boren@randvax.UUCP (Pat Boren) (04/16/85)
Here's hoping some of you dog experts may have a solution to a new problem. My dog, Ginger, is a ~4 year old golden retriever/ cocker spaniel (we think). She looks just like a puppy retriever, and fortunately has stayed about that size. When we got her from the pound 3 years ago, she was a well behaved dog. She's loosened up a bit now (which we wanted), but is still a polite friendly dog (eg, she stays off furniture, won't jump up on strangers, won't sit on top of you when you're trying to eat, etc.). By 'loosening up' I mean that she now plays (before she just sat and stared, watching for commands, I suppose). Anyway, during the day when we're at work, she's in the backyard. Just recently we've discovered that she's actually eating away the the door frame to the back door (trying to get inside?). A friend told me about similar behavior in another retriever who ate a hole through the living room wall!! What's going on here? What can be done to stop this? We leave bones and chew toys for her, but she prefers the house. She's tried tackling the wooden slats in the gate, too. Is it the wood? Or is it being locked up? Please don't tell me she needs to be spayed -- her former long lost owners already took care of that. Thanks and help! Pat Boren -- decvax!randvax!boren