Chewing

[Binnie]

Our Caper has been with us nearly 3 weeks now, and is really coming out of her shell - although I imagine she still has a way to go. Not much has changed in the way of her fur, but I wouldn't expect much to in just a couple of weeks, and she is now on some antibiotics to try and sort out where her nail broke. It was still red and inflamed looking 2 weeks after the vet removed the broken nail, so we decided to try some antibiotics. 

I have a quick question for you - as she is getting more used to everything she has shown us that she's a bit of a chewer. Although, she may also just be trying to train us to put things away...she has eaten through the heel strap of two different sandals, and earlier on today was interested in my laptop cable...she is of course more interested in things she isn't allowed to have, rather than the chew toys the dogs have! That's fine, we can work through that. I was wondering at what age your dogs stopped chewing on things. Caper is estimated to be 2 - and either she is a bit younger than that, or she is still chewing because she has never had to opportunity to chew shoes before. Our Fen, who is just over a year doesn't really go for shoes, or cables. Just the children's stuffed toys when they are left around. That's fair game, I say.

[GentleLake]

Glad to hear that Caper's settling in.

I adopted Bodhi at what the rescue both thought was about a year and a half old, but 2 vets estimated between 2-4. So at least as old as Caper. He was picked up as a stray so I have no idea what his early life was like or what, if any, training he may have gotten. When I got him he was a blank slate, and needed to be taught or retaught what he needed to live successfully as a house dog.

He chewed inappropriate things then. He learned quickly what to leave alone and what toys and chewies were his.

 

[Hooper2]

I've had 9 dogs.  Eight of them went through the expected frantic chewing stage at around 4-8 months, seemed really trustworthy by a year of age, then regressed for a month or two at around 15-ish months.  At some point I read that the first chewing stage correlates to the easily seen stage when permanent teeth are emerging through the gums.  The second chewing stage corresponds to when the teeth are becoming firmly embedded in the jaw bones.  Since this isn't so easily observable people think that the 15-ish month chewing binge in just naughtiness, but there is an actual physical reason for it.  If you aren't sure of your dog's age, this could be what you are seeing now.

On the other hand,  my ninth dog is seven years old.  I'll be sure to post and let you know when he outgrows his need to eviscerate toys. 

[Lawgirl]

Three of our dogs (who we got as puppies) had their chewing stages and then stopped.  One of our dogs, who we got at 11 months old, had been left in a backyard with another dog (not a BC) for company only.  He will chew given half a chance.  I think he learned to self-sooth himself by chewing.  So we have, at any given moment, multiple pieces of antler (whole, not split) lying around the house which he can chew on whenever he feels the need.  He will even walk around the house with a piece of antler hanging out the side of his mouth like a cigar.  This is why I think the chewing is a comfort thing for him.

It may be similar with your dog, or it could be the second chewing phase mentioned above.

For us, it was a matter of finding something he likes to chew and making sure there is always some available.