chewing dry wall

Question
i have a 8 year old golden retriever mix. a few days ago she started chewing our walls. i notice it more when i'm in another room tending to my 2 year old son. se doesn't do it at all when my husband is home. why all of a sudden wouldshe start doing this?

Answer

Hi Kelly,

Dogs can acquire disturbing new habits if they experience a change in routine, or if there are changes in the household, or other stresses, or if they're left alone for long periods without opportunities to interact with you. I couldn't begin to guess at what might have spurred your dog's current habit of chewing the walls.

A simple fix might be to increase the amount of daily exercise your dog gets. Many behavioral problems can be fixed by more exercise. Walks should be more than just "bathroom time." On-leash walks are important opportunities for you and your dog to be together. Don't forget to allow time for sniffing, exploring, instruction, and praise.

Also, don't let your dog have the run of your home until you can get a handle on the wall chewing. Confine him when you're unable to supervise him. Choose a safe place that's dog-proof, and provide fresh water and safe toys. If your dog is crate trained, you may also place him in his crate for short periods of time.

If you catch your dog chewing on something he shouldn't, interrupt the behavior with a loud noise, and offer him an acceptable chew toy instead. Praise him lavishly when he takes the toy in his mouth. Punishing him after the fact for destroying anything, is ineffective. He probably doesn't even know what he's being punished for.

I hope that helps!
Best of luck,

Patti