Golden retriever that eats changing pads

Question
Why does my 7 year old golden retriever eat my 6 month old's cloth changing pads and birp cloths? Even if they have only been used once by my baby she still eats them. She only eats them if they are left on the couch within reach when we are gone for the day. Is it jealousy? This is our first baby and I am afraid that our golden might chew on my daughter if I leave the room! Help!

Answer
Hi, Ashleigh,

I seriously doubt that you need to be concerned about your daughter's safety because of this.

Dogs are "scavengers."  This means they will eat just about anything, including poop (sometimes their own, sometimes other animals) or in this case, what comes out of both ends of your baby.

My suggestion is to be pro-active on your part and not leave these items, or any other items for that matter, within the reach of the dog.  This is what some call "managing the environment."  As your child begins to crawl, you will most likely put cabinet and drawer locks on certain doors to keep her away from cleaning agents and the like.  You will most likely put outlet covers on the electrical outlets to keep her from sticking her fingers in them.  This is "managing the environment" - making the environment a safe place so that you don't have to keep constant watch.  This works for pets as well.

Another reason for keeping these types of items away from your dog is that ingestion of things like that can cause intestinal blockages which have to be cleared with surgery - expensive.

Just keep in mind the old saying, "An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure."