Paco has gone crazy! Help!

[TWilson9498]

I know that puppies teeth for awhile, mine is now 3 1/2 months old.. BUT out of nowhere she has turned into a mini destructo dog! You can't take your eyes off her for a minute, she is chewing the couch, (a month old might I add), she is chewing EVERY toy my daughter leaves in the living room, she is attacking feet like they are peices of bacon, she is trying to chew wires, she's eating the entertainment center, she's even trying to eat the bottom of the stove! If there is the smallest peice of paper that she can reach... she shreds it under the kitchen table. Everything she tears up she takes under the table to shred. When she does this we always tell her NO and put her in her crate.. she pouts of course, as she still does most of the night.. when she is let outside to go potty, she doesn't chew up anything out there, but the minute she is back in the house... there she goes again. I don't want to keep her in the crate all day long, since I am working from home now, I am here all day. There is no reason for her to be in there all day but she is killing my house and the kids toys. My husband.. (this is actually his fault, but you can't tell a man that!) Left his new shoes out in the living room last night after work (130.00 shoes... at that, just bought on Sunday) Well... here comes Paco bright and early this morning fresh out of the crate and back inside from her morning potty break... I went in the kitchen to get a bottle.. and came back to 1 1/2 shoes left... He came home from lunch.. and oh boy!!! He picked up the shoes threw them in the trash and left! Not one word... I want to tell him it's his fault because he left them out and she's just a baby, but that will result in an arguement between us.. How can I save my house, our shoes, the kid's toys, and my furniture?!?!?! Paco has more toys than the petstore, she chews them and plays all day, but the minute you turn your back she is shredding the house instead of her toys! What else can I do? I have thought of all I could, I did see this spray in the store the other day that you spray on furniture ect to make pups stop biting, anyone ever heard of it, tried it, ect? I wanted some feed back before I tried it, but something has to give!!!

[Sneaky2006]

I wouldn't let this little one have freedom of the whole house if this was happening here.
What I would do is contain her in one room with nothing but things she can chew on and give her more freedom as she improves.
I'm sure others here will have better advice, good luck to ya!

[mafiaprincess]

She sounds like mine was from 4 months to now (6 months). Mine destroys everything when she isn't watched. Bitter apple worked for a while, but she eventually got over the taste of it, or her urge to chew was so great that she ignored the taste.

Get the edible nylabones, and try to keep things as out of your pups reach as possible. Not overly helpful, but I try to keep my floor clear to have as little to chew as possible.

Freeze various ice cubes and give them to your pup, peanut butter freezes in 2 days, cheeze wiz freezes in a day, beef or chicken broth and water also makes a good cube. So does yogurt. Tie material into a knot bone and soak in broth and freeze.

Teething is a pain, but there is not a whole lot you can do but try to help your pup through it.

[wjranch]

I use Bitter Apple. Works pretty good, but, you have to combine it with training. It isn't a total fix for the problem. Might I make a few suggestions??

Take away all the toys. Just give her the one toy she really seems to be into today to chew on. If you see her eyeing up anything else to put her mouth on, "NO" , get her toy and give it to her immediately! Telling her "good chewy" (i call chew toys 'chewy')
Spray the bitter apple on things she seems to really like (that she can't chew) to help deter her from them.

I would also suggest keeping her crated for periods of time WITH one appropriate chewy. She has nothing else to do besides sleep and chew during that time. Might help fulfill her chewing needs. Then let her out for the same amount of time.... 1/2 hour in, 1/2 hour out..... and so on... you might get some piece of mind that way.
Good Luck.. only 3 more months to go!!

[TWilson9498]

Putting her in the room with nothing but things she can have is a great idea, except we live in a 3 bedroom apartment, with 3 kids.. so there isn't really a room I can put her in ya know... Usually the doors are all shut so she can only go into the living, dinning, and kitchen.. but you can bet your bottom dollar she'll find anything in those 3 she can eat!! The floor stays as clean as can be, it's vacuumed 3-4 times a day as it is.. but she'll find anything! I'll continue to look at this thread and try all the suggestions... Thanks!! You guys reply so dang fast I don't even have time to fix my drink! Where do I get the bitter apple? I don't remember the name of the spray I saw... but I will try any suggestions at this point! It really wouldn't be half as bad if I didn't already have a 5 month old teething skin baby too! She chews everything she can and so does Paco! Hense the reason the floor stays spotless... although my daughter does play at the same time Paco does.. They alternate nap time!

[doggy lover]

Welcome to puppyhood my border collie is 10 months and still chews. All dogs are different and as their adult teeth are comming in they eat everything. Training a watchful eye and a crate are your best bet. Check out the thread on pictures it is about destructive pets there is a pic of someones couch on it too. You have to love them.

[mafiaprincess]

I got bitter apple at petsmart. They also have a spray called bitter end. Bitter End is natural plants, and is supposed to be better, but it didn't work at all ever. White vinegar and water in a squirt bottle also is helpful. Smells kinda icky, but it is working well to enforce things like no chewing in our house.

[Prin]

For a long time there was nothing below hip level in our apartment. Now they're better but I'm inclined to agree with the "put the dog in a room with only things he is allowed to chew" or with having one toy to chew on. I think either will work but since you don't have a spare room, I'd go with the only one toy idea. One toy only to chew on in any room.Hopefully a bright colored one so you'll notice quickly if he's chewing on something else...

[BMDLuver]

Put the puppy on a 20foot leash and everywhere you go, she goes. That way you can keep an eye on her, if she grabs hold of something she shouldn't have you can remove it and replace it with something she should have. It's kind of like having a baby who is just beginning to crawl and gets into everything it shouldn't.

[Trinitie]

Try using a leash to keep an eye on Paco. If it's long enough, Paco will have the freedom to roam around, while still under your supervision. Ah, the puppy years. Fun huh?

[deerclan]

Positively reinforce chewing on things he is allowed to have with praise, and petting, and try to identify each item: "Is that your stick? Good boy!"

Negatively reinforce his chewing on inappropriate items by removing the item and saying "No, that is mine." and exchanging it with a proper chew toy: "Here is your ball, good boy!"

Frozen rubber teething rings will help ease the pain of cutting teeth when your pup has to be crated for safe-keeping while you are either busy or out.

There's no cure for the teething stage (unless you adopt an older dog), and it can last from age five months to over one year (or longer), but you can minimize the damage done. Be vigilant, remember my favourite mantra "This too, shall pass", and start collecting chew toys.

Good luck!

[greaterdane]

Ozzy did the same thing when we lived in the apartment. He chewed every pair of shoes I owned and had a thing for italian leather. I used Granicks Bitter Apple and i love it. I had to use it on the baseboards recently as someone has taken a liking to them lol

[TWilson9498]

Wow, from the looks of these recent threads... there are some naughty little pups and cats floating around here lately... I'm going to pay a visit to petsmart in the morning to get the apple spray, I just can't handle the vinegar! About the chew toys... I have a question, is it ok to let her chew like on a baby teething ring that you freeze in the freezer, or is that not ok? I'm thinking probably not because most are plastic and I would hate for her to chew right through that too! Keeping things below hip level would be great, except for the fact that she can jump on the couch, my bed, and her favorite, my 4 yr old's bed (where she likes to steal toys whenever possible) Which is why all doors stay closed now... But then we have the problem with the shower.. My 6 yr old often goes in the bathroom and forgets to shut the door... Well Paco has a liking for the shower.. don't know why but he does. She especially likes it when my husband or my son are in the shower... God help them if they leave the door cracked.. cause they're about to share the shower if they do! Atleast it's men she wants to shower with! Thanks for all the replies, I'm gonna try them slowly, I don't want to throw too much out at her at the same time, hopefully they work more sooner than later! I'm about to be homeless if she continues!!

[deerclan]

I find useing the spray is ok but the pooch will always move onto something else to chew,IMO if you Positively reinforce what they can and can not chew is the best,Also if your gonna leave them alone for a few minutes it would be better just to put them in thier pen,cage or kennel until your finished doing what ever your doing.