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Toys for Shredders

2K views 2 replies 3 participants last post by  tc68 
#1 ·
Good morning! I just recently rescued a 10-month-old male GSD who was dumped by his previous owners. He's an amazing dog so far! However, he has an affinity for paper and cardboard. He will destroy any of this material that he can get his mouth on. He's well supplied with antlers and nylabone, and while he enjoys these, he definitely prefers paper. He doesn't eat it; he just likes to shred. For reference, he is getting daily walks, but not any strenuous exercise at the moment as he is healing from a chryptorchidism neuter. Does anyone have suggestions for durable and safe toys that dogs with a paper/cardboard shredding penchant would enjoy? This is my first shepherd but I've raised pits, rottweilers, and huskies in the past and have never had a dog so keen on paper, so I don't know what to give him. Thanks in advance.
 
#2 ·
Maybe shredding is a good stress reliever for him for the time being.A new home and restricted activity is rather traumatic for this active loyal breed.I would give him the cardboard (supervised) for now and be glad he's not pacing,chewing on himself,spinning,etc.One of my dogs enjoys shredding too,but stuffed toys are her favorite.So every so often she gets one for a special treat.Empty milk jugs are her second fave.Only when I can keep an eye on her and don't mind cleaning up the aftermath.:eek:
 
#3 ·
Same with mine. He liked newspaper, cardboard boxes, and his absolute favorite - tissue paper. He'll root through trash cans for tissue papers. Although lately, he doesn't much anymore...maybe because we put away all paper products. Also I think he's beginning to lose interest in anything paper. I've bought him all the toughest toys made for dogs. He's torn them all apart within minutes. Now, he really likes chewing on those rubber Chuckit balls. It's like a chewing gum for him. He'll sit there and chew on them for hours if I let him. Before that, it was tennis balls. He'd pop the balls and then tear them apart. I can't give him any toys because he'll destroy everything. I had a whole box full of dog toys from my previous GSD that he completely destroyed them all from 8 weeks old 'til now. The only things left are a few hard rubber balls that he won't touch. He's torn up his bed, his crate pads, frisbees, etc. I've gone through 11...12 leashes(?) I've lost count.

At night he likes to chew on antlers, specifically moose antlers. My previous one liked elk and deer antlers. This one likes moose. Over the last 13 years or so I must've spent over 5 grand on antlers alone between the 2 dogs. They both like it if I hold it for them so that they can really gnaw on them. If I allow them, they can go through a foot long antler in less than a day. I tell you what...with my previous dog, the vet used to ask me how I kept my dog's teeth so clean and if I brushed his teeth every day. I told him that he gnawed on a lot of antlers. His whole life I probably can count on 1 hand how many times I brushed his teeth.

Anyway, my point is my Slovak working lines GSD is like a Maligator. Whatever he gets his mouth on, he'll tear it apart. So the best chewing/gnawing thing I give him is an antler. You have to buy bigger and longer ones. They can't get a good grip on the smaller ones. And if you have to hold one while he chews/gnaws, the bigger and longer (usually over a foot long), the better....you don't want your hands anywhere near those teeth while they're gnawing. My dogs will bring the antlers to me and drop them in my lap every night..basically telling me it's time to hold the antlers for them so they can chew/gnaw.
 
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