# 9 months old -> New destructive behavior!



## 03rangerxlt (Dec 18, 2010)

I used to brag on my dog all of the time for her great behavior. As a very young puppy, the only things she would chew on were her toys, the other dog, and me. People used to tell me all the time, "You must pull your hair out with all of your stuff that she eats." Nope! She was a great dog!

That was until about 3 or 4 weeks ago. She ate an 8" by 8" section of my computer desk. I am talking a whole big chunk of wood (cheap flat pack fiber wood). Then she turned her attention to the floor. She has eaten a 10" by 4" section of carpet, a 4" by 4" section of carpet, and a 3" diameter section of carpet. This has been all in the "dog room" where she stays while I am at work. She has plenty of toys and bones in her room, but she is turning her attention on making sure I don't get my security deposit back!

Also, she had some diet problems that I had been dealing with until last week. When she was a puppy, she was eating her poop, until I gave her tablets that made her poop smell and taste worse so she wouldn't want to eat it. Well, last night I came home to let the dogs out, and I was out with Nika when she crapped, outside, and tried to go at it for a meal. So I gave her one of the tablets to make her poop more undesirable. Well, she just pooped in her room, and then ate it down. I can tell because the room smells like the most horrible poop ever, and so does her breath!

What gives!?! Why is my angel turned into a demon!?!?!?


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## kr16 (Apr 30, 2011)

Are you maybe giving your dog to much freedom? 9 months is still young to have freedom, although some dogs may be good at that age.

Your dog needs to be crated for its own safety. Dog rooms can be dangerous unless thay are stripped down. Hope you have no wires around, a 110 volt shock can kill a dog pretty quick. I can guarantee the walls will be next as will anything else the mouth can get on. Carpet is always an issue and its best if the room has none the dog can choke on it. 

Your dog is not to blame here, its only natural for them to chew.


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## 03rangerxlt (Dec 18, 2010)

I guess its back to "lock down" for her then. I "puppy proofed" the room, but obviously she found something to chew on. No power chords! My other dog and I learned about that when she was a puppy 5 years ago. Thankfully she lived through that lesson!


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## kr16 (Apr 30, 2011)

03rangerxlt said:


> I guess its back to "lock down" for her then. I "puppy proofed" the room, but obviously she found something to chew on. No power chords! My other dog and I learned about that when she was a puppy 5 years ago. Thankfully she lived through that lesson!


 
Yes, people think 110 volts is nothing and 220 is the killer. The difference is 220 volts if you would bit on it would give you a good jolt and throw you off of it, still might kill you. 110 if you bite it sucks you in and sometimes its hard to let go, with a wet mouth not a good thing.


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## 03rangerxlt (Dec 18, 2010)

kr16 said:


> Yes, people think 110 volts is nothing and 220 is the killer. The difference is 220 volts if you would bit on it would give you a good jolt and throw you off of it, still might kill you. 110 if you bite it sucks you in and sometimes its hard to let go, with a wet mouth not a good thing.


Yeah, I had a neighbor back in my home town die from exposure to 110 volts. He was doing work, grabbed onto a HVAC duct that was hot, and couldn't let go of it.

Luckily when my other dog experienced 110 volts, when she bit through the lamp chord, it popped the breaker box. LUCKY!


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## Stella's Mom (Mar 8, 2011)

My dog likes to chew at the carpet too and she just turned 5 months old. I keep her crated at night and tethered on a long lead that mainly leads to ceramic flooring during the day if I am not keeping a close watch on her.


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## Steve.G (Apr 27, 2011)

My 5 month old chewed three holes into the drywall last week. I lost count of the shoes that have been destroyed. Young dogs just like to chew on anything they can get their mouths on.


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## Bundash (Dec 5, 2010)

hehe 9 months....my boy left alone for around 3 minutes, would chew the wooden bed frame and rip out every bit of matress foam. Those little guys are very mouthy and get bored easily, chewing just comes natural 

Definitely back to the crate ( Im a big fan of them), unless you could provide something more tempting and suitable to chew on whilst your away.

As for the poopy monster, what kind of diet is the pup on? It may just be something you need to really keep track of like, pooping only on a leash for a while, a correction when even attempting to get the poop. My boy wen't through some of that and he just really grew out of it. It appears to be more of a phase.

Try giving a treat reward after pooping, so he comes to you interested and willing instead of being mesmerized by the fresh pile.


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## SableHaus (Jul 1, 2011)

Just curious, how often is she walked during the day? She may just have some extra pent up energy and is finding a way to release it. Our 5 month old Shepherd would chew on the carpet on the stairs for a little bit when he was younger, so I know how frustrating it is. She may like the texture too. They have these sticks that are the same texture as a tennis ball and I can see a dog like that really enjoying it. And I agree with other posts.. crate, crate, crate! Good luck


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## cta (May 24, 2011)

9 months is too young for freedom. granted, some dogs can do it...mine definitely couldn't! he, at 15 months, has free reign of the kitchen and the bedroom and he just got that about a month ago. he just couldn't be trusted out of his cage until now. and even now, he only gets to be in two rooms. the first time we left him out, he ate the drywall in the kitchen  so he went back into his crate during the day and was given another shot a few weeks later. i know that when my dog was that age we had to be like hawks and watch his every move...getting through the landshark behavior is all about management! you need to have eyes in the front, sides and back of your head lol. just keep the dog in a crate when you can't monitor her. it's best for your dog's safety and your property.

as for the poop eating  mine also started that around that age. he never did it as a baby, but one day it just started. again, manage the heck out of her. keep her on leash for potty breaks and clean it up right away. after my dog is done with his business i tell him to "leave it" and he will walk away from it.


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## London's Mom (Aug 19, 2009)

My trainer has warned me on many occassions that when a pup reached that 8-12 month stage - LOOK OUT! They become more difficult to handle because they are beginning their adulthood and they think they know it all. (Sounds like a teenager, eh?) Anyway, keep under strick supervision. They can wander off at this age to explore things unknown!

Hang in there, it is a stage and she will get through it.


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