My Golden Retreiver chews things

[Aida]

Whenever I leave the house, my Golden Retreiver, Charm, pushes the kids door open and finds things to chew on in their room!!! I brought her toys, I don't know what else to do! I can't hide all their things! Help

[catnapper]

Don't leave her unattended. Would you leave your 2 year old child unattended for any period of time? Dogs need to be supervised at all times, if you cannot supervise then put her somewhere safe. Whether thats a safe, puppy proofed rtoom or a crate, she needs a safe place to protect herself from harm and to protect your property.

[Aida]

Ya, that's true, I put her in the back room yesterday, and put up a gate. I am just used to having my dogs loose in the house, when I leave. I have never had this problem before. I also got a lock for the kids room, since she loves their toys instead of hers! lol

[borzoimom]

Ya, that's true, I put her in the back room yesterday, and put up a gate. I am just used to having my dogs loose in the house, when I leave. I have never had this problem before. I also got a lock for the kids room, since she loves their toys instead of hers! lol

Well the fact is- as stated you have to protect her as well as your belongings. But also- she is in a learning stage now- if she learns to just lay down and not get into things, this will last a life time and much later you can leave her loose ( maybe... some dogs you never can..).
I have 4 Borzois- the other 3 stay out of things- but not Galina- and its not nervous energy- its like she thinks " yahoo- mom is gone so now I go see what I can find.. ".. ( exaggeration- but you get the point.) She is the only one crated when I leave- and if gone a long time- she goes in the basement with femka. ( never her brother as those two are like the blind leading the blind here.. lol).

[Aida]

I should mention my dog is two, and should be out of that stage right? But, she was abused. I got her last year. She was kept in a large box 24\7. Isn't that horrible? My poor baby was never taken for walks. Never played with. She is so sweet, and good with my kids. She goes outside, and never does any thing in the house. Which is hard to believe, because she was left to soil in that box. Maybe there is some reason she goes after the kids things, when we leave? Well, I am going to continue to work with her, and for now leave her in the back room when we leave.

[Genny]

I'm so sorry she was abused; I'm glad you've got her now.

My Maltese/Pomeranian is 1 y/o and she loves to go in my brother's room and find his toys and chew them up! She has tons of toys, but if his door is left open then she will go and chew his toys, but I don't know why. She just seems to like the toys she isn't supposed to have, kinda like your dog.

I don't know how to get her to stop so we just try to always keep his bedroom door closed at all times!

[shais_mom]

welcome to the world of a retriever!
They are extremely MOUTHY dogs!
You mentioned she is 2 - technically in golden speak she is still a puppy.
My golden wasn't able to be left out of her crate completely until she was over 2 years old. It was about the time she was getting closer to age 3 when she became the almost perfect dog.
Course give her a box of tissues STILL and turn your back and when you turn back around half of them will be ingested the other half in bits and pieces all over the floor!
Maybe your girl just isn't sure what is her's vs your kids.
Try KONG toys. I have had a large RED kong since I had my greyhound and she passed away in 2001. The BLACK ones are for strong aggressive chewers. Look on EBAY.
Good luck..

[borzoimom]

All my dog toys are rubber of some type- kongs, rubber bones etc or nylabones. Granted our children are grown and gone, the fact is, we went through a pillow fettish with Zubin. Putting the pillows up, and monitoring him not to touch the ones I had out to train worked. Keeping the doors shut, child gates where you want the dog etc will do the trick- that and remaining calm when you come home. Even even negative interactive is still attention to a dog.
AS far as her being abused- at some point you have to move on in your mind. Unless the dog is showing signs of fear still, my guess is she has moved on too. She just doesnt know what to do with herself when left to own devices. Either remove the obects- or put her in a place she can not set herself up for failure.
And I also agree- two is still young- especially if she didnt learn this lesson some months back. Remember each new thing turns them back into a " puppy" as far as understanding what you want. ...

[Aida]

Thank you everyone for your input. I will try to look for a Kong on E-Bay. I'll try and send some pics soon.

[Freedom]

I am glad to hear you are trying to keep her in a room. A dog proofed one, yeah. With her past, keeping her in a crate may not be such a good idea. Just a thought.

[xcolbi]

I'm so sorry she was abused; I'm glad you've got her now.

My Maltese/Pomeranian is 1 y/o and she loves to go in my brother's room and find his toys and chew them up! She has tons of toys, but if his door is left open then she will go and chew his toys, but I don't know why. She just seems to like the toys she isn't supposed to have, kinda like your dog.

I don't know how to get her to stop so we just try to always keep his bedroom door closed at all times!

That's the exact same thing Colbi does! She'll go in someone's room, and find either a toy or a slipper, brings it out to the living room, and starts chewing on it!

[Genny]

LOL, I don't know why they do that!

I hope your dog starts acting more like you want it to, Aida, and goodluck to everyone else too!

[joycenalex]

as stacy pointed out (shais mom) they are retreivers, they are bred to hold things in their mouths, and what could be better then what tastes and smell like her humans? my RB golden, duke, would always greet me with something, anything in his mouth as proof of his love for me, he would share. i knew this could be a golden trait, so i got the right type of chewies, kongs (LOVE THOSE), the right kind of bones and always had a few in his kitchen(where he and alex spent my work day alone with the radio on, softly. after duke has passed to the bridge, i found a few nibble marks on the wooden chair rails, just a few though.
for the kids, it's a good way for them to learn to put away their stuff, behind a firmly closed door. anything she chews in the household common area isn't bad dog, but bad human (behavior) .