Dog Behaving Badly After Neutering!

[Charitybag]

Hi all! I am a first time dog owner and have a lab cross (his breed of his father is unknown but possibly whippet) who is 7 months old. We've had him since the beginning of August.

He was neutered just over a week ago. Since then we've had problems with him weeing in the house although this is pretty much resolved now. Googling this, I found that this wasn't uncommon after surgery.

Today, he was left alone for 40 mins which is not unusual as he is left alone when I take the kids to school, but usually I am home all day. We returned home to find the baskets in the hall bench removed and chewed beyond repair, BOTH pairs of kids school shoes chewed to buggery and my best wedge slingbacks destroyed. He has numerous toys, Kongs, Stag chews etc so I can't understand why he has done this.

So after an impromptu and expensive trip to John Lewis for two more pairs of Start-Rite, I am home and wondering if any more experienced dog owner can shed some light on this? Could it be something to do with the 'cone of shame' he has to have on until Monday? He really seems to have regressed.

Apologies for the long post!

[TooMuchCantBreath]

Labs are notorious for chewing, it's one of the biggest things about them. Some never do, others are horrendous. Most grow out of it as they get older but not all. My friends chewed entirely through the pedestal of her dining table, 17 shoes, 2 dining chairs and all the wires behind her tv along with the wall behind his bed (took all the plaster off to the brick) and the back door step. After he got to 1 yo he never chewed anything again. Hopefully yours is just a glitch and he'll stop again once he's settled!

[Luxaroma]

Could it be the teenage stage? Some dogs start chewing again at this stage.

[NCIS]

It's probably more his age than the neutering, he's approaching the teen stage where everything suddenly becomes 'whatever' and 'I'll do it when I want to if ever' The good thing is that it passes much quicker than in children.

Shoes smell like crack cocaine to dogs, they're sweaty and salty plus they smell of you, totally irresistible.

We crated ours until he was one when ever we were out, if this is not possible for you then the area will have to be puppy proofed although you may find he chews door frames and flooring too. Also up the training so he is mentally tired.

[Charitybag]

Thanks so much to you all. I think a lot of the problem is his exercise has been restricted since the op and walking him is so unpleasant thanks to the massive head cone (it's huge, he worked out how to press the last one down with a back leg to get to his wound so he had to have a larger one) and he's missed a few training/agility classes.

All shoes are now upstairs (baby gate stops him from accessing landing) and I think I'll hold off getting a new shoe cabinet until this stage has passed!

We've an appointment at the vets tomorrow for a post-op check-up so hopefully this sodding cone can come off and then I'll take the bugger to the park with his ball and wear him out.

Thanks again for helping me!!

[TooMuchCantBreath]

We always take the cone off to walk, because they are focused on fun they tend not to lick and they get worn out better and a break from the frustration. Maybe no ball throwing buy on the lead with no cone might give him a better time?

[Charitybag]

Oh thank you TooMuchCantBreathe. Why the hell didn't I think of that before now?

[TooMuchCantBreath]

I think it's one of those things that hides in plain sight tbh.