Puppy chewing

[Angi]

How do I stop my puppy from chewing on things? We try and keep things up high, but she loves electrical cords. My husband is ready to kill her, well he would NEVER hurt a dog, but he sure gets mad She also barks at every noise she hears out side.

We have given her chew toys and we spray her with water if we catch her barking for no reason. Any other ideas?

She is almost 11 months old.

 

[CourtneyAndCarl]

Bitter apple may work.

Only allow her out in the house if you are there to supervise. If not, crate her. If she starts chewing on something while you are supervising, I would suggest using the spray bottle method for that also.

For the barking, bark collars are really effective and not "inhumane" at all if used properly.

 

[TortieLuver]

Just curious Angi what kind of dog you have? Oh the joys of having a puppy hopefully Tom will chime in because he has a lot of experience with each breed and training them.

 

[wellington]

I have always found that a stern NO BARK or NO CHEW usually works, of course you have to be very consistent. Do not leave her unsupervised. If your not there, crate her. However, all of this should have been done from the day you got her. If she has been getting away with it until now, you basically have to break the habit then train. If she is a real stubborn breed, a shock collar. Used correctly, it is humane and should only have to be shocked once, if that.

 

[Angi]

She is a Poodle.
You think she should be in a crate whenever I am gone? Wont she get bored? She is in a small crate at night, but in the day seems harsh. She chews things with us right in the room. She is sneaky!

 

[dannel]

We use watered down tobasco for our dog, but we figured out he actually LIKES it!??

 

[wellington]

Crate training is not cruel or harsh. It is the best thing you can do for your dog. Better then the dog always being yelled at for getting bored while your gone and ruining something. Never use the crate for punishment. They will come to love the crate as their own little world, that no one can invade. Dog in crate, rug rats leave alone. Poodles are s art dogs. Consistent training, which ever advice you take, and you should have it stopped in no time. I used to raise, show, breed and train dogs. Believe me, the dog will get it quick. It's usually the humans that screw up the training. Consistent, and everyone on the same page and she will be trained in no time. Except, if she's that one unusual one, that just has to be stubborn.

 

[dannel]

^Agreed. Our dog will occasionally sleep in his crate throughout the day, and cant wait till we leave the house, because he makes a mad dash into his crate.

 

[CourtneyAndCarl]

Our dogs LOVE their crates. They get fed in their crates, they get to chew on bones in their crates (because one of them likes to try and steal the other one's bone! ), they sleep in their crates, sometimes with the door open. If you make the crate a real source of enjoyment, they will love it.

I always have to wonder when people think their dog will get bored in the crate.... well what do you think she does most of the time when you guys are gone? She probably destroys stuff for a little while then settles down somewhere for a nap before you get home!

 

[tyler0912]

marbles in a bottle then shake when doing something he/she shouldn't x

 

[kathyth]

I agree with all of the above.
Cesar recommends a lot of exercise to curb unwanted behaviors, along with all of the above.
I would never allow the puppy to participate in behaviors that you do not want as an adult.
He is being formed right now, for his future.

 

[yellowfoot]

I don't know if someone suggested this but the bitter spray worked great for my dog. She is a boston terrier and loved chewing on power cords, shoes, or anything else small enough for her to tear up. I also crate all of my dogs when I am not able to watch them. I started crate training them as soon as I got them and all of them love their crates now. It is their safe place. If I left my boston out of the crate while I was not home she would get herself into serious trouble.

 

[russianhenry]

Bitter Apple Spray works really well

 

[lisa127]

I agree with most of the above, except for the shock collar. Other's can think it's not inhumane, I respectfully disagree. However, as stated above using a crate when you're not home is not cruel!! If this had been done from the beginning the dog would not be chewing everything. So at this point I would begin using the crate unless you are with your dog. I would also make sure the dog is getting plenty of exercise!! Chewing and barking can often be behavior of dogs with too much pent up energy. At 11 months old, my dog and I were walking 4 miles a day, playing in the park with doggie friends for an hour or two and then playing frisbee for a good 1/2 hour every evening. Now she is 11 years old!! How I miss that young spirit....

 

[Edna]

Puppies are supposed to chew. Every puppy I've ever raised has chewed on whatever was available, and the behavior has always ceased on its own, with no intervention, when the animal was about 2 years old.
For those times when you are away from home or otherwise can't supervise her, I would get her a nice crate sized just right for her and place some really desireable chewies in it. Dogs differ in how hard/soft they want things to be for chewing, so just figure out what your pup likes best.
For times when you are home with her, keep the same chewies handy and encourage her to use them rather than things that don't belong to her, such as cords, pillows, etc.
My dogs are like Courtney's; they love their crates, eat in their crates, and get a small treat every time they enter their crates.

 

[Laura]

make sure she has things she can chew.. and yes.. CRATES are great!!!

 

[bigred]

We have a puppy about the same age, tonight he looked at me then lifted his leg and pissed on the kitchen cabinets. I scolded him and he knew what he did, I think some calm down a little with age. What about keeping him outside a little more

 

[lisa127]

We have a puppy about the same age, tonight he looked at me then lifted his leg and pissed on the kitchen cabinets. I scolded him and he knew what he did, I think some calm down a little with age. What about keeping him outside a little more

LOL....sorry, I had to laugh. On a more serious note, how old is your pup and have you neutered him yet?

Keeping him outside a little more is not the solution to her problems. Dogs are social creatures and belong with their families. The loneliness and boredom of spending the day outside alone will only make the chewing and barking worse.