[Kayla]

Okay, so Dexter is such a trouble maker sometimes.

I really need help and reassurance if anyone had this happen to their pup! Okay, so I was brushing my hair getting ready for bed and Dexter went to my laundry hamper, pulled out a shirt and started eating it! I saw him to this immediately and I took it from him and then I noticed a button was missing and that he accidentally ate it. It was a small round white button that was on my shirt. Omg, I am so worried. Needless to say, I am really upset that he grabbed a shirt from the hamper and chewed on it…but mainly.. I am worried it will do damage. So far, he isn’t sick or anything. I don’t know what to do.. Do I need to call the Vet?

[Kayla]

It is also plastic*

[Dori]

Don’t panic. How big is the button? Also what breed is Dexter and how much does he weigh?

• This reply was modified 10 years, 9 months ago by Dori.

[Kayla]

It was a small plastic white button. He is an Aussie mix and, he is around 45 pounds, maybe almost 50. Not sure..haven’t weighed him recently. He is around 1 years old. Not sure what he is mixed with, I am thinking he is mixed with border collie! but, maybe either corgi or pit! He just doesn’t seem to look like a corgi or pit like to me. He is a medium/large size dog!

[IMG]http://i59.tinypic.com/11823ab.jpg[/IMG]

[IMG]http://i62.tinypic.com/307p3t0.jpg[/IMG]

[Kayla]

http://tinypic.com/r/11823ab/8

http://tinypic.com/r/307p3t0/8

[Kayla]

I know, dog eat crazy things but I never had a dog ever eat a button. Never had a dog that will go through the hamper to pull out a shirt to eat. :/

[Dori]

Did he chew up the button? Any pieces around? I honestly wouldn’t worry about it other than keep on eye on his poops for the button or pieces of it. Puppies are so exhausting for us, we worry about every little thing and there is always something to worry about because they are ALWAYS up to no good. Like I said, unless he’s coughing or hacking like he’s trying to throw something up just keep an eye on him. I’m sure it’ll come out in a couple of days or so. My three toy dogs are always getting into something no matter how vigilant I am. Sometimes I only realize it when I’m picking up their poops. At least buttons are round and not jagged so shouldn’t do any damage on the way down. Just please be careful about keeping anything toxic or sharp that he can get into. Keep me posted as to his little misadventure. They sure do like to keep us on our toes.

[Kayla]

Honestly, I am not sure! 🙁 By the time, I looked…the button was already missing and he was chewing on the second button! I can not find the missing button, nor find any pieces of it so I am pretty sure that he accidentally ate it.

Okay, thank you!!! I just wanted to double check to make sure! And yea, I try to put everything away from him… like in the cabinets or on top of the fridge. For how smart he is, he hasn’t figured out…how to open the cabinets just yet. But, he has gotten to the point he will jump up to get anything that is on the counter so I make it to were he can’t reach it and nothing on the counter. I have never in my life needed to doggy proof the home! He is such a trouble maker sometimes. lol

I will watch him closely and make sure he isn’t puking or anything! I will also watch his stools. I won’t call the Vet just yet. Just gonna keep an eye on him. :/

[Dori]

Kayla, with training and age he will outgrow some of these issues. He’s like a toddler now that has to be monitored cause if they see something they want, they just do it. He’ll get over a lot of these things. At his age he’s still a puppy.

[Kayla]

Thank you so much!!!!

[theBCnut]

In the future, if the object is smaller than his stools, he probably won’t even notice passing it. Dogs can pass objects that are slightly larger than their normal stools without much difficulty. The best thing to do is to quickly feed him something so that the button or other object goes through his system with food around it. Of course, if he eats something that may be poisonous, sharp, or has long stringy fibers, he should go to the vet immediately.

[Karen J]

I would think it would probably go out with his poop, if he starts acting different then you might take him in – Trixie is little and ate part of a pencil, I freaked but found out it’s not lead, it’s graphite and the wood could splinter but nothing bad ever transpired. There would have been blood or something I believe.

[Kayla]

Okay, Dexter is really testing my buttons! I woke up this morning and I saw him eating a pair of jeans…I immediately took it away from him and said No, bad boy! He has learned how to grab clothes from the hamper. :/ I feed him 3 cups of kibble…little bit of wet like 1 to 2 spoonfuls and treats through out the day when he is good. I buy him chew toys but instead he wants to chew on things he isn’t allowed too. He is becoming the troubled pup here!

http://tinypic.com/r/o935lg/8

Do I need to take him to the vet? Or call the vet place? :/

[Kayla]

I feed him soon after he accidentally ate it.

[theBCnut]

Dexter really needs a crate. Nobody can watch puppies as much as puppies need watching.

[Dori]

Oh Kayla. I didn’t realize that you don’t use a crate. As I’ve said, it’s a puppy thing. Just like toddlers have tons of toys but what they’ll reach for to play with are your pots, pans, makeup, you name it but not the toys no matter how many they have. Same thing. He’ll grow out of it but for your own sanity and his safety he should spend time in his crate. Proper crate training is a God send in so many instances. You don’t have to take him to the vet or call the pet place, unless of course he has eaten something dangerous. He’s just doing what puppies do. They all do it. Wait until he starts chewing the legs of your furniture, floor boards, etc. Crate Training!!!!! It’s essential.

[Kayla]

Thank you so much! And, yes I know… No crate here. :/ I have been looking at crates for a while but they all seem to look too small? I want Dexter to be comfortable in it but don’t really know what size I need since he is a big dog!

He just started this nonsense on eating and chewing things he isn’t suppose too! But, I also want to stop it before it gets worse. I live in an apartment so whatever damage he does, I have to pay for it!

What crate size will I need and how do I go about crate training? Never had to crate train a pup before.

[theBCnut]

Forgive me, I can’t remember, but what breed is Dexter? You want a crate that is at least 2 inches taller than his adult height.

[Kayla]

He is an Aussie breed, possibly mixed with something else.

[DogFoodie]

Crate training was one of the best things I ever did for my Golden. Aside from the obvious benefits of house-breaking, it kept him out of trouble with me and taught him how to be good. When he wasn’t in trouble, he got lots more positive reinforcement. Sam still loves his crate. He’ll go in and lay down at some point, every day. I wish he wasn’t interested in it any longer, because I’d love to reclaim that space in my kitchen that’s now being taken up by a 42′ crate.

When Sam was seven months old, he grabbed a glass ball ornament off of the Christmas tree, crunched it up and swallowed it. Talk about freaking out. The vet took an X-Ray, and there in his belly sat chards of broken glass. He hadn’t swallowed the hook, thank goodness, so the vet felt it would probably pass in his stool. Sam had just eaten breakfast or I would’ve given him a piece of bread. It passed just fine. I was amazed. I bet your button will make a reappearance tomorrow sometime.

[theBCnut]

Any idea if what he is mixed with seems taller than an Aussie? Aussies usually need a crate that’s about 24 inches tall. If you think the mix is taller, you can go taller.

[Kayla]

I am not sure what he is mixed with, I thought corgi? but they are small/medium. I thought border collie mix or even husky mix or maybe even pit mix but who knows? I have no clue. I looked at the pictures of a 24 inch crate and it looks a little small. Someone also said, he might be mixed with Pyrenees. All I know is I can see Aussie in him and maybe border collie. I thought, maybe a large or extra large crate? I might go to pet-smart and have a look in person at the crates to see what size I might need.

[Kayla]

The Vet said, he looks like he is an aussie mix with something bigger in him as well…and he will get bigger and grow a little bit more. But, sometimes Vets can be wrong.

• This reply was modified 10 years, 9 months ago by Kayla.

[theBCnut]

Well, the good news is there is no such thing as too big. If you think he might have Pyr in him, go for really big. Does he have huge paws? How much does he eat in a day? That might give us a clue about his eventual size.

[Kayla]

When I first got him, I feed him 4 cups because he was under weight from the Shelter. Once he got to the 40’s, I dropped it down to 3 1/2 cups.. mainly 3 cups. 1.5 in the morning and 1.5 at dinner time… I mix a little bit of wet food and a little bit of water in his kibble. Plus, few treats through out the day when he is behaved. On the back of the bag of kibble, it says to feed him 3 to 3 1/2 cups for his size. He is just now shy of the 50 pound mark but not actually 50 pounds but I’m sure within a month or so he will be 50 pounds.
I don’t think he will get any bigger than 65 pounds, but I don’t know.

Um, his paw size? Not sure. I’d say there big not huge…

http://tinypic.com/r/puj9x/8
http://tinypic.com/r/1hceic/8

[theBCnut]

I’d go for at least a 26″ tall crate, but if you don’t mind bigger, I’d go for bigger. That way he’ll have room to stretch out and get comfy. Or do like my dogs do and curl up sideways across the back.

He does look like he might grow a little more, but not a lot.

[Kayla]

Okay, thank you 🙂 I will go look at crates this week.

[InkedMarie]

Crates, IMO, are a very good tool, especially with puppies. I found better prices online, I got my Vari kennels at Cherrybrook online. Look at craigslist. If you’re on facebook, join your local online sales groups, both for pets & general.

[Author]

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