Chewing up the House

Question:
I know you have labs, so here is my question. I adopted a black lab mix and didn't know their reputation for chewing things and how active they are. Along with all the other issues, my black lab is a great dog for me, but I am totally frustrated with the chewing. Help, I have tried everything and things really didn't look so dismal until she chewed up my leather chair. I am now confining her to a cage, but it is almost impossible to get her to go in and not wail her head off and she gets so anxious, it's unbelievable, actually. I am a really patient person, but I don't know what to do with her and am running low on what patience I have left.

Any ideas -- someone told me that Natura works, but I am not sure what that is and I can't even find it on the web. Anything you could suggest would be appreciated, as I am afraid she won't last very long in this world. I'll try anything to help her, but she just won't settle down. (P.S. - - When I got her the rescue said she was 1 1/2 - 2, but I don't think so. She seems more like 1 1/2 now -- I have had her for about six months or so. Also, she has had a litter of six pups and she was extremely thin when I got her, but she should be a little settled down by this age. I know that labs mature later than a lot of dogs. HELP!!!!!!!
Signed,
Linda

Answer:
Chewing is normal for the Labrador Retriever breed and the main thing to keep in mind is training to positively reinforce the innate "mouthing" need for these dogs. Yes, I want you to work with the pup to get her to learn what is good to put her mouth on and what is bad. In order to do this, I recommend you start from the beginning and read the following articles:

Lab Behavior Problems: Biting & Mouthing
Crate Training Your Lab
Lab & Puppy Proofing Your Home

These articles cover not only teaching your pup what is proper to chew on and what is not but also how to get your new canine companion used to the crate instead of fearing it. All the articles are based upon our own real-life experiences and successful methods we used on our Labs to train them. Remember that, as with any training methods, you must remain consistent and persistent in your training and may not see results for a few weeks. Each Lab is different but don't give up hope, you and your pup will get through this!