Familia Posted January 24, 2019 Share Posted January 24, 2019 I was just wondering if our almost one-year-old puppy will ever be free-roam. I am disappointed, because our last dog was trustworthy at a year. This dog is so much more laid-back (part Newfy), but she likes to chew on soft things like threads, clothing, or edges of paper. While we are a very tidy household, those loved textures are still to be found as carpet edging, dishcloths, and books. She licked the door frame right next to me when we were eating dinner, and I was in conversation w/family and only noticed when the sound of actual gnawing began. We teach 'leave it' and she has amazing focus and obedience with that - even trained with dropped temping items in many situations and duration with that. She leaves dishcloths, shoes alone for the most part, but ... the moment we turn our back/another story. I read about people who don't use crates, and many of you tell of your puppies being free all day in the house. How does that work? Are you super at teaching 'leave it' so it sticks autonomously or are some dogs more oral? She is really not that oral overall, as she often relaxes without chewing or mouthing toys on her bed, or when just hanging out with us. But, trust her alone in the house? I can not see it ever happening. Our yard will soon be fenced. (we live way out in the country) She loves to spend time alone in a large pasture we have. No more than 15 minutes or so, but no fuss at all, just happy smelling and looking (laid back as I said). But, when she is allowed in our actual yard alone, I worry about her chewing on hoses, entry rugs, etc. Our last dog begged to lay on the porch snoozing all day. I think, with this dog, she will probably go out to do her business and come right back in. I will be fine with that, but I am wondering about other people's dogs free-roaming habits. Mostly as it relates to trustworthiness of the dog to leave items alone. Thank you! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jean in Newcastle Posted January 24, 2019 Share Posted January 24, 2019 She needs to chew. Are you giving her chewy toys, bully sticks and othere appropriate things to gnaw on? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wintermom Posted January 24, 2019 Share Posted January 24, 2019 Some dogs are still "puppies" with puppy chewing behaviour up to 24 months. Sometimes the chewing is because they are bored and need more stimulation throughout the day. Our black lab is 12 months old and still needs supervision regarding chewing/mouthing objects he's not supposed to. Having objects he's allowed to chew available does help, but he still will pick up other, more interesting items. 😉 2 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Familia Posted January 24, 2019 Author Share Posted January 24, 2019 (edited) 16 minutes ago, Jean in Newcastle said: She needs to chew. Are you giving her chewy toys, bully sticks and othere appropriate things to gnaw on? I guess I am more wondering about unsupervised time in the future. Oh, she chews on and likes her toys fine. Although, seems content many times to just sit w/out putting it in her mouth. Last dog was either chewing a toy or asleep, this dog likes to look around. I think she just likes to mouth some things, try out new textures. We have a wide variety of toys b/c of that. We don't have an issue with her destroying things (the door frame incident was a one time anomaly, and she had her favorite stuffed kong right next to her, so I think she was doing a 'hmm, what's this?' puppy thing) but will she grow out of putting things in her mouth out of curiosity? She spends a lot of awake time either training (short sessions), playing, or being pet. One spoiled dog. We're pretty into tiring her out, mentally and physically. It's fun to think of ways to do that because, maybe it's the newf in her, she is a little too happy to just lay around. Yes, she has toys that are just together play and chew items. In her crate, where she spends overnight and many hours a day (though mostly sleeping) she has a rotating assortment of kong bones and other things she loves but cannot destroy. (btw, she loves, loves her Kong Puppy items, like the ball and the tire, maybe b/c they 'give' a little? So, in the future, would I have to give this particular dog a high value treat - long lasting treat (stuffed Kong) in order to leave her unsupervised for hours? Bully sticks are short lived, not worth it IMO ... raw marrow bones are supervised only. Again, I am just wondering about other people dogs free-roaming routines, so I can see if some dogs just can never be trusted for long periods alone or not. Edited January 24, 2019 by Familia Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jean in Newcastle Posted January 24, 2019 Share Posted January 24, 2019 The answer is that yes, some dogs need more supervision. Some breeds especially (thinking of my English Springer Spaniels) are puppies for much longer than a year. You could try spraying some Bitter Apple on furniture legs etc to make them taste bad. 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pawz4me Posted January 24, 2019 Share Posted January 24, 2019 I totally agree with @wintermom and @Jean in Newcastle. Just because she can't be trusted alone and uncrated now doesn't mean all hope is lost. Although larger dogs age much faster than smaller dogs, they also mature more slowly. Many smaller dogs are mentally and physically mature around a year old, even before. Most larger dogs don't get there until 18-24 months. So don't lose hope. Keep working on the good behaviors. I bet she'll get to the point of being trustworthy. IMO it's always a good idea to leave a dog with a high value treat. I want them to make a positive association with my leaving, and the high value treat helps. Our current little guy has had free roam of the house since he was about a year old. Other than house breaking it could have been much sooner than that. But his basic nature is very calm and laid back, and he's not a high energy breed or a mouthy breed. Keep in mind that Newfies were bred to pull boats to shore--they LOVE having things in their mouths. She comes by that honestly, and it's part of her breeding that you'll have to work with or around. One of our previous dogs, a Brittany, had separation anxiety. It would never have been safe to leave him uncrated w/o a calm companion dog to steady him. And it's not unusual for a dog to always be crated when their people are away. Sometimes it's because the dog really needs it and sometimes it's because the dog prefers it. IMO it's not necessarily "better" for a dog to have free roam as long as she's comfy in her crate. I'm not a fan of leaving dogs outside unattended, ever. Dog theft happens much more often than many people realize. No, it's not as likely with a bigger dog. But it still does happen. Of course we all take some risks all the time, and I'm sure I do my share of that. But leaving a dog outside isn't a risk I'm willing to take. 2 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jean in Newcastle Posted January 24, 2019 Share Posted January 24, 2019 https://mybrownnewfies.com/2017/10/05/4-life-stages-of-the-newfoundland/ 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Familia Posted January 24, 2019 Author Share Posted January 24, 2019 2 minutes ago, Jean in Newcastle said: https://mybrownnewfies.com/2017/10/05/4-life-stages-of-the-newfoundland/ That is adorable. Our puppy sure is more newfoundland than poodle! Clumsy, oh my, YES! Thank you so much for sharing that. And, @Pawz4me it is so sad to me that she is maturing slower, but will live shorter than a smaller dog! There is a dog swimming pool an hour away (everything is at least an hour away=). The swimming is private, one dog at a time, no owners in pool thank goodness! Completely unrelated, but does anyone know if those places are a good idea? She loves her baby pool. I was wondering how we could get her a pool here, but if we get it big enough for her to actually swim, it would be too difficult to maintain. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jean in Newcastle Posted January 24, 2019 Share Posted January 24, 2019 1 minute ago, Familia said: That is adorable. Our puppy sure is more newfoundland than poodle! Clumsy, oh my, YES! Thank you so much for sharing that. And, @Pawz4me it is so sad to me that she is maturing slower, but will live shorter than a smaller dog! There is a dog swimming pool an hour away (everything is at least an hour away=). The swimming is private, one dog at a time, no owners in pool thank goodness! Completely unrelated, but does anyone know if those places are a good idea? She loves her baby pool. I was wondering how we could get her a pool here, but if we get it big enough for her to actually swim, it would be too difficult to maintain. We went to a dog swimming pool to try it out as therapy for our disabled dog. They actually did get in the pool with the dog esp. at first but that may have been because my dog is disabled. Poor Libby paddled in circles because her paralyzed paw (which she can still move from her shoulder) is so much slower than her other front paw. I would look up reviews for the dog swimming pool. Ours gets top reviews but I'm sure that is not the case everywhere. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Selkie Posted January 24, 2019 Share Posted January 24, 2019 Just echoing what others have said - the need to chew has subsided for most of our dogs by the 12-18 month range. Our Aussie/Catahoula was a voracious chewer until he turned two, but he has an exceptionally busy personality. As far as destructive behaviors while left alone, I have found the best way to prevent those is to have more than one dog. Having a buddy relieves the anxiety and boredom of being alone. We've always had a pack of dogs and they are usually too busy playing and chewing on each other to chew on anything else.🙂 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Familia Posted January 24, 2019 Author Share Posted January 24, 2019 2 minutes ago, Selkie said: As far as destructive behaviors while left alone, I have found the best way to prevent those is to have more than one dog. Having a buddy relieves the anxiety and boredom of being alone. We've always had a pack of dogs and they are usually too busy playing and chewing on each other to chew on anything else.🙂 Our dc, who are not home much to care for them, want us to get another dog - I cannot even imagine. Simply getting one extra cat felt like tripling the work; I imagine that would be the same for a dog. Dare I ask, can two dogs share the same crate? We have the Ginormous Crate from Midwest Pets (their description and mine!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ktgrok Posted January 24, 2019 Share Posted January 24, 2019 Newfies are slow to mature, which may be your issue. I'd say instead of expecting that at 1 year, it may be more like 2 yrs or so. But yes, I bet she will eventually be free roaming at least when you are home. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ktgrok Posted January 24, 2019 Share Posted January 24, 2019 If it helps, my newfie/bloodhound/coonhound mix had to be taken to the dog park twice a day to keep him from eating the house when he was under a year old. Now, at 2 years old, he almost NEVER chews something he shouldn't. He did, in fact, grow out of it. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
May Posted January 24, 2019 Share Posted January 24, 2019 We crate our dog when we are away. He gets a special treat before we leave so he’s happy to go in. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Selkie Posted January 24, 2019 Share Posted January 24, 2019 13 minutes ago, Familia said: Our dc, who are not home much to care for them, want us to get another dog - I cannot even imagine. Simply getting one extra cat felt like tripling the work; I imagine that would be the same for a dog. Dare I ask, can two dogs share the same crate? We have the Ginormous Crate from Midwest Pets (their description and mine!) We don't use crates, so I will let someone with more experience with them answer your question. It seems like it would be pretty cramped though, especially with bigger dogs. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pawz4me Posted January 24, 2019 Share Posted January 24, 2019 17 minutes ago, Familia said: Our dc, who are not home much to care for them, want us to get another dog - I cannot even imagine. Simply getting one extra cat felt like tripling the work; I imagine that would be the same for a dog. Dare I ask, can two dogs share the same crate? We have the Ginormous Crate from Midwest Pets (their description and mine!) They can. IF there's enough room and IF you're 1000 percent sure they'll get along okay together. Keeping in mind that putting two together in a tight space can tend to incite snappishness even in dogs who typically get along well. Our previous dogs were a Brittany and a Beagle, and I would crate them together in a very large crate when we had a worker in the house. That was about the only time they ever got crated, though, and I was always there, too. I didn't need to crate them when we were out doing errands, but I feel sure those two would have been fine together. The Beagle was bomb proof and was the Britt's security blanket. But . .you really have to know your own dogs, and make the decision based on them. There's no blanket yes/no answer here. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Familia Posted January 24, 2019 Author Share Posted January 24, 2019 I guess it’s not an option, since DH does not want another dog. She is OUR companion & we don’t want to share her. The comments about the maturation rate make me feel better. I just see what looks to me like a full grown dog at 11 months. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pen Posted January 24, 2019 Share Posted January 24, 2019 Acceptable Chew items are critical. I tended to find a small number of acceptable and desirable types of chew items and to have plenty rather than variety. I think it was easier for pup to understand what was acceptable to chew without a whole lot. It was also hard if there were puppy stuffed toys and human child person stuffed toys for dog to understand which was his. Especially if very similar like dog and boy both having stuffed snake and stuffed tiger. Had to impress on child that if he doesn’t want his chewed it has to be put up because dog can’t understand (and probably can’t see the color difference we can see). Most dogs I have had have outgrown the chew and destruct phase, by around age 2 - 3. But can have relapses even when fully adult and past teething if bored or stressed. Or if I am stressed, they pick that up. And I always leave acceptable chew items for dog when I go somewhere, even with a 6 year old adult dog. I personally like the types of dogs that tend to have extended “puppyhood” phase, so am probably less bothered than someone who doesn’t like that. I know it is a part of the sorts of dog I like, and not surprised. I also try to fit the dog’s desires as I choose toys and chews. So long as it seems safe. Some dogs like soft things like stuffed toys, some like hard things (sounds like yours likes harder objects), or chewy, or satisfyingly shredable. We have had dogs who loved ropes and hated balls, and the reverse. Dogs who love sticks and hate frisbees and reverse. We have had 3 at once dogs each of whom had its own personal chew toy type—one prefering bone shaped Kong, one Planetball, one rope. (Though all liked bullysticks). 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Familia Posted January 24, 2019 Author Share Posted January 24, 2019 13 minutes ago, Pen said: ...I also try to fit the dog’s desires as I choose toys and chews. So long as it seems safe. Some dogs like soft things like stuffed toys, some like hard things (sounds like yours likes harder objects), or chewy, or satisfyingly shredable. Can you define shreddable? Because, I have always worried that if she was able to destroy something that would 'stick' in her brain, so have avoided that as an activity. Although we have given empty water bottles for a 10 minute distraction then thrown the about-to-become-deteriorated bottle away. Sh actually likes soft things best, but I believe that, in her crate, she may chew them to bits and choke, so do not provide them there. She will slowly nibble ropes and GoDog stuffed animals to bits, so we give those for play or short times only. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jean in Newcastle Posted January 24, 2019 Share Posted January 24, 2019 We took our dog to the pet store and let her choose some of her toys. Her favorite snake https://www.amazon.com/ZippyPaws-Z-Stitch-Durable-Squeakers-Stuffing/dp/B01JJ38Q7W But she doesn't chew it. She squeaks it and shows us and pounces on it and plays fetch with it. For chewing, our dog prefers things like bully sticks (odorless because some can stink something awful), and kongs. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pen Posted January 24, 2019 Share Posted January 24, 2019 12 minutes ago, Familia said: Can you define shreddable? Because, I have always worried that if she was able to destroy something that would 'stick' in her brain, so have avoided that as an activity. Although we have given empty water bottles for a 10 minute distraction then thrown the about-to-become-deteriorated bottle away. Sh actually likes soft things best, but I believe that, in her crate, she may chew them to bits and choke, so do not provide them there. She will slowly nibble ropes and GoDog stuffed animals to bits, so we give those for play or short times only. Example: My current dog adores shredding cardboard boxes. (Best of all if there’s a pizza inside, but empty box will do.) I at first tried to stop this, and then realized that boxes are something we get when stuff is delivered (Amazon etc) and I can fairly easily gather the ripped pieces and put them in recycle bin when he’s done. I used to save boxes specially for the dog to have anytime he needed something to do when alone, up to when he was 3ish and less wanting to do that. Less acceptable: he likes to rip heads off stuffed toys and pull out the stuffing. Knowing that I got him: http://ZippyPaws - Woodland Friends... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B008PFB3HG?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share the squirrels it came with are often lost, but I put other toys in and he likes to pull them out. It lasts longer than pulling the stuffing out of rips in stuffed animals, but I expect eventually he will rip up the stuffed log itself rather than pulling items from its holes. He had to be taught how to use it by starting with a squirrel sticking part way out. He can now get items out if they are completely inside —sort of like learning how to unstuff a Kong. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pen Posted January 24, 2019 Share Posted January 24, 2019 Sorry , my link to the log with squirrels won’t work. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pen Posted January 24, 2019 Share Posted January 24, 2019 Trying again: ZippyPaws - Woodland Friends... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jean in Newcastle Posted January 24, 2019 Share Posted January 24, 2019 1 minute ago, Pen said: Trying again: ZippyPaws - Woodland Friends... We have their little hedgehog ones. Both my dogs love it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pen Posted January 24, 2019 Share Posted January 24, 2019 Hide a Squirrel Fun Hide and Seek Interactive Puzzle Plush Dog Toy by Outward Hound, 7 Piece, Ginormous another example may or may not link right 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Familia Posted January 24, 2019 Author Share Posted January 24, 2019 @Pen That squirrel fun log is just too adorable!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
amyx4 Posted January 24, 2019 Share Posted January 24, 2019 We were invited to watch football with a family that owns a Newfie. I think he's 3-4 years old. Every time someone yelled at the game, the newfie jumped up and blocked the TV. The family kept piling chew things in front of him so he'd keep out of the way of the TV. There was such a huge, huge pile by the end of the game. I've never seen 1 dog with that much stuff. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mmasc Posted January 25, 2019 Share Posted January 25, 2019 My little girl seemed like she would never, ever, EVER be able to be left alone, much less roaming. It took two years, but she got there.😊 (She was destructive to the extreme and had separation anxiety as well). We started with very short trips, leaving for 15 minutes at a time and leaving her with a treat-filled Kong. We’d leave and just drive around the neighborhood and come back. We steadily increased our away time. I even posted here seeking help with her! I think your guy will get there, it might just take longer than you originally thought. Full disclosure, our girl did have a big, lazy Boxer modeling the perfect do-nothing attitude. 😂 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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