I have a 7 month old female Boxer/Pit mix who is chewing everything. We have 3 other dogs in small and large breeds who do not chew on anything. I have tried crating her as well as giving her toys and correcting her on what not to chew and what is allowed, but she still chews everything she can get a hold of. She only chews on things after we have left the house. For a while she was behaving greatly, not a chewed up thing in sight, but for the last two days she has gone back to her old habits. I really need some help. My parents said that if I don't stop her from chewing then I have to get rid of her and I can't. She is my baby and she is all I have so if anyone has any advice that will help me I would greatly appreciate it.
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Your dog may be chewing because of stress.
The breed of dog you have requires an hour walk EVERY day. It can be split up into two half hour walks. This will help remove pent up energy.
The puppy also requires training and discipline. Never allow this type of dog to walk on a flexi-leash. It needs to learn to walk directly beside you, facing forward.
As far as chewing is concerned: You need to learn to claim your things and the family's things. Start by learning "drop it." When your puppy picks up a thing, stand straight up to your full height, point with your arm straight, and say "drop it!" in a firm voice. He'll know if you don't mean it. Once he drops it, take the item. NEVER take something directly from the dog's mouth, even if he lets you.
You're going to have to learn dog training- that means studying. DVDs and books are available. Your dog must learn not to jump up on people, not to chase cats or squirrels on a walk, and many other things. Large breeds can become dangerous when they get older if not properly trained.
Now you have to be very honest with yourself- are you going to be able to do all this? Not just in summer but all year round? If you feel you may not be able to find the time to put in the extra hours per week, the dog would be best rehomed when young. A large breed dog that gets bad habits or isn't trained properly when young is often destroyed as an adult because no one can control him. So be sure you can really commit to this, or find someone with experience with large breeds to adopt your pet.
40+years experience raising AKC Boxers and doing breed rescue plus what I learned over the years from my American Staffordshire Terrier (correct name for 'pit' bull type dogs, aka 'Staffies'; the AKC has recently recognised a specific and distinct breed as American Pit Bull but they are very rare at this point and most 'pit' bulls are really Staffies) raising cousin taught me the following about chewing puppies of these breeds and their crosses:
They will chew until around aged three - anything including wood and bricks and metal and anything else they can get between their teeth, and will enjoy a nice safe vet approved chewy all of their lives. After around three years old, they do back off the constant need to be chewing something.
Best thing to do is invest in vet approved stout rope toys, good quality chewy toys, and those dental chew treats. A constant ready supply of top grade treats helps a lot in keeping your pup from choosing your furniture and clothing - Boxers especially are food-motivated (and love, they are very sensitive and want love and treats in near equal measure - scolding only makes them feel hard done by, btw) and diverting/rewarding them is the only way to protect your property.
Boxers are also prone to 'separation anxiety' and will gnaw your sofa if not crated when you're away from the house. I had one who ate the sofa while his mum was hard at work on the love-seat!
These dogs are a lot of work but well worth the effort - you cannot ask for a better, more loyal canine companion than a Boxer or Boxer-Staffie cross. But they do come with some challenging personality traits, chewing is only one.
You do need to be aware of other breed specific traits (they don't really fully mature until around 3 although sexually at around six months and that's just for starters), and any legislation in your area - many locales either have very strictly enforced rules around how you keep your dog, or outright ban them. Your vet should be your number one go-to for this info, the AKC website next (for breed specific traits), your local library and the Internet for training tips.
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