My lab mix is 1 year old and is very destructive, he has free run of the yard but with a fence but I now have to keep him tied be cause of all of the damage he has done. I know that dogs chew but he is not just chewing, he will get mad or bored and just start eating chunks out of the deck and porch on my 2 year old new house. He has also ripped up the outddor lights, ripped up the lawn edging in the flower beds, debarked my trees, destroyed my wooden bench, destroyed 2 water hoses, chewed up my daughters swing set (wood), and when I say chewed I don't mean just teeth marks I mean he has tore multiple chunks out repeatedly, and I can also not catch him in the act of doing it becase he does it when we are not outside. I am in the process of getting a kennel but I am wondering if anyone has ever had a dog that was like this, and will he ever outgrow this.

Also what size kennel is the best and whats the best flooring? I was tinking of using concrete or patio brick but I am thinking the hard surfaces would cause calluses.
Thanks

I feel your pain. I remember a time when I was at my wit's end with my now 3 year old Lab. I tried a few things, but really just didn't know how to properly deal with the situation. Two things...

1) A tired dog is a well behaved dog. MOST destructive behavior is a result of boredom and excess energy. Get him exhausted and he will go to sleep. When he's asleep, he's not destroying your house. A 30 minute walk may be enough to do this. If necessary, you may want to start riding a bike with him.
2) If you leave the dog unattended and he damages something, it's your fault. That may sound stupid, but it's the truth. A crate/kennel is essential. I used to think they were cruel... now I know better. Ed Fawley's article on Ground Work goes into detail about this subject and is a good starting point for most problem behaviors.


The dog will "grow out" of some of this behavior on it's own as it gets older. But you need to do your part. Eliminate the opportunity for mishaps by using a crate when you are not there to supervise. Reduce the risk by providing good alternatives (Kong, Nyalbone, etc.)EXERCISE the hell out of him... that will make a world of difference.

Michael - it's time to put up a dog run to keep this dog in.

My guess is that the dog is also not well trained. Training teaches dogs that there is a concept of RIGHT and WRONG - get my Basic Dog Obdeince DVD and use it http://leerburg.com/302.htm

I would also give the dog a lot more exercises. A tired dog is not goig to get into this kind of trouble. We sell weighted vests that dogs can wear on their walks - they work very well.

When you put the dog in the kennel - give him something to do in there. A bonce, toys, etc etc.

Ed, my only concern with putting "stuff" in the kennel or crate for the dog to play with is that he may bite or break a piece off and it could be come a hazard to the dog.

(My dog destroys the super-sized black King Kongs, for example, realtively quick)

Do you sell or know of any other toys, chews, etc that are virtually "dog proof" or that you trust a dog with unsupervised?

I trust my dogs unsupervised only with big raw bone...

I have yet to have a dog chew up on of the orbee balls we sell - http://leerburg.com/788.htm And we have a couple of dogs that chew everything.

I dont sell Kongs (I dont like the crazy bounce they make when thrown and am concerned a high drive dog will twist and hurt himself chacing them) but I have never had a dog chew the biggest Kongs either.

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My lab mix is 1 year old and is very destructive, he has free run of the yard but with a fence but I now have to keep him tied be cause of all of the damage he has done.

Besides the other excellent advice you have received, "free run of the yard" does not equal exercise that the dog needs. Is he getting structured exercise (training or long walks, etc.)? If he is not, then this is his way of burning off frustrated energy, as Ryan said.

And yes: A tired dog is a happy dog, a quiet dog, and a dog with no energy for destructive or compulsive behavior. I used to assume that people knew these dogs needed structured exercise. Boy, was I wrong........

And of course he does it when you are not outside. That's when he's bored to death.

He is obedience trained, has lots of toys, and a cat and the neihbors dog to play with every day for a hour or so. He gets walked daily, and I play fetch with him till he is to tired to walk. I have tried every type of spray. Also a reletive has his brother and he is the same way, and he has 2 other dogs to play with 24 hours a day. I need help, and a kennel lol.

Hi Michael, i have a fenced in backyard but don't leave the dogs outside unattended, they don't show any behaviours like you mentioned. If you're not out there to teach him how to act, he's going to act like a dog <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />, good luck, AL

The problem is he knows better than to do it when I am out there, and he knows when I go out and look at something when he has destroyed it that he shouldnt of done it because he instantly lays on his back in a submissive postion. Also I have never hit him I just give him a firm no and tell him to get in his house, which might not be enough negative reinforcement but it wouldn't be right to punish him unless I catch him in the act. I have been told that he will outgrow this but im not optimistic because he is 1 year old now and has only got worse. Also he is for sure not just doing any normal chewing he is just ripping stuff to shreds. I think he has some anxiety issues also because when I go into the house or leave for work he howls like a wolf for 20 - 30 minutes. But the destructive behavior is not from boredom or lack of exercise, he gets lots of exercise and I have bought lots of knuckle bones chew toys for him which he uses when we are outside but when we are not I think he just wants to destroy stuff for attention <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/mad.gif" alt="" /> . Also could it be genitic? Because his brother is the same way and his owner has also never had a dog that done this, or been as hyper which my dog is also. Heck I even had a hyper border collie and he wasn't as hyper as this lab/collie mix and he was not a bit destructive after he was 6 months or so old. I would get a professional trainer but in my small town it not a option.