How long is the dog alone during a normal day? Boredom is a powerful chew motivator. We just adopted a very timid dog who will chew almost anything---tree branches, shoes, area rugs($600 area rugs!), raids trash baskets/etc. I now crate her during the night and for the four hours a day both of us are gone.

I play with her as much as I can----soccer ball, tennis balls---I do not let her chew on them, just run after/wrestle them.

The crating is the major change---I put it beside my bed. Two weeks of that and I have discovered I can leave her out for the 10-20 minutes it takes to run errands----she does not chew as much.

The other change is to chew proof the house---close doors to bedrooms---except the one with her crate---which is left with the door open and toys in it---rope toys, a couple of Kongs and a tennis ball. You wiuld not need the tennis ball.

I do not buy any toys made in China---too many stories about problems, Made in Mexico or America.

Exercise, exercise, exercise. Sounds like your dog may have a good bit of Beagle in her and the breed needs some type of stimulation to keep them mentally occupied and exercise to satisfy their hunting drive.

Start taking her on daily long walks, buy non-destructible toys & beds, chew proof your house, and enroll in an obedience class.

The fact that she's overweight says she's not exercising enough. At 2 years of age she's in for other problems if you don't get the weight under control.

I should clarify, I forget everything gets taken so literal on these forums. She is "alittle" overweight because she eats her food and then goes for my labs food. She is not alone during the day. I am home most days and she has my 90 lb lab to play with. I also live on 10 acres and they have at least 3 acres to run. They play constantly. Its not for lack of exercise or boredom. The minute she gets something, she chews it to bits. It does not matter what it is. I can't buy her toys, she eats them. (usually within minutes). She was only crated for about the first two weeks we had her. She whined and cried so much, we didnt use it so its too late to crate her now. Other than the chewing, she is well behaved. Just loves to chew everything.

I've stopped counting how many issues (like chewing) have been completely screwed up, because the crating experience, was, well, screwed up. I'm now dealing with a dog about 10 months old, 165 lbs. that has almost the very same issue. The whole mess could have easily been avoided had humans in charge properly crate trained the dog when he was a pup. Now the dog is maturing, set in his ways, and things are a mess.

Having a dog means trust, from both the dog and human. Your dog simply must earn your trust before being allowed unsupervised freedom. Proper crate training instills this trust. You have given your dog to much freedom to soon, and she knows it. You are also not in charge of this dogs life, and she knows it.

If you take a very deep breath and look at your dog's behavior, you will probably see that of a 2 month old pup, not a 2 year old dog. If you are going to fix this, you need to severely clamp down on your dogs unsupervised freedom (to where she has absolutely none, when not crated she needs a leash on), and start the crating process all over again, gradually (over the course of perhaps a few months, depending on how well dog progresses) allowing freedom when you earn your dogs trust.

Your dog also needs regular exercise (at least twice a day for 30 minutes). She is board out of her skull.

She also needs to be shown WHAT is acceptable to chew on. When you see her chew on shoes, offer her a toy that you WANT her to chew on.

SG

Geeze, Im starting to regret asking this question. First of all, I didnt ask to be scolded by so called "dog professionals". I asked for some help on what to do. I have THREE dogs, the other two have no issues and were raised in the exact same way, WITHOUT A CRATE. This particular dog has this issue. As stated twice, it doesnt matter what you give her, she will chew it up. Shoes have been taken away, toys have been give to her. CHEWED! EATEN! SWALLOWED!

Well Geeze,

If you didn't want to know how to fix YOUR problem (not your dogs) you shouldn't have posted the question!

SG

The fact your other dogs do not have issues has little to do with the problems Maggie has. No two dogs are the same.

Maggie is obviously not like the other dogs, so the solutions must be different. The chewing is frustration, frustration over having too little structure.

Dogs respect the pack leader. It could be that in your household, especially with the easy situation with the other two dogs, she has found there is no pack leader. That permits her to do anything---she has no hard rules---rules that get swift punishment when broken. (Punishment does not mean beating/whipping or abusing in any manner)

She is evidentally a very strong willed dog, much more so than the other two. The fact she has the run of three acres and a playmate has little to do with the root problem(chewing)

New rule #1 She should NOT----repeat---NOT be allowed to go near the other dogs food. Period. NEVER. This is the beginning of how you will start the solution. Simply stand between her and the labs food dish and say NO when Maggie attempts to get at the food. If the lab is on a free feed schedule---food out all the time, you will have to change that. Some dogs cannot do that. This should be done as much as necessary.

New rule #2 You need to start leash work. Take the dog for a twenty minute walk at least once a day. Make her walk properly----her head by whichever leg you choose with no pressure on the leash. That alone may take several weeks to accomplish. What this exercise does is establish dominance---you become the pack leader in her eyes.

New rule #3 Make up a list of thing she can learn---sit, stay, down, shake----things like that. Practice them until she gets them. No reward save "Good Girl!" and a pat or two. She needs to learn she has rules and must obey for no reward, simply because you say so. If she misbehaves, a stern quiet "NO!" is punishment enough. At first, a short sideways jerk on the leash along with the "NO!" teaches her the "NO!" is punishment. That jerk is just hard enough to get her attention, not pull her down.

New procedure Get her a Kong---there are several types, she should not be able to chew that up. Rope toys are also good. If she starts to destroy something, take it from her with that "NO!" and set it back down. Repeat as necessary.

The solution with take months of work---but if you do those things---and others you find help---every time she misbehaves---and continue doing so---she will become a much happier dog---and one that does not make you stress out.

Linda,

I completely see what you are asking, and I would be just as frustrated with the repetitious generic advice.

Yes, crate training would be a great way to solve the problem IF the dog was just chewing things out of boredom or anxiety or too much freedom. But there is more to it. This dog is EATING the objects! Even toys. So generic training won't work. This issue is also VERY dangerous for the dog.

Have you talked to your vet and/or a trainer? Truth is, some dogs just like to eat EVERYTHING! If that's the case, then you'll just need to adhere to a rigorous training schedule. I'm sure private training could help, maybe even with some crate training just to help when you are not there to supervise. If you want to do the training on your own, I do agree that the leash thing could work well - just put her on a leash while you are supervising her, and when she starts the behavior tug the leash with a quick sharp tug and say "NO". Maybe she doesn't realize that it's such a bad behavior, and you want to make sure you are saying "NO" like you mean it...in an "alpha way".

She might just be a stubborn little dog! This will take time, but I'm sure you can get it under control. A lot of what was said above can help (like crate training and indoor leash use) - regardless of the reason she is EATING this objects, she still needs to be taught that is is bad behavior...you don't want to end up in the ER with her because of an obstruction.

Best of luck!

P.S. I don't stick to crate training all the time either. It depends on the dog. My current dog didn't need it, but all my previous dogs did. That structure really does help them a lot. I know that listening to the crying is tough, but eventually they learn to be okay with it and can actually like their crate!

Just to add...I just read Handymac's advice after I posted - it's a very good schedule, and worth a try.

The first two dogs were easy. congratulations, you now have a hard one :-) It is not too late to crate-train this one and it sounds like you're going to need to in order to keep the dog safe and maintain your sanity.

First, chew-proof the house. Put away shoes, clothes, papers, etc. Trash is behind cabinets or up on counters. Doors are closed to bedrooms.

Purchase some chew toys marketed for aggressive chewers. An extreme (black) Kong rubber toy and a classic Nylabone should withstand a puggle. DO NOT waste your money on Kong stuff and treats, dental toys, tennis toys, Wubbas, Nylabone gummabones, etc. Purchase only the products marketed for aggressive chewers and from these two companies. The only other toy I have seem withstand an aggressive chewer for more than 15 minutes is the brand Puptreads (sold at Walmart) and you would need to get the largest size available - purchase based on chewing habit and not the size of your dog.

Stuff the Kong ( I would suggest at least the medium and probably the large) with a mix of kibble and peanut butter - just enough PB to hold the kibble in the Kong. Since your dog is already overweight, you will need to cut her rations and use only her rations to fill her Kong. In fact, since she's so interested in chewing, let her eat everything from the Kong...no more bowl of food.

Now, even though she has another dog to play with and 10 acres upon which to romp, she needs some directed exercise. Leashed walks with an emphasis on obedience will stimulate her physically and mentally. Not sure how to work on obedience skills? - enroll in a good, blanaced class. A rousing game to fetch will help to wear her out as well. You don't need to purchase a ball (which would just be torn up anyway) - the Kong will bounce in an interesting pattern when thrown. Three 30 minute sessions PLUS her normal romping with the Lab should help to wear her out.

Lastly, when she's not being exercised, you're going to need to commit to supervising. Just like housetraining - you're going to tether her to you or crate her with her Kong or Nylabone whenever you can't supervise. It's important that she no longer have the opportunity to practice inappropriate chewing.

This is a problem which can be fixed, but it takes some consistency and dedication to supervising the dog.

Whoops - I see you've gotten a lot more advice since i started my post - I must be a slow typist! Handymac's advice is great, except for the rope toy part. If she's that agressive a chewer, the rope toy is not going to be a good choice. I have a German Short-haired Pointer who just turned two. He can still untie and shred a knotted rope toy in 10 minutes flat.

If you're comfortable (I know many people aren't), you might consider getting beef bones for her to chew on. The big thick ones that she won't be able to actually break. My dogs love those, and it fills the chewing need nicely. Baby gates work well for rooms like bathrooms & bedrooms, so she can't actually get to stuff to chew it up.

Also, I'd suggest a thorough vet exam if she hasn't had one lately. It could well be that she just really enjoys chewing on stuff and has that much energy (with her breed mix), but because she's actually eating everything, I'd make sure she doesn't have a metabolism problem or anything like that (ie, make sure she isn't just genuinely hungry all the time for some medical reason).

It's never too late to crate train, but I understand why you might not want to. Since you're home all day, I'd really just focus on keeping her leashed to you as much as possible, so you can correct her when she's chewing on something she shouldn't. I don't know much about pugs, but I know beagles are very hard-headed...it may just be that she really needs a "hard-headed" approach to training (which means nearly constant supervision, or crating).

Good luck! :-)

Jamie
Gabriel (Dobe/Lab, CVI) & Lucy (GSD/Lab, EPI)

Thanks to all the people that seemed to generally understand what I was talking about.Gabro you definitely have a better grasp on what Im talking about and I will try some of the things you suggested.

If you didn't want to know how to fix YOUR problem (not your dogs) you shouldn't have posted the question!

SG, I post my "pet questions" about my "dog" problems on the "pet" forum. If you post your "personal" problems on the pet forum, then you have bigger issues than I do with my dog.

This is nothing typical, i've had many dogs, her 90 lb lab sibling was as rambuntious as they come and he is a great 4 year old dog now. (not crate trained). He went thru the "chewing stage" like any other dog and he learned. This little dog is agressive, she trys to be the pack leader, my oldest dog, (a pit mix) won't have it. (also not crate trained and the best dog you could ask for).

I'm not particularly fond of crate training, in fact I think its pretty cruel. But that is me and I know some people think it is best for both the dog and their owners and I respect that. My dogs are like my children. I wouldnt stick my children in a cage to learn the rules, but they do know there are rules to follow. Maggie is trained, she does all the normal tricks, will stop if you tell her "no". Will sit, lay down, etc. We just can't seem to break her of the chewing.

Shroppie, I will look around for toys that say "agressive chewers". I did not know there was such a thing. She does not like kongs, won't even play with them. I think mostly because she can't rip it apart. I have a few, they just sit there.

This post has reinforced my belief that there are completely stupid people, who should never have dogs.

It's also convinced me that my time here is a complete waste.

I'm outta here, for good.

Promise?

Just a thought....have you had her teeth looked at? There could be a problem leading her to chew constantly. I had a little guy, years ago, that went through something simalar. Probably not as aggresive as yours, but seemed to need to chew constantly. He had a gum problem, with some baby teeth still intact. Having them pulled, and medicine for the gums, he did stop the excessive chewing.
Hope you find an answer!

As for the "professional" pet owners, every pet is different from another, just like kids. The same thing will not work on every dog. Trial and error, asking questions, seeking information is the best thing to do. I hope that you find your answer soon.
There are NO perfect pet owners, just as there are NO perfect parents.
MonaRae

Dogs are not children, and when you treat them as such, you set them up for some dangerous behavior. When your dog chews through an electrical cord or gets a bowel obstruction that requires surgery, a crate may seem less cruel than leaving a knowingly destructive dog unsupervised, uncontained.

The exercise is not for the weight, its for the mental stimulation. A dogs brain, particularly a beagle brain has a olfactory gland that makes up most of the brain. When you take your dog for a walk you are stimulating the olfactory gland, which is most of the dogs brain. It will take him hours of exhausting mental stimulation to process all of the new smells that he encounters while walking (something he cannot get while contained in the same yard, day after day.) A walk is a dog on one end of the leash, the pack leader, in control, on the other end of the leash, continually reinforcing you as leader of the pack and working his brain to stay in control, to not lunge and not pull. Hounds need mental and olfactory stimulation much more than labs do, (I have both). A mentally tired dog is less likely to chew, than a bored unstimulated dog.

My suggestions, long controlled walks, containment when not supervised. Pretty simple.

Bitter Apple spray may help, but I've seen hound dogs lick it like candy. ;-)

You have a pretty common misconception about what crating is. You don't crate a dog to TEACH it anything any more than you would stick your children in a cage to learn the rules...neither learns by osmosis. The crate is for when they are learning the rules, but you are NOT there to guide them. You wouldn't leave your 18 month old upstairs alone while you run down to the basement to do some laundry, would you? Of couse not! You'd take the child with you (the purpose of the tethering i mentioned earlier) or you'd place the child in a crib or playpen. SAME THING! You don't want to leave Maggie alone where there's a possibility she can get into something either. Blocking off a room is OK too, but dogs who have learned to relieve stress or alleviate boredom by chewing will often chew the floor, the door, the baseboard, the drywall, etc., etc., etc. I would suggest that the crate NOT have a bed, towels or rug - those come later when the inappropriate chewing is gone.

Like I said, I really do have some experience with aggressive chewers. MANY toys marketed toward them aren't worth a hill of beans. The Extreme Kong is great - I've NEVER seem a dog destroy one. The Classic Kong is pretty good - I have one that is 15 years old and it was still fine until the GSP started on it. He may have been OK with a newer one. They are pretty boring on their own, but I've never had a dog ignore a stuffed one. Working to remove the food, especially when it's the only food she is going to receive, should work. Plus, she'll be learning that toys aren't for tearing up. The dental stick and dental jack are worthless - both broke into large pieces within minutes and they are only available in red. Kong treat balls (stuff-a-ball) were also quickly destroyed. The biscuit ball lasts longer, but still wasn't suitable. Air Kongs are glorified, expensive tennis balls and met the same fate as their cheaper brethren. Kong balls are nice and the dogs seem to especially enjoy the bounzer ball. Kongs supposedly have a replacement guarantee, but I wasn't particularly impressed with Kong's customer service after contacting them about the dental stix.

Nylabones are more of a crap shoot. I haven't had success with the original flavor, but these (in souper size bacon flavor)

http://www.petedge.com/Flavored-Nylabones-TF178.pro

seem to be a hit with the Dane and GSP. With a puggle, you can probably get by with a giant size. As I stated before, gumabones, dental chews and healthy edibles are worthless for an aggressive chewer.

Puptreads are made from recycled tires and have the advantage of being available at Walmart, Tractor Supply etc. Vigorous chewing did rough them up, but only small rice-sized pieces are missing. I have this particular one

http://www.petstore.com/ps_ViewItem-category-Ethical___Spot_Pup_Treads_Rubber_Bone_Dog_Toy_(6_Inch_H)_Dog_Supplies_Toys_Rubber___Vinyl_Toys-vendor-Ethical-SearchStr-treads-action-view-idProduct-EU04963-idCategory-DGTOVI.html

but they come in a variety of shapes and were pretty cheap.

As far as balls, you've already discovered that tennis balls don't last. There's something about that covering that is just irresistible to the aggressive chewer. And the "tough" tennis balls especially for dogs aren't any better. Chuck-It Ultra balls

http://www.petedge.com/ChuckIt--Ultra-Rubber-Balls-ZX482.pro

last much longer than any other ball except Kong balls. The advantage of the Ultra balls is that they bounce better and are great for indoors as they are light. I've heard that raquetballs are similiar, but don't have personal experience.

Also, goughnuts!

http://www.goughnuts.com/

They're a little heavy for indoor play, but the dogs enjoy carrying them and chewing. So far I'm impressed. They do come with a replacement guarantee and, should the need arise, I hope I'll have a better experience with them than i did with Kong.

Finally, if Maggie likes to chase a larger ball (like a basketball, volleyball or soccer ball) you can look into something like this

http://www.petsmart.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2751746

I haven't tried it because I have a connection with a soccer coach who gives me his dead balls. I can't leave the GSP alone with them but the free balls are adequate for chasing around for a day or two until they are truly "dead"

Between some more appropriate toys, adequate supervision and lots more exercise (with you, not on her own!), the problem should be greatly reduced BEFORE Maggie gets into serious trouble. Obstructions can be deadly and obstruction surgery is EXPENSIVE.

There is alot of good information here but I would like to know some more about the dog and how its day goes first. The more info you can give me the better.
First. How does your day go? Does your dog get fed in the morning, if so what kind of dog food and how much. Then what happens during the day? How much do you walk your dog? Is your dog just let out the back door to play in the back yard or do you take your dog to a park to play with others or do you leash walk? How much training has your dog had? If any do you follow through? If so how often?
When does your dog do most of the chewing and destructiveness - when alone - when you are home? If alone, what do you do when you leave the dog, what is your routine??? Hope to hear from you soon

Okay -

I have a pure bred beagle. I completely understand your frustration. She chewed EVERYTHING the second we turned our back on her for 10 seconds. I have holes in my carpet, edge of my coffee table gnawed off, my deck has a corner missing on it. I lost countless pairs of socks and underwear. No word of a lie, in the first two years we had her, we probably spent nearly $1000, in beds and toys because she destroyed and ate EVERYTHING. Our outside kennel was littered with multi-coloured pieces of all sorts of things she'd passed while going to the washroom. We got lucky, she never got obstructed once. And she swallowed quite a few things mostly whole. It was terrible.

First step. Buy the nylabones for strong chewers. The largest size. These are the absolute ONLY things we have found that she cannot destroy in a matter of minutes. She adores her bones, she has three, and she goes STIR crazy if she can't chew. She is a chewer, exercised or not. Some dogs like to chew. The kongs are okay, but she still takes chunks out of them, we have tried every kind.

As much as you are against crating, it was the ONLY thing that helped us through this. We thought we could get rid of the crate as soon as she was housetrained, WRONG. We needed it up until about a year/year and a half ago (she's nearly 4 now). It would've been sooner if we got on it quicker.

Locking her in a room, resulted in eaten carpet and a chewed on baseboard. We tethered her as often as we could. I have been home with her all day, every day since we got her - she still managed to eat anything she could find, any chance she got. So she spent a lot of time in and out of that crate.

She now has 100% free run of the house and does not chew ANYTHING. Occasionally she will munch up a tissue or paper towel if someone forgot to throw it out - but other than that, she does not destroy anything anymore.

It took consistent discipline. She chewed her bed - it got taken away. She chewed something up, she'd get put in the crate with a bone, and of course a lot of 'leave it' and 'drop it' and replacing with an appropriate toy. Put in the crate every second that she could not be watched.

We never left her in the crate for more than needed when we were home. If I went to have a shower, she was in the crate with her bones, and out the second I got out of the shower. If I had to pee, she'd come with me. She was not locked in there all day, at all, ever.

Think of it as keeping her safe, not punishment. Until we got her on a strict routine with the crate and firm rules - and stuck to it, I swore up and down I would never get another beagle again. She is now the best behaved and trained dog I have ever owned in my entire life, and I would have a house full, as long as I could fit all the crates in!!

Also - as cruel as crating seems, which I thought initially too, I didn't want to do it, but didn't know what else to do - my beagle missed hers!! She recently had surgery, so we brought the crate back out, on the request of the vet, to keep her quiet and still when we were gone - and she was so excited to see it! The whole time we had it out, she slept in it any time she slept, ignored their other beds and went right to her crate on her own. When we took it up again, we put it in their bedroom so she can have it at night, and she sleeps in it instead of the bed.

The key is consistency - just like housetraining, the second she has the chance to chew something up without you there, you go back a step. She learns she can chew without you in the room. She needs to learn she just can't chew, and everytime she does find something to chew, your training becomes useless. We learned this the hard way, and you are too. All unsupervised freedom has to go, until she is able to be trusted not to chew anything.

If you are still too uncomfortable with the crate, you need to find something to keep her contained that doesn't allow her anything to chew up. If you don't you'll lose a lot of personal items, and her life will be at risk. It really is important that she be kept safe until this is under control.

Like another poster also, I'd never crate trained with any of our previous animals, but she needed it. We'd either be still dealing with the problem, or have lost her to a dangerous obstruction by now, with out it.

I just want to say good luck, too! I know how hard this can be, and how frustrating, but if you find something that works and stick with it, she will become a wonderful dog!!

And if she has the hound mindset, she's too smart for her own good, just like ours, and she will catch on quickly. Every trick our dog knows she learned in less than a day - and she also learned how to pull one over on us, and how to get away with things, until we took over.

Keep trying, hopefully with some of the suggestions you'll figure it out!

I feel your pain...I adopted a beagle, not knowing about "beagley ways", which in my case was chewing, peeing *on my bed*, and escaping. I will also echo the necessity of crate training, just as Munkos described. It is not a punishment, it is a safe place for your Maggie, and in turn, it will save your home.

She will HATE it at first, and go ballistic in there, but hold firm. Feed her in there, and hopefully some of the "extreme chewer" toys will work, so you can put those in there too. Have you tried hooves? Those have been very good for not only my beagle, but my now 5 month old shepherd -hound mix. (not sure if the hound part is beagle, honestly I hope not!!)

As much as you feel that crate training is cruel, with Maggie, it is probably the only thing that is going to work. Go back through the posts here and note the good advice offered by several posters on how to use a crate, routines, and possible toys she won't destroy.

BTW, I was TOTALLY against crate training at one time too. Thought it was cruel and a bad thing. I have since learned that when used properly, it is really the best thing for me and my dogs. Once they are house broken and chew broken, I no longer lock the crate. The dogs still go in there to hang out or nap, because they consider it their den and safe haven.

Oh you have my sympathies. My now 4 y.o. Border Collie was much the same way. He chewed and ate everything as well including half of my genuine La Z boy chair LOL.. I'm not kidding. He chewed himself thru the walls into another room, he chewed holes in the basement carpet down to the cement, in the living room carpet,
I had a Nylabone tug toy that was at least 10 years old which two of my other Border Collies had had and never destroyed.. this little guy chewed thru that thing like it was butter in 1/2 a day. I was at my wits end as well but put up with it but many days I came so close to getting rid of him but could hear my mothers voice in the background scolding me about once you have an animal you have it for the rest of your life!!!!
Anyways I still have him and about the time he was three he turned a complete 180 and is now a wonderfully behaved dog.. it just happened, how I don't know.

Oh and to finish off my above epistle, We lived on 5 acres and also had an older Border collie while all this chewing was going on by the "youngster". It had nothing to do with him being bored, he had work chasing and keeping gophers off the property which kept them both very busy. I'd also run him at least twice daily for 1/4 mi beside the car which he loved to do. So it's not always a simple case of the dog is bored.

" So it's not always a simple case of the dog is bored."

SO true!!!

I agree with Handymac... Maybe give her raw meaty bones, to gnaw on.... as long as they are not cooked, its fine.

This dog may need professional help. Its Good to be a firm leader- sometimes however things get too tough and you must seek outside help.

You should be finding out the root of the dogs issues, not just give him more to chew on - if you would answer some of the questions I posed I might be able to assist you

So what would you do, mazer? I don't see where anyone suggested JUST giving the dog more to chew on. The suggestions were

1. more exercise, especially directed exercise. IMO, people who think their dogs receive enough exercise running around the yard on their own don't do a whole lot of observing their dog. Even my busy-bees choose to lay down and snooze ( or worse, they dig or find sticks to chew) in the yard if left to their own devices. A Frisbee, ball or leash gets them up and moving in a productive way.

2. putting away inappropriate chew items - Agreed. No dog should have access to trash!

3. providing appropriate chew items- Yep yep yep. Some dogs LIKE to chew. My shepherd mix falls asleep with his Kong. Every night, he goes from chewchewchewchewchew to chew...chew....chew....zzzzzzzz. It's his pacifier.

4. supervising the dog or putting the dog in a safe place - Absolutely! Supervise, supervise, supervise. When you're not there, remove the dog to a place that is absolutely safe. Doesn't have to be a crate, but it needs to be somewhere the dog cannot practice inappropriate behavior.

5. checking the dog for any health problems - Excellent idea.

What's to add?

I have the same problem too! My two puppies are about 8 months old. Scout (the lab) can chew anything within 10 minutes, Emma (lab/boxer/pointer) will take a couple of days to chew the same thing. Our schedule goes something like this. 7am wake up, walk and play (around one hour).
Breakfast when we return home. By this time Emma is ready to snooze, Scout is more hyper than ever. 8.30am Crate time while I run errands. 10am. more play time and we are training on the invisible fence. 10.30 into outside pen - where they have their own wicker loveseat (or what is left of it having been chewed thoroughly). 12.30pm. walk and play time, more outside time training on the fence. back in the pen or crate depending on the weather. 4pm play, walk, fence training and dinner. 6pm back in crate/pen. more playing /training till bed time (around 11pm). We normally do three one mile walks a day on a leash, and have friends who have dogs and we visit for playtime in their yards. These dogs will be outside dogs only. We have around an acre they will be able to play and run on. Our "inside" training and feeding etc takes place in our screened porch. When they were about three months old we were able to leave them for 30 minutes or so and they would be fine, snuggled up on the sofa. The disaster. They chewed the loveseat, the chairs, toys last ten minutes - including the Aussie indestructible brand - cushions, shoes you name it they chewed it. So we now still have time on the porch - but it is supervised. While we are thee, there is no problem, but we only have to leave for five minutes and disaster strikes again. So far we have gone through eleven dog beds. Now they just sleep on old towels, and outside in the pen there is a kennel with straw in it. So for those of you who say they need exercise, it doesn't work for all dogs! I am still trying to work things out. I read the posts, think about things and try what i think will work for my dogs. I appreciate everyone who posts. So, I don't have any words of wisdom, just chuckle when I know that I am not the only one going through the 'puppy' stage.

Exercise isn't the issue for 8 month old dogs who are growing new teeth. The OP dogs is 2 year old, so they should be passed the teething phase...