My Pit Bull puppy is good most of the time, but he likes to destroy things. I try to get him out the habit, but it doesn't work. What do I do?
By nacole from Seattle, WA
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All puppies chew ... it's like a baby teething. I mean NO disrespect, but have you given him something like a rawhide bone? I just recently heard of someone that hadn't done that for their pup and was surprised at their pup's chewing. Just do NOT ever give them something of yours to chew! That signals that what smells like you is okay to gnosh on! Good luck!
The operational word is puppy. It does pass, but put up anything you might be upset about being chewed, such as legs of a nice coffee table.
Get large bone now and then, roast it and then give it to him for 1-2 days. They do get nasty. Rawhide chews helped our lab/b.collie mix.
Your "puppy" is teething. Make sure he/she has some chew toys and gets plenty of exercise.
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I have a 9 month old Red Nose Pitbull, but he is also mixed with German Shepherd. He is always chewing things up, mainly wood. I try and put hot sauce, water, and vinegar, and peanut butter on things to get him to stop, but he is loving all of them.
Someone did tell me to try sour apple sauce or to try a muzzle. The person said to put it on him when he chews on something or to put it on him when he is in his kennel when I am gone. I just didn't know if anyone has tried that or if they think that will or will not work?
My mom said if he chews up one more thing he is gone. I adopted him, he was a stray at 3 months and I got him when he was 8 months. I really would appreciate any help someone has to offer.
I would get a Kong toy at the pet store and stuff it with peanut butter and give it to him. Give him toys to play with and also keep him distracted. Here are some articles from leerburg.com. Hope they help, some dogs are just not good matches, where another dog might be the perfect match.
Leerburg.com is a great site, full of dog training articles, free articles, ebooks, and podcasts.
Here is what I found there: leerburg.com
Also it would be wise to put it in a wire crate when you are not around, so it cannot get to the wood. Putting things on the wood is not going to help deter the dog, but redirecting it will. This will take a lot of watching the dog, and giving it toys and treats and such and keeping your eye on it all the time. When you are not home or are not able to watch the pup, then put it in a wire crate. There are videos on leerburg.com about crate training that are free.
Again, don't feel too bad if you have to get another dog, sometimes behavior problems are hard to correct if they are really entrenched in the animal. Blessings.
Robyn(12/17/2009)
By Robyn Fed
It's a puppy in the midst of teething; probably doesn't have too much longer to go, until molars. Go to butcher and get a huge beef knuckle, roast it in oven an hour at 350 F, let cool, cut off any fatty meat she shouldn't have and give it to her. Lots of challenge for a pup in a big bone. It will be good for several days until you can't stand the look of it anymore.
Also give her one of family's old shoes in cage only. Keep it in cage. Keep all other shoes up out of her reach. I wouldn't give her a piece of wood because of splinters, but rabbits are sometimes given a 4 x 4 piece which has been soaked in salt water to wear down their teeth. So animals need to wear on something. I'll bet she needs harder than normal chew toys to work on, maybe something really hard rubber and smear it with a little meat juice from a hamburger or roast, just to keep her interest until she considers it her toy.
A word of caution on other bones. Bones that show the porous side get chewed quickly and produce very disgusting poop the next day, a lot, that's why the knuckle type is better. Harder for them to get a grip, but keeps them entertained.
You might Google and see if there's a teething gel for dogs, but the more she chews on something, the sooner her teeth will break through. She's trying to make that happen.
It's not a choice between one puppy and another, for the most part, it's a choice between puppy or no puppy. The only way to have a dog who doesn't chew is get one already grown, but then you miss the puppy part of their life. Pups teeth just like kids, only their teeth are much more impressive. (12/17/2009)
By PENNY K
Like everyone has said, it's still a puppy and they are going to chew on things. Most dogs like peanut butter, so putting things on the wood might actually have been inviting your puppy to chew on it.
I was against kenneling them, but after I got over it, our relationship got better. I have learned that my oldest is better at staying out when I'm not home and the youngest must be kenneled, but this is something that you have to learn about your pup.
Try giving him a plastic bottle after your done drinking it, try putting a few treats in the bottle to keep them entertained. I hope that you and your mom can overcome this, and learn to love your pup. (12/17/2009)
By yessy
I wouldn't put a muzzle on and then leave him, he might get frantic and hurt himself. Best of luck for all of you. (12/20/2009)
By Marg
The dog needs a whole lot more exercise. This is pent up energy. Caesar says so. As for chewing, get raw bones. Cooked bones are the splintery ones so always do raw. Peanut butter in a Kong is good. Raw diet is good. Vaccines are not. Read vaclib.org and you will see what vaccines are made of and the dangers of these poisons. (12/20/2009)
By vicki hood
Please crate the pup when you are not home, no muzzle in the crate. Give him a Kong toy to play with and several Nyla bones. They are what he needs to chew on. They are made for this kind of dog with massive jaw power. They do not splinter and it is good for them to chew on. I always had about 5 to 8 Nyla bones down for or Red Nose Pit all the time, his whole life. He always chewed on them. He would put one down and pick up another.
Please check out Ceaser Milan and how to train yourself to be with your pup. All of you will be happier, you, the pup, and Mom. Good luck. (12/20/2009)
By Laura
I have a 9 month old pit bull mix who is on the verge of being homeless. She chews my metal yard lights, dog blanket, lattice of my garden, wood on the corner of my house, you name it. I buy her toys, but nothing works. There's another dog, they play all the time. I need you to share some experience and wisdom. Thanks for any help.
Jim from Tucson, Az
Chewing and similar destructive behavior may also be a sign of boredom. If you come home to a house with trash, plants, clothes, or shoes all chewed on, then this is a very likely sign your dog just has nothing better to do. Making sure your dog gets plenty of exercise when you are home and enough toys for when you aren't is most often the solution.
When you are home, make sure your dog is getting enough exercise. Especially on a day when you know you will be gone for a long time, take your dog on a long walk or jog so it can use up some energy before you leave.
(02/01/2008)
By schubunny
Have you considered crate training her? My dogs are in their crates when I cannot give them my full supervision. (02/01/2008)
Try a large Kong toy; fill it almost full with food and top it off with peanut butter. Take this toy and put it in the freezer overnight. Give it to your puppy when you go to work. These toys hold up pretty well. (02/02/2008)
By Paul Wilson
Crate training is a must if you cannot supervise a chewer. Leaving a dog alone that is destructive can lead to a potential fatality, ie. ingestion of toxic materials, choking, etc.
It is also possible that your dog suffers from anxiety which leads back to the crate training.
Used properly this can be very comforting to any type of dog when left alone. Leave plenty of nylabones for the little one to gnaw on when you are away and maybe think about a pet sitter to pop in and play with your pooch for 30 minutes to an hour. (02/02/2008)
By Diana
It's time to start training your dog. There are good books out there by Cesar Millan (Be a Pack Leader) and an excellent website by Ed Frawley, a very experienced trainer of German Shepherds leerburg.com. His site contains much information and his training DVDs are great, well worth the money.
Don't put training off a day longer. Buy a crate and put your dog in when you can supervise him and at night to sleep; walk your dog twice daily; and get some help with obedience training.
Good luck. (02/02/2008)
When your pup is chewing on something it's not suppose to, please tell her/him no and give it something that belongs to it that he/she may chew. My little Pit Bull mix chewed and this is how he was trained. (crate trained also) He chews his own toys especially those that squeak. I buy him safe stuffed toys at Goodwill and he loves them. Please be patient and loving with her. Also if an older dog that understands not to chew starts again, try a little salt in their food once in awhile. They could be craving salt. A vet told me this years ago. Good luck.
Lori (02/03/2008)
By Lori
Rub the juice from lemons on whatever he/she is chewing up. Worked for me. Good luck. (02/04/2008)
By Monica
Your dog needs exercise. A large yard is not enough. He needs at least 40 minutes of a long and very brisk power walk or jog daily. Ideally in the morning.
Do "not" give the dog something it is OK to chew right after he chews something that isn't. All you're doing then is rewarding bad behavior.
Crate training is shouted all over the place here, but crating should only be an interim tool; not as a multi-year crutch. If you have to keep closing the dog in a cage you haven't trained anyone to do anything. You are caging a problem instead of training. That is not what you want to do.
You do need to give lots of daily, consistent exercise whether or not you want to go for those walks. The behavior changes are usually pretty dramatic and fast. I've done rescue of really bad abuse cases for years. Trust me on this. Exercise is the #1 thing you need to do here.
With Pits, I really like to use one of those big rope bundles to play fetch. If the dog likes that; you can hang one of them securely in your yard and let the dog play by swinging from that in "addition" to your long, brisk morning walks.
Morning walking is key, because it helps tire the dogs so they sleep well while you are at work. The less boredom they go through, the less chewing they seek to do. You still need a good long evening walk after the dog eats his main meal, but the morning walk is essential.
Use the walks to properly socialize your dog as well. Go by the dog parks and places where others walk their dogs. You need to make sure your dog reacts positively to other situations by being calm and well mannered.
Provide as many interactive toys as possible for when you do go out. The Kong toys where you can hide treats inside that the dog has to bat about to get to the food is a great one. Pig ears and other digestible treats are good as well.
Keep your home very well picked up. The less temptation the better. You will lose a few items to teething while you get this under control. It's frustrating, but you're approaching the end of the terrible twos.
Try the bitter apple spray or there are several you can mix yourself posted on the internet if your dog happens to like bitter apple.
While "testing" the dog's control on chewing, don't just go from crate to full run of the house. Keep him out of the big damage rooms, like the living room where you can lose part of a couch. It's a process and takes consistency on your part, but it is very fixable.
Pits and mixes are great family dogs and pretty darned smart. Don't give up.
Good luck.
(02/04/2008)
By D
My neighbor has a Blue Pit and after reading, on this site, about the music for pets thing, I sent her the link. She ordered it and it works great. The dog stopped all chewing and is much calmer.
Angela from SC gave this information so I am passing it along again.
It's called "Mood Music for Dogs" (And Dog Lovers) "Gone for a Walk". cherylchristine.com (03/02/2008)
By Linda
