Forum Post

best chewing deterrent?

Last post 06-29-2009 9:51 PM by losinsusan. 19 replies.
Page 1 of 2 (20 items) 1 2 Next >
Sort Posts: Previous Next
  • 06-27-2009 10:18 AM

    best chewing deterrent?

    bitter apple is not working...Kira took another big hunk of the window sill out last night, even after I saturated the area with it.  Are there any mixtures that can be made at home?  She sits over by that one window all the time, so I don't know how to keep her from chewing there, and I seriously can not watch her 100% of the time, I've got 4 kids and have to get work done around the house and for some volunteering I do.  She'll seemingly be sleeping and then that's when she gets into mischief.  I may put the spray bottle on the window sill...she doesn't like to get sprayed, and stays away from that bottle...but that's just a quick fix. I need to fix this problem permanently, and now that she's gotten the window sill started, she seems to be determined to eat it down to nothing.

    • Post Points: 0
  • 06-27-2009 10:43 AM In reply to lisa4kids1pup

    • JackieG
    • Top 25 Contributor
    • Joined on 04-15-2008
    • Central Texas
    • Posts 7,190
    • Points 705

    Re: best chewing deterrent?

    lisa4kids1pup:
    , so I don't know how to keep her from chewing there, and I seriously can not watch her 100% of the time,

     

    Puppies need to be constantly supervised or crated.  There really isn't any other way, IMO.  She needs to be given something to chew on to satisfy her need, like a nylabone or a raw meaty bone.




    Photobucket
    • Post Points: 0
  • 06-27-2009 10:59 AM In reply to JackieG

    Re: best chewing deterrent?

    I second what Jackie said.  When Harry was a wee pup, we kept a hefty stock of bully sticks and bones on hand.

    Also, maybe you can somehow block her access to that window for a while, so she isn't tempted to go back and snack on it.

    ~Heather~

    • Post Points: 0
  • 06-27-2009 12:13 PM In reply to aerial1313

    Re: best chewing deterrent?

     I agree with the others.  I can't see any other permanant solution, unless you want to take the sill off.  LOL.  Besides, she'd just find something else to chew.  Might as well give her something better to chew on.

    Jezabel




    • Post Points: 0
  • 06-27-2009 12:39 PM In reply to lisa4kids1pup

    Re: best chewing deterrent?

     Either you care enough about her chewing to either supervise her or have her penned off in a puppy proofed area, or you don't.  Providing lots of proper chew options is a great start, but at her age you can't expect her to have the self control on her own not to chew tempting window sills.  That is when you need to be there to redirect her when the thousands of centuries of age old doggy instincts are screaming... chew it!  You know you want to  It will make your mouth feel sooooooooooooooooo good.  If your so busy you can't supervise, than your probably busy enough where you won't notice that you are missing a few things, like a window sill.

    • Post Points: 0
  • 06-27-2009 1:06 PM In reply to Krissim Klaw

    • tiffy
    • Top 75 Contributor
    • Joined on 09-10-2007
    • Tacoma, Wa.
    • Posts 2,864
    • Points 260

    Re: best chewing deterrent?

     Shes unreliable. Crate her and give her something appropriate to chew.



    • Post Points: 0
  • 06-27-2009 1:32 PM In reply to Krissim Klaw

    Re: best chewing deterrent?

    Baby gates have been my best option -- I simply make sure the pup is in the SAME ROOM with me all the time.  If you know your attention is going to be focused 100% elsewhere that's the time to pop her in her crate with something to chew on. 

    With Tink those 'flavored' (they are marked "Durable" on the package) Nylabones work well.   I had to train it a bit but I can usually 'trade' her for one of those.  Not all dogs like them but she likes those HARD flavored ones -- apparently they are a good chew for her. 

    Keeping a variety of marrow bones in the freezer to trade out for whatever she's chewing inappropriately will help.  But honestly it's the same sort of 'mom-radar' you have with your kids that you develop with the dog -- if it's quiet THERE IS TRUBBLE. 

    If all else fails or if Tink repeatedly gets in trouble over and over when she's RIGHT near me, then I resort to putting a leash on her IN THE HOUSE and tying it to whatever is near me (that is far from the chosen temptation). 

    She hates it -- but it's simply keeps her out of trouble.  I then give her something ok to chew on.  There are times even NOW when she is just adamant she's going to get in trubble and I'm just as determined she isn't.  And an hour spent "on the DREADED BLUE THING" can sometimes simply remind her she has to stay withint acceptable norms. 

    It's not horrible, it's not even crating her "away" from everyone else.  She has something appropriate to keep her busy -- it's just preventing disaster.

    Remember, Kira is hugely teething -- she's beginning to get secondary teeth that are DEEP and those hurt like the dickens when they are trying to break thru -- so honestly, try to find something for her to chew that may mimic that gnawing she's trying to do now.  The windowsill "works" to do whatever she's trying to accomplish -- she can probably bear down on IT (which is tough to do with something you're just "holding" in your paws).

    Another thing that can work really well that works great in a crate is a HUGE HUGE HUGE block of ice.  Like spray with Pam and freeze a Quart Glad container with just water (or add just a minute amount of beef juice or apple juice to it) and freeze it SOLID.  Then it should drop easily into a dog dish that you can put in her crate.  (Let it soften in the fridge just a bit -- sometimes I do this stuff in advance so I have some "freezing" and one "waiting" in the fridge) and when she's adamant she's going to chew you can give her something that will help anesthetize the pain a bit. 

    And exercise -- don't forget that a Kong can be GREAT fun used as a 'ball' rather than just something to eat from.  Because of it's shape it bounces abnormally -- and it can be a great toy for a kid to throw for her outside -- it will keep her zigging and zagging in all sorts of directions.

    Sometimes the word 'supervise' has to be modified so you can "multi-task".  No one has time to just sit and stare at the dog -- but using tricks like leashing the dog to a table leg (while you are standing In the kitchen doing something else) or behind you while you are working at the computer-- it's not as restrictive as 'crating' but it is also keeping her in arm's reach while you're busy with other work.  And where you won't hear her in *another room* chewing on a windowsill you will train yourself to hear the different sound of her chewing on furniture as opposed to chewing on a bone or Nylabone.

    I will add -- the soft plastic chew toys (like the "Keys" and the softer more flexible Nylabone stuff that is also apparently "flavored" -- Tink is thru that in literally under 2 minutes.  I have to take it away from her.

    BUT BUT BUT -- there were times when she was in the throes of 6-9 months intensive chewing that I gave it to her and would snag it and "cut off" the chewed up parts of it every few minutes.  Because for SOME reason that flexible chew was what she ****needed**** badly at times.  Then later I was able to trade up to the "Durable" chews.

    THESE were her favorites (and I've gotten them from here too)

    http://www.dog.com/item/nylabone-puppy-teething-keys/ 

    These are the ones I get for her now (and they DO last but are attractive)

    http://www.dog.com/item/nylabone-durable-chicken/

    The ones marked "Durable" can be hard to find.  If you go to Dog.com's whole page of Nylabone stuff -- it's specifically the ones marked "Durable Chicken" that I can walk away from her and not worry about her chewing bits off.  Those keys?  She LOVES them but dang -- I have to be right next to her with scissors (big honking kitchen shears) to cut off pieces she's chewed so I can throw them away so she doesn't ingest them.  BUT I can't emphasize enough that when she was the age Kira is Hokey Smokes Bullwinkle SHE NEEDED TO CHEW.

    Now she'll chew a fleece toy and not destroy it (Billy ... could you PLEASE learn that???) but a plastic chewey toy?  man, she's Destructo Pug -- but it seems she has really **needed** that deep teething at times to keep her from chewing on my furniture!!

    And btw -- the only thing I found that she hated enough to discourage her from damaging wood furniture and pieces of my house was White Flower Oil or Peppermint essential oil (and I think the SMELL of it was just too pungent for her to tolerate chewing).  Both of those are massage oils -- but dang, it worked to get her off the armrest of the futon without poisoning her!!

    "The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even touched. They must be felt with the heart."
    Helen Keller



    • Post Points: 0
  • 06-27-2009 5:03 PM In reply to lisa4kids1pup

    Re: best chewing deterrent?

    Okay...(taking deep breath, so as to not get too upset)

    First, I did not ask for sarcastic responses. I've had other dogs before, and this is the first real issue I've had which I needed assistance with.  I asked specifically for chewing deterrents...she has a kong, plenty of bones, lots of toys, etc...to chew on...all right within her reach.  I can NOT take her with me everywhere in the house for every chore I am doing. I am on the go too much to do that, and she's a crazy dog.  I also don't take her to the bedrooms at the moment because she will chew and destroy things in there if I so much as turn my head. To take her around with me every second is unrealistic. She is gated in the kitchen  when I can't watch her, however she apparently took a liking to the window sill and now that she's discovered it, she really likes it.  I need to find something that will make it less appealing to her.   To say that I'm too busy to care about what happens to my house when I cannot watch her is rather rude, to be honest.  It's responses like these, that make people feel like they're inadequate somehow and many will end up giving their dogs away vs. coming up with solutions.  I know what works for me in my house at this point in time and it used to be leaving her gated in the kitchen. Also, this always happens when I've checked on her and she's snoozing away and then apparently wakes up and gets into mischief while I'm doing other things in other parts of the house.  She has plenty of times during the day where she's running, jumping, playing, getting belly rubs, etc... She's just at that age where she's mischievous.

    So, back to my original question. Is there a good deterrent that I can rub on this specific window to keep her from chewing on it more? I'm doing the best I can with her under my particular circumstances, thanks.

     PS....callie just saw your response. I may try the peppermint oil, but then she might just like it.  She's such a weirdo.  I do sometimes tie her to the chair in the office while I'm working. These things happened while I was upstairs folding laundry, outside for a bit and thought she was asleep, and while DH was upstairs taking a working and taking a shower (the floor) and the last bit of window sill damage happened when I ran outside last night to get a snake away from the cat.  Schtuff just happens.

    • Post Points: 0
  • 06-27-2009 7:14 PM In reply to lisa4kids1pup

    Re: best chewing deterrent?

    lisa4kids1pup:
    PS....callie just saw your response. I may try the peppermint oil, but then she might just like it.  She's such a weirdo. 

    *not* if you get the essential oil she won't.  It's not food flavoring -- it's ultra intense and it's honestly more the scent (and I do mean to be liberal with it) and it's nasty if you get it on your mouth (it will kinda make the skin hot) -- you might also try lemon essential oil (this is not bath oil or anything like that - lemon oil is pretty cheap usually) because dogs tend to not like citrus.

    The other thing -- and I obviously don't know how your kitchen is set up -- but if your hubby can get wooden or plastic lattice from Home Depot -- they'll do 2 cuts on it "free" -- but just get something you can stand in front of that window -- it will let light thru but it will keep her away from the window itself.

    But honestly -- if she's doing stuff like digging up the flooring you are probably just *not* gonna be able to put her in that room -- where your hubby fixes that floor?  She'll probably dig at that. 

    Puppies sleep and wake and sleep and wake and it's likely that just the *scent* of you coming to "check" will wake her up and get her active again. 

    I have a feeling she's found that particular sill somehow is the perfect opportunity to satisfy a particular chewing urge -- she's likely got one particular area of teething that is being problematic (like I said -- the sill is "stable" so she can really lean into it and push HARD to chew).  So you may find one of the things (like the big block of ice I suggested in one of these threads) may help to dial back the chewing itself.

    Chewing on wood (like heavy things -- like cupboards, furniture, etc.) is a particular "need".  It's not just boredom -- so it's not purely supervision or deterring -- it's actually getting that particular chewing *need* filled so they can move on.

    Even at 16 months, Tink is the MOST aggressive chewer by far that I've EVER had.  I suspect she just plain had too many teeth in that little mouth of hers (that's a common pug thing) all coming in at once and even now sometimes only plastic (something hard but a bit giving) or heavy and wooden will draw her and that's when I let her have the more consumable Nylabones but I sit there and let her have them when I can be there to supervise it pretty danged close.  But once she gets a bit of it out of her system PHEW ... then she can relax. 

    At that age there is no "sense" - there is only "when I do THAT I feel better" and it's SO rewarding that you coming along **later** (after she's already rewarded herself for relieving the pain) has little effect mostly because they are so driven to chew with so little experience in making good "choices". 

    But as far as spray on stuff - quite honestly, Lisa, nothing really works.  Because when they are driven by that incredibly deep need physically to chew mere pain and taste ??  they are NOTHING to them ... It has to be doubly heinous (like the ultra high scent in essential oils with the double whammy of making their mouth burn) to be aversive enough to break thru -- and probably putting something up **in front of the sill** (like the lattice) will perhaps help -- but I sure wouldn't leave her in there because she'd just chew the lattice -- and then you're on your way to an intestinal obstruction or perforation.

     

    "The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even touched. They must be felt with the heart."
    Helen Keller



    • Post Points: 0
  • 06-27-2009 7:17 PM In reply to lisa4kids1pup

    • kpwlee
    • Top 25 Contributor
    • Joined on 06-17-2006
    • North Carolina
    • Posts 7,217
    • Points 535

    Re: best chewing deterrent?

    I don't think anyone was sarcastic - just speaking from experience. Bugsy was not to be left anywhere unsupervised when a pup. he had the capacity even then to destroy a couch in about five minutes, seconds to take down window sill. He was crated when not supervised, period end of it. Not gated where he could still entertain himself - crated. He clearly will never outgrow his 'chewing stage' or 'mischievous stage' but he no longer needs to be constantly supervised (approaching 4!) or crated. But if you can't see him and you can't hear him you need to find him - quick. It really sounds to me like she needs to be crated when not supervised. Aversives tend not to work IMO
    • Post Points: 0
  • 06-27-2009 7:45 PM In reply to lisa4kids1pup

    • brookcove
    • Top 25 Contributor
    • Joined on 09-10-2007
    • Semora, North Carolina, USA
    • Posts 5,635
    • Points 695

    Re: best chewing deterrent?

     Tea tree oil. I've never known a dog that could stand the taste of it. But it is really nasty smelling - I wouldn't want it stinking up my kitchen. So, the other thing I've found is really a good deterrant, but not as reliable as TT, is citrus essential oil. An easy way to get some is look at Walmart for this stuff:

    YOu want the spray. It's got a whole bunch of different oils that dogs hate the smell of (though for some reason they don't mind when it's applied to them, too much). Anyway, I use this once I've cleaned my floors after the dogs have an accident, and they don't come back to that spot (crucial for the puppy). I also use it in my cabinets to repel the grain flies and a side effect is that the dogs avoid the cabinets. :)

    I know you don't want any advice, but one easy way to do double time on keep an eyeball on the pup, and also tiring her out, is the umbilical cord method. Select times when you aren't carrying large objects around. You only have to do it a few times a day, for maybe ten minutes at a time. The rest of the time she will beg you to leave her alone and SLEEP.  Be sure to praise her any time you catch her chewing her "good" stuff.

    Becca Shouse: Irena Farm, Semora, NC
    Image and video hosting by TinyPic
    Cord, Ted, Gus, Zhi, Maggie, Lynn, Lu, Min and Tully - and Sam!
    Waiting: Bubo & Ben
    http://irenafarm.blogspot.com
    Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/irenafarm?ref=profile
    • Post Points: 0
  • 06-27-2009 9:26 PM In reply to brookcove

    • CoBuHe
    • Top 75 Contributor
    • Joined on 08-03-2007
    • Southeast Texas
    • Posts 3,006
    • Points 90

    Re: best chewing deterrent?

    It seems that constant supervision (i.e., tethering her to you when possible) or crating or gating off will likely be your best solution.  I had to do the same thing with Heidi when she was younger.  She was a chewer and very mischevious.  I ended up tethering her to me so she could get a correction or a simple distraction to curb her mischief.  There's absolutely nothing wrong with crating her for those times you cannot tether her.  So, don't feel guilty about that if you do.

    The other thing that has worked around here is putting barriers around things I absolutely cannot have destroyed.

    For teething; I used to offer frozen rags or cloth diapers.  She loved those things and work on them for a good while.  Very satisfying to their little gums.

    Now one thing I have used as a deterrant that works nicely is hot sauce.  But, I'm sure you won't want to use that in the house...it does stain.  I love the tea tree oil idea as well as the peppermint oil idea, too. 

    Bitter apple only works if you do the nasty process in their mouth first.  And, I hated that.  I've been told that for it to really work, you have to saturate a cotton ball or something similar with the bitter apple and put it in their mouth and keep it there for a minute or so.  I just couldn't do it....seems cruel.

    "No matter how little money and how few possessions you own, having a dog makes you rich." Louis Sabin
    ________________________
    Barbara, Proudly owned by
    • Post Points: 0
  • 06-27-2009 10:18 PM In reply to CoBuHe

    Re: best chewing deterrent?

    Once upon a time ... (true Callie story *grin*) I had a dog named Mike tha Dog (to differentiate him from a "Mike" friend). 

    Mike loved to DIG HOLES -- no ... CRATERS.  To freakin CHINA(which is about what the other side of the world would be from here??)

    I tried EVERYTHING to teach him not to dig ... I filled holes with his poop. Nope.  I filled holes with every obnoxious thing I could think of including water.  Nope.

    Finally someone said "This WORKS ... go to Costco and buy a HUGE container of cayenne pepper ... for every hole he digs fill it in and add a cup of cayenne pepper to the dirt -- he'll get a snootful and STOP!!!"

    No ... HE ATE IT.  I found him out there EATING cayenne-pepper laced dirt.  *sigh*

    And from that day on, that dog LOVED anything hot.  Hot peppers.  Hot anything ... Lord have mercy -- he LOVED hot sauce!! 

    Sorry -- I'm laughing so hard here I can't handle it -- for Mike tha Dog hot sauce would have been like inviting him to the table and offering him a bib!! 

    Heidi I'm glad you're a relatively normal dog.  (sorry -- Mike was truly an unusual dog -- but I'll never be able to look at cayenne pepper or hot sauce with a straight face again!!)

    "The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even touched. They must be felt with the heart."
    Helen Keller



    • Post Points: 0
  • 06-27-2009 11:22 PM In reply to calliecritturs

    • brookcove
    • Top 25 Contributor
    • Joined on 09-10-2007
    • Semora, North Carolina, USA
    • Posts 5,635
    • Points 695

    Re: best chewing deterrent?

     The period when medium to large dogs go through late teething, when their skull and jaws lengthen out, must be incredibly intense. All of my dogs have signalled the arrival of this period by suddenly destroying some moderately valuable item. I call this period the Elemental Force of Nature Teething Epoch and know there's nothing that can be done for about a month or two other than closely supervise, and go to all raw meaty bones for meals. FROZEN bones!

    So Callie, this one is for you. My old Ben "announced" that he'd arrived at this period at about eight months old, by quietly gnawing the edges of my rugs every chance he got. Just the fringes, not the inside woven part. This was before I trained my dogs to hang with me all the time, so I was also trying to figure out ways to deter him passively.

    I had the wonderful idea of liberally dusting all the fringes with ground cayenne - including a good bit of the rug itself.

    I watched out of the corner of my eye the next time Ben got up and sneaked into the bathroom. About ten minutes later, he came out looking thoughtful and licking his lips.

    I went in and looked. I almost screamed. Ben had completely eaten all the fringes, as well as every bit of rug that was flavored with cayenne. I ran out and went looking for him to crate him. I found him in the kitchen eating another rug as fast as he could.

    He got up and looked at me, waving his tail happily. He was clearly saying, "Thanks for the condiment Mom!"

    Becca Shouse: Irena Farm, Semora, NC
    Image and video hosting by TinyPic
    Cord, Ted, Gus, Zhi, Maggie, Lynn, Lu, Min and Tully - and Sam!
    Waiting: Bubo & Ben
    http://irenafarm.blogspot.com
    Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/irenafarm?ref=profile
    • Post Points: 0
  • 06-27-2009 11:58 PM In reply to brookcove

    Re: best chewing deterrent?

    Are you SURE this dog wasn't a white-dog-retriever-mix named MIKE??  I'm sorry Becca, I'm laughing so hard tears are rolling down my cheeks.

    Mike tha Dog was a character ... he never met a roll of toilet paper he didn't like (to him they were just big nice white squishy bones!) and peppermint candy canes were GOURMET.  And ahhhhhh cayenne flavored dirt ... he did eat part of the fringe on my Oriental tho .... Becca, maybe it's not just the cayenne???

    "The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even touched. They must be felt with the heart."
    Helen Keller



    • Post Points: 0
Page 1 of 2 (20 items) 1 2 Next >
 
 
Contact Us | Help | Rules & Conduct | Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions | About Us
Copyright 2007, PetsUnited LLC