Lab puppy chewing/eating everything

Question
Help, LAbman!! We have a beautiful male black lab, 3 months old. His teething has progressed to chewing everything, with the intent to eat it. In the yard, he snaps up clods of mowed grass, sticks, roots, mulch, etc. even while peeing and quickly gulps these down. In the house, he gnaws on everything--and if he finds a bit of plastic, metal, etc., will actually ingest it at the speed of light. He is getting older, stronger, and faster, too.  I'm worried he'll eat something dangerous, but I'm annoyed too. This is worse than a human one year old. Please help me SOON. --And yes, he has lots of toys, a Kong, we try substituting, & can't be that hungry. We feed him a LITTLE bit more than is recommended--3 X a day.
Can you save us from our own little Jaws?
Thanks,  Desperate Mary in Ohio

Answer
They should come with warning labels.  Some are much worse than others.  My last few haven't been too bad until my 8 month Nita the last week or 2.  I am going to give up leaving her loose in the house when I am not watching.  some you can't.  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.

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 possessions 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.


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.