My dog is the chewer from HELL!

[SamIam]

My little Corgi, Wyn, is the best dog evah! Except - He chews up everything in sight. This week alone he has chewed up a cigarette lighter, the remote for my TV, one of my good winter boots, and a nice throw rug that had been on my living room floor. And thats not all. A couple of nights ago I stretched out on the couch with a paper back. Wyn joined me up on the couch, and I dozed off. When I woke up, I discovered that Wyn had grabbed the paperback and completely shredded it. There were bits of paper all over the place. What a mess! And I really wanted to find out how that story turned out.

My dog hardly leads a deprived existance. He gets dog bones from the supermarket, plus a large assortment of dog chews. But what's a raw hide chew when you can go after the TV clicker instead? He also used to get those stuffed doggie toys with a squeaker inside. I gave up on the stuffed toys because their life expectancy around here is 20 minutes at most. After that, they end up looking like victims of an encounter with a psycho who had a pair of very sharp scissors. All that remains are a few outer scraps and oodles of stuffing flung all over the house.

I know that boredom can be the reason for this type of behavior, and dog knows I try in that department, as well. My Corgi gets a long walk every day or else a trip to the doggie park or both. Most of the time I take him with me when I go somewhere, and he gets to ride around town with me with his head out the window of my truck. I don't have a fenced yard, but I did get him an extra long tie out, so he can go outside and survey the neighborhood and bark at anyone who passes by within a 3 block radius. Not good enough. He still starts chewing on cigarette lighters and the kitchen sink the moment he gets back inside.

The only thing that works with him is to take him camping. He is a perfect little angel when we're camped in the middle of no where with no TV remotes within miles and miles. But sooner or later we do have to come home.

The Republicans are working on solving this problem for me by revoking the housing voucher program (along with everything else). Should that happen, I'll be camped out 24/7, but until then what should I do?

(As I was typing this post, Wyn took advantage of my inattention to grab a pack of cigarettes and start chewing on them - this after I'd just given him a perfectly good rawhide chew.)



*Sent by coyote song*

[Gravdigr]

Originally Posted by SamIam

*Sent by coyote song*

[Stormieweather]

My shorkie is a chewer. If it is within his reach, he chews it up. Like your Corgi, most toys are destroyed in minutes. He's gone through several beds, because he eventually makes a tiny hole, then works it frantically until all the stuffing is removed and the covering is in shreds. I ended up buying him the BIG dog toys, made for dogs like pit bulls (with strong jaws and teeth). There is a rubber ball thingy made from automobile tire rubber (and a bell inside), a giant rope tied in a knot, a rubber squeaky "bone" that he plays catch by himself with, and several tennis balls. A tin of them is cheap and I throw the ball out when he mangles it too badly.

Luckily, I have very large tiled dining area, kitchen, and office. He is gated into these rooms and everyone has been trained to understand that if it's lower than waist height in that area, then it belongs to the dog. Shoes, purses, backpacks, remotes, food, cups, wires, cords, etc. have all been victim to the dog. My spouse has a guitar stand by his desk, the dog doesn't chew it, he pees on it. I used a rosemary based 'anti-chew' spray on the dining table/chairs and bookshelf. He's stopped chewing on the furniture items, for the most part. I did a lot of stern "NO" when I would catch him chewing on a no-no item, then would give him an acceptable toy (he has his own toybox with his chew toys in them).

It's improved, but honestly, the best option for now is to put everything higher than he can get to.

Now if only I could get him to stop peeing on the couch when he's allowed into the living room. Or pooping in the kid's rooms. He's a vindictive little shit.

[SamIam]

Thanks for the ideas, Stormie. I do keep Wyn gated off from some rooms in my apartment to avoid total havoc. Where did you get the rosemary stuff from? I've tried bitter apple and Wyn seems to consider that flavor the icing on the cake and contentedly chews up any item sprayed with it.

I'll try some toys made for rottweilers and pit bulls. Maybe that will help. Wyn is pretty well behaved in every other way except for the chewing thing. I was worried that maybe I was doing something wrong with him, but your post makes me feel like at least I'm not the only one who has a dog with this problem!

[footfootfoot]

Anxiety?

Feeling secure in their crate, not used for punishment?

Puppy mill dogs?

Kong toy?

[DanaC]

Carrot's a bugger for chewing. Not in a frantic, going mental way, just quietly enjoys chewing.

He chewed thriouigh the rear seatbelts in mum's car, right at the back where they feed through into the hatchback boot. £400 repair.

He ate several books including two rare collectible Dr Who paperbacks and some expensive history books including one I'd borrowed from my supervisor.

Paintwork...he likes that. And carpets that unravel like knitting when you pull in theright place.

Toys he doesn't destroy.

[SamIam]

Originally Posted by footfootfoot

Anxiety?

While Wyn gets anxious over some things, I wouldn't consider him anxious in general. He does get excited about stuff, though - like his favorite treats or the dog park or a walk, etc.

Originally Posted by footfootfoot

Feeling secure in their crate, not used for punishment?

I never use his crate for punishment. I put him in it only to go to sleep at night. He gets out first thing in the morning. He doesn't have access to it by day, though, but he seems to be content napping on the couch or the recliner or at my feet. If I lose all patience with him, he gets barricaded in the kitchen. I never have the heart to leave him there for long, though.

Originally Posted by footfootfoot

Puppy mill dogs?

The thought has crossed my mind, but I don't think so. I have had the misfortune to have an unscrupulous breeder foist a puppy mill Corgi off on me, and there's no comparison. If anything, I think Wyn is just very smart and has all the traits of the herding dog that a Corgi is bred to be. This means he has an abundance of energy and always wants to be doing something. Too bad I can't buy him a herd of sheep to play with!

Originally Posted by footfootfoot

Kong toy?

I bought him one and he loves it. I fill it with treats and give it to him for his bedtime snack when he goes into his crate for the night. I should probably invest in more.

I spent all today on a truely awful set of forms for Social Security that were due yesterday. As a result, I didn't have time to exercise Wyn. I have the feeling that I'll be putting on my long underware and wool jacket and taking him for a moonlight stroll any time now. He'll be bouncing off the walls all night otherwise.