach or to the forest or just go walking early in the day. And the bones would be good - you can feed them frozen for a cool treat :)

 

But you can also play lots of good indoor games & tire her body & mind. Little dogs can get a good run inside playing fetch in the hallway. :D Also if you have a garage, it's often cooler than outside & I've used it for floor hockey with a dog.

[mooooom]

and didn't have any of the trouble that you are describing. The worst thing he did was chew shoelaces (our previous puppy ate shoes - so there is my perspective) and an occasional pencil that fell from the table. He always had walks and my dd was training him (4H) and he had appropriate things to chew - large rawhides that he could not get hunks off of, sterilized cow bones, squeak toys etc (and the rawhide/bones were only allowed when on someone's lap while the person could frequently handle them - we are not into possesive behavior). His favorite toy was a rubber ball that you fill up with dry food - it has a hole in it and you have to roll it around to get the food out - you can put food in his dish and he will ignore it until you move it to the ball.

 

I would also make sure your pup is on high quality dog food - make sure he is getting what he needs from the food.

 

Poodles are smart and do need lots of activity and attention.

[StephanieZ]

Do you have a zillion and one appropriate chew toys? You should have at least a dozen or twenty. All varieties. More of the one the dog likes. The "kong" type are a big favorite of mine, as you can put yummy tidbits inside to entice the dog to chew it. . .

 

Crating when unsupervised might be needed.

 

Exercise is ALWAYS a good thing!

[SonshineLearner]

Another vote for kongs... and of course... I'm into doing Raw Dog Food. I found that once my pup was chewing through his food to eat (like raw, *uncooked*, chicken bones and such) he didn't have as much urge to chew inappropriate things :)

 

The Kong... in the summer especially... it's perfect to use for kong popsicles. You put kibble and water to kinda get a bit soft... ( a few minutes to soak up water) you stuff the kongs... and put in the freezer to freeze. I did this three times a day... (used 3 kongs... appropriate size for dog) Example... dog needs to 3 cups.... you divide into 1 cup three times a day... 1/3 cup each kong... :)

 

Anyway, for my dog... took him 15 minutes each kong... 45 minutes for a feed... and I did that for twice a day!

 

Yay!! BTW, I put a small cup under each kong to catch any juices that would leak before freezing...

 

:)

[muffinmom]

we do have a kong, but clearly don't use it regularly enough. we have had many chew toys, but seems like we're down to just a couple. must restock!!

[hornblower]

we do have a kong, but clearly don't use it regularly enough.

 

AHA! I spot the problem right away - singular article 'a' used in the sentence. :D

 

Girl, you need at least 3 of them so that you can do what NayfiesMama suggests: freeze them. That's wonderful on the hot days. But you need two or three or more so there is always some in the freezer.

[muffinmom]

AHA! I spot the problem right away - singular article 'a' used in the sentence. :D

 

Girl, you need at least 3 of them so that you can do what NayfiesMama suggests: freeze them. That's wonderful on the hot days. But you need two or three or more so there is always some in the freezer.

 

 

funny! and great idea to freeze them.