Please - I need some valuable insight here.
I would post this separately on the General Board for immediate discussion but my computer won't allow me to post "new" posts for some reason. My hubby thinks it is something to do with our Windows Vista program and compatibility to MSN. I don't know but it's frustrating.
My little fur girl, Katie - a purebred lab of 15 months old (so almost 1.5 yrs old) has all of a sudden decided to chew my ornaments, pens, loose papers on tables, etc. She did that at about 5 months old and was trained that it was a definite NO. Put in her kennel and given a stern warning voice. She stopped back then and never did that again. She has a bucket filled with chew bones, balls, toys, etc. of her own and knows this. Now, all of a sudden, she has decided to take to chewing these off limits objects. I can go for a shower, go run an errand, be upstairs cleaning for awhile and she will resort to this. I have not altered my routine, I am a stay-at-home mom/wife and nothing has changed other than the last few days my hubby has been on one week's holidays (he was in the summer, too and no problems then) and we have put Katie in her kennel ... actually it is a large laundry area that has her kennel, bed in it with toys and water when we go out to run errands and shop, etc. this week. This is very new. I don't understand it because other than that, nothing has changed at all. No new pets, no dietary changes, no people staying here, no....nothing at all.
Why is she doing this? It is very frustrating and I am concerned that she will get into something she shouldn't although I have doggie-proofed our home, I am still worried I may miss something and I have never had to worry before. I figured since she was older now that she would not resort to this, past the puppy stages. When she does do this, of course I catch the after effects or even her in the midst of chewing the object and I tell her in a stern voice "BAD" and I grab her by her collar and place her in her crate and shut her crate and the door that the crate is in that leads to the rest of the house. I leave her there for a maximum of ten minutes and then let her out, with no more mention of the incident and just go about daily life. I have done this all week and she keeps repeating this behaviour.
Can anybody relate? Any advice, thoughts, experiences, websites...anything would be so appreciated and helpful as I am rather concerned about this sudden change. Her health is good. I have all of her shots up-to-date, her diet has not changed, she eats well, no fleas, ears and eyes are good. Nothing amiss.
Please share anything you have. Your own experiences or any thoughts, advice.
Thanks a million guys!
Lynn & Katie
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