Bad chewing habit

Asella · 07-15-2005, 12:34 PM

I was wondering if someone could help me please. I have an 11 week old pup and she chews EVERYTHING. I have a good sized "playpen" for her in the kitchen, but I don't like to leave her in there--I would like her to get used to the house. The potty training has been going very well--she hardly has any accidents. But the chewing is another story. I puppy-proofed my home but she still manages to find things to chew on. She especially likes carpeting, rugs, and drapes. The drapes are too heavy to tie up, and I don't want to remove the rugs by the doors because they are there so people do not drag dirt through my house. I have tried many different tactics to stop the chewing, but nothing has worked. I have tried making sharp noises to distract her, but that doesn't work. The anti-chew spray failed. I have tried to offer her toys, but that didn't work either. I have cupped her head in my hand and gently removed the object while scolding the action, but she goes right back to the chewing again. I do not whack her on the nose because I have heard that is the worst thing you can do. I am a stay-at-home wife, so my pup probably gets out of her pen more often than most puppies, but I am finding it impossible to get my housework done because every two seconds she is chewing on something she shouldn't be. Then she ends up in the pen. Please help!!!

calgal · 07-15-2005, 03:52 PM

She isn't ready to have run of the house yet. Keep her in the play pen or buy a wire crate.......(which you will eventually need anyway) then take her outside and stay with her while she goes potty and then to play with her. Never use the play pen or crate as punishment. That area should be a positive place for her to be. Give her a kong toy filled with peanut butter or something made just for kongs. Give her a Nylabone too. (While she's crated) Take her for walks once or twice a day so she wont be bored. Never take your eyes off of her if she is let loose in the house. If you cannot watch her then put her in her crate with her chew toys.

marley05 · 07-15-2005, 04:30 PM

calgal is right. Chewing is usually caused by bored or stress or anxiety. By the sounds of this it sounds like boredom. let her know what she should chew on . when she quits chewing on things she isnt supposed to slowly give her more space outside her pen or crate. too much at one time chould result in unwanted behavior where youll have to start over. Ive had the same problem with my aussie/pit bull. So far its worked and i havent had to go back to a small confinement. hope it goes well. Walks are really good for young pups and training. My pup loves to learn and it keeps him out of trouble. Keep sessions short and maybe two or three times a day. Good Luck

bigdoglover · 07-15-2005, 04:47 PM

I have used several methods for this. First, she is a young pup and still getting new teeth, so we need to keep that in mind. Calgal is right, give her something durable, yet yummy to chew on.

However, if you catch her chewing on "bad things", have a soda can (some call it pop, but that's a different thread!! LOL) with dried beans or pennies in it. Not full of them, as it needs to make noise. Tape it closed. When you catch her chewing, toss the can NEAR her, NOT on her. It will scare her and make her think things fly out of mid air to get her when she chews these things. Make sure she doesn't see you throw it!! You can even just rattle it real loud, while saying "NO!!" in your loudest voice.

marley05 is right too. Start small, even moving the pen to different parts of the house if you can. Getting her used to her environment slowly will pay off big later!! Good luck!!

HersheysMom · 07-16-2005, 10:09 AM

I've a question for chewing/biting...
My pup, 8wks now, is doing really good about chewing on the toys we give him. I praise him when he chews on something OK, even if I didn't give it to him. Now, as we play, he'll get rough. He'll begin nipping, then chewing and then biting my hand. I will say NO as soon as he starts nipping, but then he starts chewing. I say NO again, and then he starts biting. The vet said pinch his lip while he bites me and say NO, I've tried the "mama dog" tips (you know where you lay them on their back until the relax), and I can't shake my puppy but I have given him a pop on the nose and said NO but he just keeps biting...
So far the mama dog and the vet's advice have given me some results but neither one is doing much for his chomping skills.

Any advice?

I want to stop this now before he gets older and thinks it's a way to talk back. Plus, I want to have kids one day and want to trust he won't chomp them when I do get pregnant (many, many moons from now!)!

Barrett · 07-16-2005, 11:54 AM

Hershy,
Your pup is only 8 weeks old and is way too young to understand what you want yet, and WAY to young to be smacked on the nose!!!. Just slow down and stick to the first method of praiseing when he chews on something appropriate and saying no when he chews on something inappropriate. When your pup nips you while you are playing make a high pitched yipe-yipe (like a hurt puppy would sound like) and get up and walk away. Ignore your pup for 1 minute then give him a chew toy to chew and then praise him. This will take at least two months and maybe up to 6 months for your pup to completely stop. Right now Your pup has teeth growin in and that makes him want to chew...next at around 4-6 months of age his teeth will be falling out and new ones will grow in again...this makes him want to chew. LOL.....Puppy Raising is a long road, walk it slowly and enjoy yourself.

Asela,
Pretty much the same advise. Stick with giving your pup a good chew when he chews on something wrong. When he chews on it give him tons of praise and maybe even a high value food treat. When he chews on the wrong thing tell him "Ah-Ah!!!" and hand him the chewy toy. Get him to chew it for a minute and then praise him again. Also don't let him out of your sight for a minute and if you have to, pick those rugs up!!! You want to set your puppy up for success, not failure. If he always chews on something...remove it. Look for him to chew on good things and praise him for it and make sure he can't chew on bad things. You don't want to have to get mad at him so set him up to make the right choice on his own. One thing I always did was look for my dog to do something right (like chew on her own toy) 10 times a day and praise her and give treats for it.

07-15-2005, 12:34 PM	#1 (permalink)
Asella Join Date: Jul 2005 Posts: 13 Rep Power: 0	Bad chewing habit I was wondering if someone could help me please. I have an 11 week old pup and she chews EVERYTHING. I have a good sized "playpen" for her in the kitchen, but I don't like to leave her in there--I would like her to get used to the house. The potty training has been going very well--she hardly has any accidents. But the chewing is another story. I puppy-proofed my home but she still manages to find things to chew on. She especially likes carpeting, rugs, and drapes. The drapes are too heavy to tie up, and I don't want to remove the rugs by the doors because they are there so people do not drag dirt through my house. I have tried many different tactics to stop the chewing, but nothing has worked. I have tried making sharp noises to distract her, but that doesn't work. The anti-chew spray failed. I have tried to offer her toys, but that didn't work either. I have cupped her head in my hand and gently removed the object while scolding the action, but she goes right back to the chewing again. I do not whack her on the nose because I have heard that is the worst thing you can do. I am a stay-at-home wife, so my pup probably gets out of her pen more often than most puppies, but I am finding it impossible to get my housework done because every two seconds she is chewing on something she shouldn't be. Then she ends up in the pen. Please help!!!
Asella Join Date: Jul 2005 Posts: 13 Rep Power: 0

07-16-2005, 11:54 AM	#6 (permalink)
Barrett dachshund Join Date: Jun 2004 Location: Washington Posts: 2,758 Rep Power: 156	Hershy, Your pup is only 8 weeks old and is way too young to understand what you want yet, and WAY to young to be smacked on the nose!!!. Just slow down and stick to the first method of praiseing when he chews on something appropriate and saying no when he chews on something inappropriate. When your pup nips you while you are playing make a high pitched yipe-yipe (like a hurt puppy would sound like) and get up and walk away. Ignore your pup for 1 minute then give him a chew toy to chew and then praise him. This will take at least two months and maybe up to 6 months for your pup to completely stop. Right now Your pup has teeth growin in and that makes him want to chew...next at around 4-6 months of age his teeth will be falling out and new ones will grow in again...this makes him want to chew. LOL.....Puppy Raising is a long road, walk it slowly and enjoy yourself. Asela, Pretty much the same advise. Stick with giving your pup a good chew when he chews on something wrong. When he chews on it give him tons of praise and maybe even a high value food treat. When he chews on the wrong thing tell him "Ah-Ah!!!" and hand him the chewy toy. Get him to chew it for a minute and then praise him again. Also don't let him out of your sight for a minute and if you have to, pick those rugs up!!! You want to set your puppy up for success, not failure. If he always chews on something...remove it. Look for him to chew on good things and praise him for it and make sure he can't chew on bad things. You don't want to have to get mad at him so set him up to make the right choice on his own. One thing I always did was look for my dog to do something right (like chew on her own toy) 10 times a day and praise her and give treats for it.
	Last edited by Barrett : 07-16-2005 at 12:01 PM.

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07-15-2005, 03:52 PM	#2 (permalink)
calgal My Yorkster kids! Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: central ca. coast Posts: 6,780 Rep Power: 229	She isn't ready to have run of the house yet. Keep her in the play pen or buy a wire crate.......(which you will eventually need anyway) then take her outside and stay with her while she goes potty and then to play with her. Never use the play pen or crate as punishment. That area should be a positive place for her to be. Give her a kong toy filled with peanut butter or something made just for kongs. Give her a Nylabone too. (While she's crated) Take her for walks once or twice a day so she wont be bored. Never take your eyes off of her if she is let loose in the house. If you cannot watch her then put her in her crate with her chew toys.

07-15-2005, 04:30 PM	#3 (permalink)
marley05 Zola & Marley Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Spokane, WA Posts: 281 Rep Power: 67	calgal is right. Chewing is usually caused by bored or stress or anxiety. By the sounds of this it sounds like boredom. let her know what she should chew on . when she quits chewing on things she isnt supposed to slowly give her more space outside her pen or crate. too much at one time chould result in unwanted behavior where youll have to start over. Ive had the same problem with my aussie/pit bull. So far its worked and i havent had to go back to a small confinement. hope it goes well. Walks are really good for young pups and training. My pup loves to learn and it keeps him out of trouble. Keep sessions short and maybe two or three times a day. Good Luck

07-15-2005, 04:47 PM	#4 (permalink)
bigdoglover Giant Schnauzers Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: West-Central Illinois Posts: 3,624 Rep Power: 177	I have used several methods for this. First, she is a young pup and still getting new teeth, so we need to keep that in mind. Calgal is right, give her something durable, yet yummy to chew on. However, if you catch her chewing on "bad things", have a soda can (some call it pop, but that's a different thread!! LOL) with dried beans or pennies in it. Not full of them, as it needs to make noise. Tape it closed. When you catch her chewing, toss the can NEAR her, NOT on her. It will scare her and make her think things fly out of mid air to get her when she chews these things. Make sure she doesn't see you throw it!! You can even just rattle it real loud, while saying "NO!!" in your loudest voice. marley05 is right too. Start small, even moving the pen to different parts of the house if you can. Getting her used to her environment slowly will pay off big later!! Good luck!!

07-16-2005, 10:09 AM	#5 (permalink)
HersheysMom Ain't I handsome! Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Birmingham, AL USA Posts: 55 Rep Power: 0	I've a question for chewing/biting... My pup, 8wks now, is doing really good about chewing on the toys we give him. I praise him when he chews on something OK, even if I didn't give it to him. Now, as we play, he'll get rough. He'll begin nipping, then chewing and then biting my hand. I will say NO as soon as he starts nipping, but then he starts chewing. I say NO again, and then he starts biting. The vet said pinch his lip while he bites me and say NO, I've tried the "mama dog" tips (you know where you lay them on their back until the relax), and I can't shake my puppy but I have given him a pop on the nose and said NO but he just keeps biting... So far the mama dog and the vet's advice have given me some results but neither one is doing much for his chomping skills. Any advice? I want to stop this now before he gets older and thinks it's a way to talk back. Plus, I want to have kids one day and want to trust he won't chomp them when I do get pregnant (many, many moons from now!)!

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