Help with Cooper, the basket chewer.

[joeysmama]

Cooper is 9 months old and really doing very well. He used to chew the big baskets in the house but is not nearly so bad as he once was. But, I just found this really cute basket with a lid, that's big enough to be an end table and really fits well in the odd little corner of my family room. I can't wait to put a photo, candle or a chatchki or two on it.

I'm afraid that Cooper may start chewing on the corners. He is never crated anymore and as long as the garbage is secure he can be trusted to be left alone when we step out. I'm wondering if there isn't something I can do though, to keep this from getting nibbled on when I'm not here, just in case he backslides. Someone said apple bitter would be ok, but I was wondering if there is any household product that I already own that might discourage him from chewing on it. And of course, not be harmful to my little goofy guy.

[mafiaprincess]

Vinegar or tabasco sauce work well.. though tabasco sauce can stain. Cider liked the bitter apple, so I started keeping vinegar in a spray bottle, used to spray down the computer wires a few tiems a week with it. One lick and then a sad face, but it kept her from harming herself.

[joeysmama]

Thank you so much. I'm going to try that right now--I think I might try the cabinet doors by the garbage as well.

Wish me luck !

[jesse's mommy]

Originally Posted by mafiaprincess

Vinegar or tabasco sauce work well.. though tabasco sauce can stain. Cider liked the bitter apple, so I started keeping vinegar in a spray bottle, used to spray down the computer wires a few tiems a week with it. One lick and then a sad face, but it kept her from harming herself.

Boy I wish I had that advice when we first got Jesse. She LOVED wires for the first six months we had her. Thankfully she has outgrown it, but she has been obsessed with my slipper today!!

[mafiaprincess]

I freaked when she liked the bitter apple..
I did look on forums and didn't get a better solution. I used it to clean up some pee, and when she came near me she turned her nose up, so I started vinegaring stuff.

Even if I was on top of her watching her she'd try to chow down on wires. I was really scared for her.

It's kinda sad how much education is out there now.. that you could have used when your puppy was younger, or info that wasn't as widely availible then as it is now. It's good, just makes you think that you could have used the extra help too.