Need help with a chewing dog HELP!?

Question

I have about an 8 month old dog(max)..just a mutt..big breed. My bf(who was the main owner/companion for max) has been gone for a couple of months. Now max is chewing on everything, hes tearing up the couch, anything wood painted or not, he even takes books off the book shelves. He gets plenty of exercise as we have 3 other dogs and lots of room.. and i try and give him as much attention as possible. I just dont know what else to try..he has tons of toys both inside and outside. Ive tried to puppy proof the house but he still finds things.(furniture) to chew on.

Any tips would be greatly appreciated..thanks

My goal is to get him trained so he doesnt do it, not to just lock him up so he cant. He was also beaten before we got him so it took a while to get him trained not to pee in the house and comfortable enough that he wouldnt pee anytime we tried to scold him..even telling him a command in a forcefull not yelling way would cause him to lose his bladder. this is just the next step in the long process.

Answer 1

Get a Cesar Millan book or something and get to work to break that dog of such a habit. it can be done.

Answer 2

There is one product that I have used for this problem and it is called Bitter Apple. It comes in a spray or a cream and it doesn't harm furniture. At least it never hurt mine. Anyway, you spray it on anything you dont' want the dog to chew on. It tastes so horrible that the dog will not chew what it is sprayed on. The only thing is you have to be consistent. It only lasts a few days and then you will have to re-spray. Fortunately, the dog will usually remember that the couch tasted horrible and will not chew on it again, but for the more stubborn pups, you may have to spray a couple of times. I would not spray on books. I would just put him in a room where there are no bookshelves. Good luck and I hope this helps. You can get it at any pet store. And don't worry it's safe!

Answer 3

Make sure that he has plenty of chew toys he could be teething late and is in pain. If that is te case then try getting a wash cloth soak it in water and freeze it in a knot. this will help numb his teeth and help with the chewing problem. He may not be teething but is just going through that puppy teeth phase. If he is doing this while you leave he may be experiencing separation anxiety. My dog has this problem so I have to kennel her when I leave even if I'm making a two minute trip. If he is doing this in front of you then you should correct him in a stern voice, and either take something away or do something like squirt him with a water bottle but please don't hit him. This will take time Good Luck I hope I helped.

Answer 4

Try giving him some chew toys to chew on. i have a little puppy too and he chews. we keep him in a separate room where there is no furniture just his bed and food and things like that. also, if you see him chewing on something try to tell him no and spank him on the nose, it won't hurt him it will help him to know that it is not right to chew on that kind of stuff. another thing is to put him in a crate at night so when you are sleeping you do not have to worry about him chewing things up. whe he hasn't chewed anything he's not supposed to for a day, reward him with a treat.
Good Luck!

Answer 5

Have you thought about training the dog so that you can control this bad behavior? All the other suggestions just advise you how to avoid the problem by tying up the dog, crating it or using bitter apple. None of those ideas train the dog do they? Enroll in a good obedience class with the dog. They will teach you about dog behavior, how to teach your dog and how to correct bad behavior. Wouldn't it be nice to have the dog not chew up your house because you have corrected this behavior rather than tying it up to a tree outside and having it bark all day?

Answer 6

Sorry I really don't know what to tell you other that do some research and see if you can get the right answer that way. I have a Cockapoo and I have never had any problem with him chewing on anything even when he was a puppy.

Answer 7

First you need to punish his behavior because if you let him keep doin what hes doing he will just keep at it so I would recommend for you to put him in a kennel when you find him chewing on something he isn't to chew on and keep him in the kennel for about 15 minutes or so and after he is done put him outside in a fenced in area and give him his chew toys if this doesn't work keep him in the kennel longer or find some other way to break his habit because everything will be ruined

Answer 8

all dog experts say dont scold him, ever because this puts a negative feel on your dog towards you, causing him to want to rebel. the right way to do it is to catch him playing with a chew toy, or something your ok with him chewing/playing with and praise him madly. [treats/rub/walk] anything that makes your dog happy. i hope this helps and you can get your dog to stop!

Answer 9

Get a crate to put him in when you are absent. It sounds like seperation anxiety. He'll should grow out of that as he matures. Remember, he is still a baby, and needs constant attention.

Answer 10

Get him a few chew toys,but away any 'chewable' items and do the classic "No!" and finger wave when he goes for your furniture.You should have at least partial progress within a week or two. ;)