Our wild puppy

Question
Hi
We have a 9 week old Golden Retreiver puppy who is just out of control. I know that puppies chew a lot and have to chew but ours seems quite a bit excessive. We try and place toys and rawhide bones in front of him to divert his attention to things that we want him to chew. It may work for a moment but he goes right back to chewing furniture, plants, grass, plants, clothes, shoes etc. I would appreciate any help and advice.
Thanks
Terry Stelmach

Answer
A mousetrap is very effective in making a dog leave something alone.  Most
dogs will stay away from anywhere they were surprised by a snap.  The best
part is that it is not you that is correcting the dog.  It works whether you
are around or not.  The mousetrap is very patient and is always on task as
long as you reset it.  There is a product called Bitter Apple.  It comes as a cream or spray, and you apply it to things you don't want the puppy to chew.  

Better than mousetraps when you aren't around is the crate.  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.

Accidents and damaged posessions are the fault of whoever was watching the puppy.  When you are watching it, immediately correct it as soon as it goes for anything except its own toys.  In a quiet, but firm voice ''Bad dog, its name drop!''.  Gently remove what ever and replace it with one of her toys, or if older, hold eye contact until the puppy drops it.  It is a lot of work training some puppies not to shred everything in the house.  

We once had a Lab named Peggy.  She was a good dog.  She would dump the plant and dirt out on the living room floor before chewing up the plastic pot.