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Chewing

19 17:56:50

Question
I have 2, 8 week old golden retrievers, their beds are cardbord boxes filled with lots of blancets and toy's, they keep on chewing and eating the cardbord, Their deffinitley NOT hungry their just playin, is it Ok???

Answer
No, they could swallow a piece of cardboard that could choke them or cause a digestive tract blockage.  The chewing likely will only get worse.  If their parents were average sized Golden retrievers, I would buy two 36'' plastic crates.  If you expect them to get over 70-80 pounds, buy the Extra Large.  

Other dogs may not be as bad as the young Labs I am plagued with. Still your house and dog will be much safer with the dog in a crate when you are away. The dog may be happier in its den than loose in the house. It relaxes, it feels safe in its den. It rests, the body slows down reducing the need for water and relieving its self. Dogs that have been crated all along do very well. Many of them will rest in their crates even when the door is open. I think the plastic ones give the dog more of a safe, enclosed den feeling. They are harder for dogs to open too. Metal ones can be put in a corner or covered with something the dog can't pull in and chew. Select a crate just big enough for the full grown dog to stretch out in.

Leave it some toys. Perhaps a Kong filled with peanut butter. Don't leave anything in the crate the dog might chew up. It will do fine without even any bedding. You will come home to a safe dog and a house you can enjoy.

A dog that has not been crated since it was little, make take some work. Start out just putting its toys and treats in the crate. Praise it for going in. If you have been able to trust it with any bedding, put that in the crate. Feed it in the crate. This is also an easy way to maintain order at feeding time for more than one dog.