Stopping dogs biting wooden furniture?

[ryanhull]

Hey All,

My Labrador Leo loves to bite wooden furniture, so much so he has destroyed a table, we have today bought a new table and chair set plus a large long chair all wooden which was not cheap,

Any advice on how to stop him biting them? I have tried shouting at him saying 'no' etc however with him teething he isn't interested, I was thinking of some kind of spray which he wouldnt like the taste of?

Cheers

[konying]

There are anti- bite sprays which are used to stop puppy from biting.

Those usually work unless dog likes the taste.

The next best thing is chilli paste or powder.

Good luck , I stopped buying nice or eatable furniture when I first got the dogs

[Daffy D]

I put chilli powder on the outside air-con pipe insulation when the puppy started chewing on it.

Didn't work - think she even started to chew more.

In the end had to wrap strips of metal sheet round the pipes.

You could try wrapping some thin metal sheets round the legs held in place with wire. Not very pretty but should be able to remove then after a short time when the dog has got the message.

Give him something he can chew

[curtklay]

There is a product called "grannicks bitter apple spray" that is used for training dogs to discourage chewing. It works well, but I don't know if you will find it in Thailand. You can order it on Ebay.

[maswov]

Sprays are good, and continue to tell him no. If you are the pack leader in his mind he will want to please and not do anything to upset you. Also make sure he has plenty other things to chew on and play with, An old t-shirt tied into knots is good when they are teething. Also with a puppy you really should keep him in a crate when you can't watch him, take him out to play, piss, shit, etc. and when tired out put him back in the crate to sleep.

[PaulHamon]

remove teeth.

[Naam]

a puppy needs to bite to strengthen the setting of his teeth! get some odd shaped pieces of wood and your puppy will not harm your furniture.

[The Usual Suspect]

A good supply of small to medium size bones (pork, beef, or buffalo) seemed to be a great deterrent with our teething pups. We usually make them savory and cook them over an open fire. We still provide them with bones now that they are older and they really enjoy them.

[bendywire]

I put chilli powder on the outside air-con pipe insulation when the puppy started chewing on it.

Didn't work - think she even started to chew more.

In the end had to wrap strips of metal sheet round the pipes.

You could try wrapping some thin metal sheets round the legs held in place with wire. Not very pretty but should be able to remove then after a short time when the dog has got the message.

Give him something he can chew

My Lab basically chewed her way through a wire fence that I put at the bottom of a gate to stop leaves coming in. In the end I gave up and removed it. Wood no problem she's done that, cables she's done that, shoes she's done those. The weird thing is that it is only my things she chews including my chair. I will try the spray ASAP.

[ICECOOL]

Get a chilli, break it and rub it on the chair leg

[eddie61]

http://www.wikihow.com/Cook-Lemongrass-Dog

[KhnomKhnom]

Just get him something more tasty and portable than a table leg. Spray the table with insecticide or lemon juice mixed with chilies.

Get him several of the leather "chew bones" and coat them often with chicken broth.

Screaming at a dog is interpreted by the average dog as you enjoying his activity and wanting to join in. It takes a whole lot of training to get a dog to have a vocabulary and your tone of voice carries more than the sound of the words to him. Listen to dogs bark, listen to yourself shouting NO... see the similarity.

[Nienke]

Puppy is teething, so she HAS to chew on things. She has to chew for the reason Naam mentioned, but it is also possible she is bored as well.
She doesn't know right from wrong, whether it is a no-no furniture or a yes-yes chew toy or -bone. It is the duty of the owner to TEACH the puppy that.

Being the pack-leader, as taught by a certain tv personality, doesn't teach her a thing about the chewing, only to fear you. Saying a harsh NO may make her stop doing whatever she was doing at that particular moment, but more often than not she will not make the association between the harsh spoken NO and the actually chewing on THAT specific object. (and you know she didn't associate that because next time she does it again). She just stops doing whatever she was doing at that specific moment because for some unknown weird reason the owner suddenly became crossed (and may even tap her angrily on the nose or butt). Dangerous unpredictable owner, in the dog's mind.

Also by using an aversive, such as chilly-powder or bitter apple, the dog may stop to chew on that particular furniture forever or till the aversive wears out, but chances are high the chewing will then be done on another object which may be another no-no in the owner's mind.
So, the use of an aversive still ALWAYS has to go together with TEACHING the pup WHAT TO DO instead, or where to do it.

Real raw bones may be an good alternative to chew on, but be careful as the bone of the large marrow bones are super-hard and teeth can break on it or wear of too fast. Better to give the part with the cartilage, or bones were the puppy can take the marrow out easily.
You can try other artificial chewies. Careful with the highly toxic coloring and other yukkie stuff in there, though.
And then there are floss-ropes, Kongs you can stuff with yummies, other toys or branches etc outside.

Some will argue giving the puppy a branch because the danger of splintering. Got a point, but how do pups born on the street do that then. One can be too careful as well. Up to the owner's decision.

Often chewing on a certain object is highly valued by the puppy. Chewing on other, by the owner preferred, object are less valued. Now, it's up to the owner to make these less valued objects highly interesting in the mind of the puppy. That's called training. There is info to be found on the net how to do that. Follow links that says positive reinforcement, clicker training, and please, for the welfare sake of your puppy skip those sites where they talk about leadership and dominance.

[Farang99]

Give him a safe alternative to chew. I have found the nylon chews "Nylabone" are long lasting and safe, and th edogs are happy to chew and play with them all day long - and no longer bite the furniture!

[A1Str8]

Get him big pieces of wood looking just like the one he likes to chew on and make him get used to chewing that instead of the table.

[hugh2121]

Sprays are good, and continue to tell him no. If you are the pack leader in his mind he will want to please and not do anything to upset you. Also make sure he has plenty other things to chew on and play with, An old t-shirt tied into knots is good when they are teething. Also with a puppy you really should keep him in a crate when you can't watch him, take him out to play, piss, shit, etc. and when tired out put him back in the crate to sleep.

Wish somebody would put you in a crate in daytime temps up to 40C. Anything to keep you away from pets.

[CapeCobra]

Solution?

[The Deerhunter]

Furniture inside house, Dogs outside If they won't behave!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! QED

[cooked]

We got over this by smearing chili sauce on his favourite furniture. He loves chewing coconut husks,

[hdkane]

Hello...I sympathize with you...I've lost a lot of furniture to puppies and dogs...but I also sympathize with your dog as well...

Your dog has a strong instinct and drive to chew...labs are gun dogs...for hunting and holding game...so there is need for him to exercise this urge...

You want to use a muti-facet approach...

First, there are sprays and such that have a bitter taste...I do not know if they will ruin your furniture, but they are sometimes used...one product is called bitter orange...

Second, you want to use differential reinforcement...what you have done so far is to use punishment...with differential reinforcement, you would interrupt the dog from chewing by using a noise, such as a strong "SHHH"...simultaneously, poke him in the ribs to startle him and break his attention to the furniture...

Then, immediately give the dog something that is approved for chewing...a toy or bone...and immediately pet him and tell him good boy...

then reinforce him anytime he chews on the toy...

soon...he will learn that he gets approval if he chews on the toy, and punishment if he chews on the wood...

good luck...

also caesar milan (sp) is a dog behaviorist who has a number of videos on youtube...you may wish to check them out...

[arrowsdawdle]

I put chilli powder on the outside air-con pipe insulation when the puppy started chewing on it.

Didn't work - think she even started to chew more.

In the end had to wrap strips of metal sheet round the pipes.

You could try wrapping some thin metal sheets round the legs held in place with wire. Not very pretty but should be able to remove then after a short time when the dog has got the message.

Give him something he can chew

OMG how simple can it be to understand that either you train the dog or the dog will train you. You are dancing to the dog's tune instead of training the mutt. Sure wouldn't admit it to the world that you are being controlled by a dog. Get a pair, take control, and train the pooch. You and the guy with the furniture. You cannot stop a dog or kid from doing something the first time, but the second time is on you because while you cannot stop them the first time you sure as heck can make them wish they hadn't so it won't happen again. Game over.

[Emster23]

Train and apply some Tiger Balm?

[samsensam]

you can use a water spray or an air spray

assume you are training your dog? it should only be a phase as you progresses in the training your dog will realise you are the leader of the pack and will follow your command.

i have a black lab back home and the best thing i ever did was properly train her. she is a dream; walks to heel without a lead, will stay on command, returns to me on hearing my whistle and will stop doing something immediately on my command.

[cooked]

I put chilli powder on the outside air-con pipe insulation when the puppy started chewing on it.

Didn't work - think she even started to chew more.

In the end had to wrap strips of metal sheet round the pipes.

You could try wrapping some thin metal sheets round the legs held in place with wire. Not very pretty but should be able to remove then after a short time when the dog has got the message.

Give him something he can chew

OMG how simple can it be to understand that either you train the dog or the dog will train you. You are dancing to the dog's tune instead of training the mutt. Sure wouldn't admit it to the world that you are being controlled by a dog. Get a pair, take control, and train the pooch. You and the guy with the furniture. You cannot stop a dog or kid from doing something the first time, but the second time is on you because while you cannot stop them the first time you sure as heck can make them wish they hadn't so it won't happen again. Game over.

Great comment. You don't know much about dogs, do you? Try separating two dogs that are fighting or copulating (or just thinking about it) and tell them not to do it again. We have 8 dogs and they are all under control. It was nothing to do with growing a new pair, if you don't understand dogs you don't get anywhere. The poodles sleep mostly outside, the wished upon us Thai mut, also known as the chicken killer stays outside permanently on a chain. I have used violence, very rarely, on them, later on they only needed to see me pick up that length of hosepipe, nowadays I rarely have to do even that. But that was about things like chasing chickens, going under the fence, begging for food, jumping up at people. Things like barking because strangers are approaching, or another dog in the village has started howling, digging holes, etc, deeply engrained instincts are almost impossible to eradicate, you just have to keep the animal away from temptation or the possibility of doing it. As I mentioned above, we smeared chili paste over the furniture, they switched to chewing other things that they are allowed to find and bring back.

I agree that you can stop a kid from sticking a screw driver into an electrical appliance if you catch him, with dogs it is very different.

[dotpoom]

Can't you get some artificial bones in a pet shop for him to chew on, If not it would be a great invention, sort of like a teether, or real bones would certainly be his choice rather than wood.

[warrimurf]

Get some plastic water pipe cut lengths to slip over the table legs. Not pretty but it'll work. Can also paint them so they don't look so blue.

[Rickster]

A bit fat marrow bone from the butchers should do the trick. Alternatively clicker/treat training works well but obviously only when you're there....most of all be patient he's a pup and most importantly don't shout or hit him or you'll end up with a timid dog.

[avander]

I stopped our 2 small dogs chewing on the end corners of our bed base by doubling over some packing tape so it could both be stuck to the corner area of the bed base and also provide an exposed sticky surface to place finely cut hot chilli's pieces, seeds and juice on the exposed tape.

Some may say it was cruel but they had resisted all other attempts to stop the habit.

Most amusing to watch after they tried to get the tape off or chew the tape attached to the bed.

They quickly learnt their lesson and have not even tried to remove the tape for a number of months.

I guess we'll see how they will react when finally we remove the tape and I'll make sure they're not in the room when I do that.

[ToddinChonburi]

Raw hides work great and the no thing. Do you kennel your dog ? this is a good idea when you are not able to watch the dog and yes it can be work at first but spending time and training your dog is what it will take.

[konying]

Raw hides work great and the no thing. Do you kennel your dog ? this is a good idea when you are not able to watch the dog and yes it can be work at first but spending time and training your dog is what it will take.

Why not tie up the legs and tape up the mouth

Its a puppy for christ sake, its all part of dog ownership, every single person who loves its animal goes through the stage or can always leave it outside chained and then wonder why you have an aggressive dog