Monday Mischief: Sadie the Motor Mouth

Good Morning, Friends!

Sorry I didn't get the chance to get my paws on the keyboard yesterday- Bosses didn't let me into the computer room, since they went to Iowa City for a wedding over the weekend.  I got to hang out with my Grand"paw", "Run"cle, and "Paw"nt.  I think that's what they call those people?

Anywho, today, I'm going to tell you a little bit about the one thing that gets me in the most trouble:

My mouth.

I am a young dog, and am learning what is appropriate and not appropriate to chew on.  Unfortunately, I figure things out the hard way.  Bosses use a technique to help me learn what is right and wrong, which helps a lot.  If I have my mouth stuck on something they'd like me to leave alone, they switch the bad thing out with something good, like, a Nylabone/chew/ball.  That way, it's positive training with no negative punishments.  I think it's great!  Sometimes, when they're gone at work, I find something out of the blue and obliterate it.  Whoops.  Hence the first Monday Mischief that we wrote about- the stairs getting de-carpeted.

Along with behavioral training, chewing on inappropriate items can be physically dangerous for us dogs.  What if I would have ingested any of the things I ripped to smithereens?!  I hear things don't end well when certain items get stuck, so Boss likes to make sure I'm supervised when chewing on things as much as humanly possible.

We read a neat guide called "Eat This, Not That!" that explains the hazards items can introduce to dogs.  There's even a "seasonal hazards" section, which is very relevant during this time of year!  Halloween this week, Thanksgiving next month, Christmas, New Years.....lots of fun, but also lots of hazards.  I encourage you to read through the guide- even if you know some portions of it already, it's always worth a read.  You can learn something new everyday!

What are some inappropriate items I've destroyed?

• Underwear- I only rip up the cute ones that Small Boss has.  Not Big Boss's- those aren't cute.
• The carpet on the staircase- I pull the carpet up and shred the padding underneath.  Good fun!
• Socks- I like to tug on these.  They have good smells, too!
• The rugs in the kitchen- they looked too neat.  Plus, all the food smells?  Psh! Yeah!
• The memory foam bath mats- they were so squishy.  Felt like cotton candy!
• Toilet paper rolls- because when it's shredded, it looks like snow!  And I like snow!
• Mom's peony plant roots- THIS was a little more scary.  I threw up a lot from these- turns out they are toxic to dogs.  Who knew?!  Mom immediately put a little fence around these so I can't get them.
• Cardboard boxes- the cats do it, why can't I?
• Markers- I ate one.  It wasn't as satisfying as I thought.

The list could go on.  However, I don't actually swallow my victims.  Whew.  I recommend you check that infographic/guide out.  I found it very helpful, and we now know what symptoms to look for in case I do end up swallowing something one of these days.

*Note: I was not compensated for this article- I found it informational, and thought it would be a good read!*

Chow!