Hi

I wonder if I could get a little advice please, we have a beautiful Chocolate Labrador who is 6 months old.  She is currently chewing all wooden objects in site which include fixed items such as door frames and window sills.  We try to blockade any potential chewing areas and keep an eye wherever possible but that is not always possible, we also have many stair gates now.  Does anyone know any way of diverting her from these areas or will she grow out of it in time.

Thanks

I feel sorry for you as i too have the same problem with a 6 month old girl, who at the moment is looky i havent given her what for and charged her for 2 chaires and a table leg. good luck

Firstly make sure she has plenty of access to suitable objects that she *can* chew - Kongs are particularly good and you can encourage chewing by smearing a little peanut butter or cream cheese on the inside - but do be careful that they don't start chewing off lumps and swallowing them.  Always praise when you see them chewing something like this too ;)

To divert from the unwanted chewing - there's a spray called Bitter Apple available from places like Pets at Home (although some dogs do develop a taste even for this....  :( ) or any cheap purfume or after shave may have the desired affect.  Some people also find things like Lavender oil or Olbas oil help.

This may sound a little silly but my dog loves chewing on plastic 4 pint milk containers and empty 2 litre pop bottles.  We had a problem with his chewing from around 9 months.  He first got the taste for skirting boards, back moulds, cupboard doors and he then decided to chew through the walls.  Since giving him as many plastic containers as I can find he seems to be having a lot more fun.  He makes quite a bit of noise when destrying them but it keeps him off the woodwork!!

We had a bad chewer - we found the only real way of managing the problem was to keep her restricted to one room (the kitchen) where we could accept the damage. She was caged when we couldn't keep an eye on her and only let into other rooms when we could keep an eye on her 100%. She grew out of it completely when she was 12 months. We used similar methods as others have described to try to distract her :D

Daisy

I really dont want to depress you but Molly my youngest she is now 23 months will still quite happily find something to stick in her mouth nearly everytime I leave the room.  I found the bitter apple spray has helped but sometimes she will still do it. I have been told that olbas oil and paprika are quite good although I have never tried them.

i read somewhere that vicks vapour rub is an excellent deterent, just smear it on the wood you dont want your dog to chew.

Hope this helps frank.

Have you tried the nylabones?

Some dogs take to them others dont, my eldest isnt remotly interested but my youngest goes through one every couple of months and has three strewn around the house.

I originally got the puppy ones to help with teathing but soon realised that when he didnt have one available my wooden furniture was a good subsitiute.

I keep a good supply of dental nylabones and he is a happy dog - his teeth are happy too!

You might wanna get a couple to see which she likes best, mine doesnt like the normal ones but loves the blue dental one - its a case of try it and see i suppose :)