Dog Eating Everything!!!!

Updated on March 02, 2008
L.A. asks from Fort Lauderdale, FL
12 answers

I have a 3 year old German Shepherd, he has been acting so bad lately!! Everytime we leave the house he eats whatver he finds!!! For exanple this week alone he a a whole box of raw macaroni, a bag of ricola cough drops, a shreck baby doll! It's like he is a puppy all over again! We have a 10 month old baby girl she has been crawling since she was 6 months old she is now standing and almost walking...do you think this has something to do with it? We take him to a farm once a month and he does some sheep herding, my husband tries to walk him everyday, but he still acts this way I am sure it is behavioral, I promise you we do feed him. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

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S.T.

answers from San Juan on

Some dogs always want to play with someting if you dont want that he srew up de house try buying him dog toys so he bite he's toys also you can buy to him the big bones, and really they got to much time to bite it. It can be also a little jeaulous because all the attention now goes to the baby play with him, and the baby so he feel part of the family again.

I hope this function to you. Good luck, S.

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M.L.

answers from Miami on

L.,

we are having similar issues with our dogs too. My mom told me that the Humane Society has a behavior line where you leave a message and a pet behavior counselor will call you back and help you deal with pet issues. I tried it last week and the counselor was amazing. We were on the phone for a half hour and I think her advice made a lot of sense. I have seen some improvement but then again, tonight, my cairn terrier jumped on the counter top and ate our cooling pot roast. Good luck! Here is the phone number for the behavior hot line.
Behavior Help Line.............................. ###-###-####

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R.L.

answers from Port St. Lucie on

I am not a big fan of kenneling but I think it is really important for all dogs to be kept in a safe place when you are not home. Try a room that is safe, nothing he can hurt or can hurt him and put him in last thing before you leave but make sure you let him out first thing when you get home and give him lots of love. Have you seen your vet yet to rule out any medical conditions?

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J.K.

answers from Boca Raton on

Sounds like the poor guy might have some anxiety or seperation issues. Maybe you can ask your vet for some natural calmin gpills. My dog has one that is called "Calmative" for when he is really wound up about us leaving.

Also maybe you can leave him a rawhide or something that can keep him busy while you are gone, and he only gets one when you leave. Hope this helps!!

J.

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A.G.

answers from Miami on

FIRST and foremost... get the dog checked out by the vet! GSDs are known for stomach issues! It is a posibility that with the baby walking there have been various changes in the daily routine, creating stress and your dog is seeking new ways to calm himself. Dogs are creatures of opportunity and now that your dog has "taken advantage of the opportunity" to nibble on/eat various items....it is now up to you to prevent it from happening again...by keeping these "targets" out of his reach... I know...easier said than done with a 10 month old in the house.
YOU have to manage your dogs environment. I am a huge fan of kenneling...but not more than a few hours at a time. the other option is to find an area you can confine him to when you are not home and completely "dog proof"it from prying noses and paws. I would also HIGHLY recomend a KONG (looks like a bee hive and you can stuff it w/food,peanutbutter,etc)... It gives them something to do and it is a great stress reliever! You are doing great with the extra walks.... keep it up! EXERCISE is the best stress reliever! Keep in mind, it is important to exercise both MIND and body... might even be fun (and helpful) to teach him some scenting games! Good luck!

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S.L.

answers from Boca Raton on

3 is a young dog, just into his prime, with LOTS of energy. I bet he is a great dog, he is just bored. I bet he got a lot more exercise before your daughter was born. Believe me, I understand that, our 3 "babies" don't get nearly as much attention as they once did. Your husband is going to have to tire him out - maybe 15 minutes of playing ball twice a day, some hard running. I have a border collie who gets neurotic if she is not played with every day. We need to run her hard, she's a frisbee dog with tons of energy. That being said she is also an absolutely wonderful companion to my 2 1/2 year old son. They play together constantly. We laugh that if he ever makes it to the major leagues, its going to be because he got so much practice throwing the ball/frisbee for her when he was young. When your daughter grows up, she will thank you for having such a great dog for her when she was a kid.

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S.D.

answers from Miami on

L. -
It is behavioral. Dogs do this out of boredom or frustration. If he was jealous of your munchkin, he would be seeking out her things and not just anything he can find.
I have had dogs for my entire life. All herding breeds. Currently my house is run by 2 - Australian Cattle Dogs. The mother load of stubbornness. LOL! I do obedience training with all of my furry kids. I have one suggestion for you - purchase a crate. I swear by them. Make sure that it is large enough for the dog to stand in comfortably but you don't want him to have HUGE amounts of room. Crates give a dog security. And they also give you a moment to breathe. Whenever you leave your home, put him in the crate. He can't be naughty and eat things while he is confined. :) It will allow you to trust him and enjoy him again as well as give him a place to call his own. Something he may be lacking as your little one begins to overtake the house.
Also, invest in some chewy toys. There are some great ones out there. Rope types keep dogs interest and are good for their teeth and jaws. Make sure the rope knots are big enough that he can't swallow it whole. :) Also, a furry favorite around here is a Super Kong. It looks like a deformed ball with two small holes at either end. It is virtually indestructible. Made of a hard rubber. You can put treats in it when you crate your dog. He will busily have to toss the thing around and paw at it for HOURS to get the treats out. :)

I know the response is lengthy. Hope it helps.
Happy Day -
S.

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S.K.

answers from Miami on

Your dog might be ill. When my dog developed cushings disease he became ravenous. It is worth looking into. Baring any illness, I would go get a kennel, and when you are out... kennel the dog. Or you can have him stay in JUSt the laundry room or bathroom while you are gone. Good luck

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A.V.

answers from Port St. Lucie on

I had a weimerainer that acted the same way. He was the BEST dog while with us, but no matter what we did he was awful when we were gone. He ate paper towels, a hat, bananas (amazingly peeled them first - we found the peels), a loaf of bread...etc. The last straw was when he ate some court papers my husband left on the kitchen counter. He had to tell the judge "my dog ate my paperwork".
We discovered after we found him a new home that loved him and could devote the time he needed that some dogs can suffer from seperation anxioty! I also found that it is such a common thing they even make something like a doggie prozac. I don't know if that's what is wrong with your dog, but it could be worth mentioning to your vet. They can probably easily diagnose the issue and save you a lot of headache.

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S.S.

answers from Melbourne on

First of all, I would suggest Crate Training. I know it sounds cruel to have a dog in a Kennel while you're gone but it's good for many reasons. First of all, you don't want him to learn the bad behavior of chewing everything in the house when you're gone. My daughter and her husband went through the same thing with a Golden Retriever and regret not crate training their dog. It chewed shoes, and everything else not nailed down. Also for it's own safety. Today the shoes, tomorrow the TV plug or something else electrical. Save yourself some headache and get a kennel for the home. It's not for punishing for bad behavior but eventually, your dog will enjoy the security of a kennel all on his own. Good luck.

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M.N.

answers from Miami on

Sounds like your German Shepherd might just be needing more attention & playtime. He was the center of attention before the baby came and if feeling a bit neglected. I think that he might need more running/jogging time or some more trips to a nearby dog park. Does he have any chew toys? Perhaps new toys would cheer him up as well.

How about a large dog crate? To prevent him from getting into further trouble or getting hurt, you might try placing him in a crate with his favorite toy and raw hide while you guys step out.

Wishing you the best of luck. Keep us posted.

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C.V.

answers from Miami on

It's probably a little acting out because the baby's invading "his space" now. My dogs have been ok with my son and enjoy his attention but I have been worried about when he starts walking and getting into "their" spots and "their" things. One of my dogs I know will be fine with it because he's so in love with our son but, the other one wants to be the center of attention at all times so I think we may have similar problems with him. When the baby's walking around try to give your dog some attention at the same time to show him you love him too.

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