How do I deal with dog chewing?

xxdeebeexx

PinheadSK wrote: »

a vitamin tablet bottle with a few small stones in it works wonders! They call them rattle bottles and as soon as they do something wrong, give the bottle a sharp rattle accompanied by whatever command you are using (I use 'OFF' or 'LEAVE'). My dogs hate the rattle bottle and now stop whatever they're doing even if I just reach for it!

HTH...

Sean

I like this idea, thanks

yeah, I think it was just in interesting toy to her - does she rag things?

Yes she does....didn't know it was called that, though. I think you're right it was near to where she was sleeping, she didn't go looking for it.

I have heard of terriers killing mice before, but not of the computer variety!

Thanks

Dx

foreign_correspondent

I know from previous posts that your little JRT tends to be a little on the nervy side - I would avoid using anything like a rattle bottle as it may make her far more anxious.

Invest in a crate if you need to, find her some good chewy treats, and watch her like a hawk - when she picks up anything you dont want her to have, instead of shaking the bottle at her, teach her to 'drop' - (bu offering a swap of something she can have) she will soon learn this if it means she gets something nice and tasty to chew instead.

PinheadSK

foreign_correspondent wrote: »

I know from previous posts that your little JRT tends to be a little on the nervy side - I would avoid using anything like a rattle bottle as it may make her far more anxious.

Invest in a crate if you need to, find her some good chewy treats, and watch her like a hawk - when she picks up anything you dont want her to have, instead of shaking the bottle at her, teach her to 'drop' - (bu offering a swap of something she can have) she will soon learn this if it means she gets something nice and tasty to chew instead.

That's very good advice...

Sean

kymbo82

My 6mth old labrador sleeps in the hallway and she has already chewed off the carpet and now it is just bare wooden stair. which she is working her way through! I have brough those chew deterent sprays but they are so expensive and I'm sure she gets used to the taste as she just carries on chewing!

She has LOADS of chew toys but I need something cheap to put her off..I was thinking putting lemon juice on it? Or something similar..any ideas?

Debt_Free_Chick

It could be that she's used to chewing it, so it's become "learned behaviour" - especially if she's doing this during the night when you're not around to correct her. As she's not being told "no", she now thinks it's OK.

Can you prevent her getting access to the stair? Could you put a baby gate up in front of it? It won't be forever .... just until she turns her attention to something else and, eventually, grows out of the chewing stage.

Could she sleep elsewhere?

mrcol1000

Maybe she needs a longer walk before bed. Chewing is sometimes a sign of bordeom or anexity over being left alone. As the chewing releases some kind of chemical in the brain which is calming or something along those lines.
Maybe they need to be caged for a few months to build up their confidence to being on their own before they can be left out on their own. It would also get them out of the habit of chewing the carpet.

smileypigface

Our two springers sleep in crates - they get fed in there too so they have good associations with them. They snooze around the house during the day - whereever they choose - but it's only in their crates that they fully switch off and relax - it's as if they know that when the crate door closes that we are in charge and they don't need to worry about anything. They don't even bark at the doorbell - which they do if they are snoozing on the sofa.

Giving them crates as their own private 'dens' has meant we haven't had problems with chewing at night etc. I know some people use crates for a short while only (when housetraining or breaking a chewing habit) - but I can't see us ever getting rid of them now - they love having their own space and it's a house rule with us that no-one disturbs them when they choose to be in their crate - important for us (and them) as we have 3 children and are expecting a third in the summer.

Also, we found that when our young boy dog decided he might quite like to have a nibble of a door frame one day - we put some olbas oil drops onto a piece of kitchen roll and rubbed it over the area of frame he could reach - this made him sneeze when he went to sniff it and put him off completely. Keeps everyone in the house breathing easily too

Good luck x

Bubby

I would second a crate, they are brilliant for puppies and not at all like a punishment as I thought before using them. It stops the puppy from chewing something that they shouldn't and also protects them as they could injure themselves by chewing the wrong thing.

Hughesy84

Just discipline him - tell him no, give him a little tap on the nose or shout when he does it....make him know that its wrong!

The dog will only ignore you if he doesnt think you will do anything about it..

sarabe

Hughesy84 wrote: »

Just discipline him - tell him no, give him a little tap on the nose or shout when he does it....make him know that its wrong!

The dog will only ignore you if he doesnt think you will do anything about it..

Dogs are amoral. They have no concept of right or wrong.

All that will teach the dog is not to do it when you are looking which I believe is what is happening anyway. Oh and make the dog distrust you to boot.

Deny her access to it. Use a crate for sleeping.

The more toys she has the more she'll chew everything by the way.

The dog with only one chew toy at a time will find it easier to discriminate between what is available for chewing and what isn't.

Is she getting enough exercise and is she on an appropriate diet. She should just sleep at night really.