I'd recommend a pen, which I think someone already mentioned. You can buy them much larger than crates, which I need for my 10 month old pup as he is sometimes left for up to 4 hours at a time, but you do need the space to put it.
The pen I have has 6 sides to it, is about 40" tall (I think) so no jumping up/out and is about double the size of the 48" crate in floor size. IT was about £45 from ebay.
It's personal preference, crate, pen or no restraint. I just know that chewing isn't a problem for my house (thank goodness!).
Thank you all for the good advice - much appreciated. A crate it is then as Matrix always has different things e.g. Kongs etc., to keep him busy and it is only for 2 hours or less. THANK YOU !
I have crated all my dogs and wouldnt do anything else. Dora recently had a go at my armchair (but that was our fault!) Until then she hadnt touched anything in the 4 months we have had her.Just as well with the children leaving their stuff about. Jet was never a chewer either but Willow was a nightmare in comparison!
Willow didnt like kongs etc even if filled with yummy stuff or covered in it, but we went through heaps of soft toys whuich she treated like a Mother dog with Pups!
Hope your dog gets over this phase soon- as said above, love the name!
Cant add to the above- main reason for my eye being drawn to your post is your 'name'. We have a boisterous black lab in the park who is just too much fun, who Luvvvvs the ladies who we call Shameless Shamus (Sorry)
Last Lab: contained by fireguards in the corner of the kitchen; had to replace skirting and parts of plasterboard walls (but not until we moved house )
This Lab: crated from the start: no chewing whatsoever of walls, shoes, clothes, unless of toy given to her for that purpose.
Were we older and wiser? (certainly older ) or was it the crate?
Well I'd use the crate again in a minute - she loves it!!! Aged 5 she still tries to get in whenever we get it down from the loft e.g. as a guinea pig hotel.
yes agree with everyone else here a crate is the safest way to go for your peace of mind and of course the safety of matrix..
i crated rosze at 6months as she destroyed our house (we had only decoracted 1 week before she re-decorated for us) and have to say we never looked back she will be 3 next month and we only stopped using the crate last year as we never did want it to be long term..
some labs only chew for a while others well they just love it and carry on ..lol..
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phase 
Shameless Shamus 
) or was it the crate?
