# not eat shoes or clothes anymore.



## wrenny (Sep 20, 2007)

So Lex hasn't been crated while we are at work for about the last 3 months now. We still crate him at night because he wants to wake us up in the middle of the night a lot.

During the day the bedroom doors are shut and he basically can walk through kitchen, hallway, living room, etc. He doesn't chew on any carpet, furniture, or anything.

Problem is if I forget to shut a bedroom door, he'll grab a shoe and tear that thing up. It's his favorite thing in the world. When he grabs it, he also won't give it up until we grab him and take it out of his mouth.

So what solution to stop this? I'm thinking I just lay some crap shoes in the living room with us all there and when he goes near it, tell him to leave it, then reward him. If that doesn't work, leash him and do the same thing with a small correction after a leave it if he doesn't listen, then reward. 

That the best way to go about it?


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## chevysmom (Feb 15, 2008)

Chevy would try and chew shoes until I gave him one he _could_ have. Now he chews on that one and no other


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## middleofnowhere (Dec 20, 2000)

What you have to do here is train the humans to pick up shoes and clothes so that the dog can't reach them. As I understand it, they chew on these things because they smell so much like us. If it helps at all this urge usually deminishes over time.


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## frenchie27 (Jan 12, 2008)

How old is he or was he when you started leaving home alone like that? I only ask cuz I need to start doing so soon too but I am not sure when he will be ready..not now for sure, he's only 7 mos. and I don't trust him alone for more than 5 minutes....


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## littledmc17 (Apr 9, 2008)

I agree with French I thought Brady was Ready at almost a year and NOPE he destroyed my husbands living room set. (I was happy hated the couch and it gave me a reason to buy a new one) After that he was in a Crate until he was at least 1 1/2 yr old. 
They chew out of boredom and anixety
Also definaltely have to teach the humans to pick up after themselves!!! LOLOL


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## luvsables (May 7, 2007)

Crate. I did not let my female loose until she was around 2yrs old. Every dog is diff. but it sounds like yours needs to still be crated when you are not able to watch him. It is better then paying lots of money for a possible obstruction. 

Good luck


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## big_dog7777 (Apr 6, 2004)

Agree with Denise. None of my dogs were trusted uncrated all day long at 8 months. My old male Zeus was 2 before I could trust him, and Lowen was about 14 months which still shocked the crap out of me. Vet bills and replacement cost of items destroyed make it not worth fighting.


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## SunCzarina (Nov 24, 2000)

> Originally Posted By: ZeusGSDVet bills and replacement cost of items destroyed make it not worth fighting.


Yes. My female wasn't trusted until she was 2. She would get bored and shred the newspaper or any paperback book she could find. Nice mess to come home to.


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## wrenny (Sep 20, 2007)

Crate isn't the answer. He is about to be a year old. I barely got able to come home daily to take him out of the crate as it used to be. So giving him free roam is fine. As long as I keep the bedroom doors shut where the shoes are.

The major problem is having guests over. We have a shoe rack and he'll go for those. 

Yes, picking up is a solution but not the only solution. Same with the crate. I'm sure he can be taught not to do this and I'll keep working on it. Thanks for the answer.


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