Need dog help

[trcy]

So after our 'puppy' (she's about 1 and a half) was house broken and seemed to be past her chewing phase, we donated her crate. She was seeming more and more resistant to it the less she was in it. She never really loved it. Recently she has started chewing our couch cushions. Luckily it's an old couch that we were talking about replacing, but I don't want to buy a new one and have her destroy it. Any ideas on how to keep her occupied, so she doesn't want to chew the couch? We try to wear her out, she has a lot of toys, frozen peanut butter Kong. I looked at those puzzle toys, but I am sure she would just chew them up. She's about 50# and a strong chewer. The Kong extreme and West paw toys are the only ones she hasn't destroyed. I thought about crating her again, but I am afraid she flip out in it and hurt herself. I am a stay-at-home mom, so she isn't alone all day, everyday. But I am in and out a lot, especially trying to keep the kids occupied over summer break.

ETA: We do have a second dog, so is isn't alone when we are gone.
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[jawilli4]

I hope she grows out of this phase soon! I've heard Bitter Apple Spray can be an effective deterrent.

https://www.amazon.com/Grannicks-Bit...s%2C129&sr=8-4

[doberbrat]

the puzzle toys for the most part are meant to be done under supervision. What breed is she? How much exercise is she getting? Mental stimulation is also important. Many dogs were bred to do a job and they need some outlet to simulate this. Think of having a 5yo in the house all day everyday w/o ever going to school or having a tv to watch.

In the short term, I'd get another crate or otherwise confine her when you're not home. Easier to prevent problems. Not only is couch replacement expensive but if she eats pieces, it could be deadly.

[wendibird22]

We have a 3yr old (approx) Pit mix that we adopted 14months ago. We've crated him since the day we brought him home and still do any time we leave the house. He too is a power chewer and would find something to eat out of boredom. When we crate him we give him a frozen PB kong (the black strong chewer version) and a nylabone or other tough plastic toy.

With this pup and our prior dog (an purebred English Springer Spaniel) we found it helpful to use a "bark" collar to correct unwanted behavior. The collar can emit a tone or a small static shock. Since the tone is identical to the one that the invisible fence makes, and doggos both learned how not to cross the fence line when they hear that tone, we have had success with the bark collar only being on tone mode and NEVER on shock mode. It has a remote so any time dog is chewing something he shouldn't we hit the tone button and he immediately stops doing it. This also works for when he takes a stuffed animal or shoe or other item he shouldn't have, he will immediately drop it when he hears the tone. A few corrections of the same behavior with an item and he doesn't do it again. When our last dog would get a bit crazy every once and a while we'd only need to pull out the collar and show it too him and he'd immediately chill out...it was like warning a child they were about to get sent to time out. I know not everyone would agree with that type of collar but we've had success and feel confident using it without the static correction mode.

[TwinFoxes]

Does she get walked? She may need more, or longer walks.

[trcy]

I hope she grows out of this phase soon! I've heard Bitter Apple Spray can be an effective deterrent.

https://www.amazon.com/Grannicks-Bit...s%2C129&sr=8-4

I've tried that and unfortunately it didn't help.

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[trcy]

the puzzle toys for the most part are meant to be done under supervision. What breed is she? How much exercise is she getting? Mental stimulation is also important. Many dogs were bred to do a job and they need some outlet to simulate this. Think of having a 5yo in the house all day everyday w/o ever going to school or having a tv to watch.

In the short term, I'd get another crate or otherwise confine her when you're not home. Easier to prevent problems. Not only is couch replacement expensive but if she eats pieces, it could be deadly.

Yeah, I thought the puzzle toys would be pretty useless. Like I said, she would just chew them up to get the food. We take her out in the backyard and play with her anytime before we leave. We have a toy that a dog trainer made for active dogs. It's hard to explain, but it's like the cat toys on a stick, only bigger. She chases that thing until she is exhausted. She's a mix. She's got some husky, some lab, some who knows what in her.

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[trcy]

We have a 3yr old (approx) Pit mix that we adopted 14months ago. We've crated him since the day we brought him home and still do any time we leave the house. He too is a power chewer and would find something to eat out of boredom. When we crate him we give him a frozen PB kong (the black strong chewer version) and a nylabone or other tough plastic toy.

With this pup and our prior dog (an purebred English Springer Spaniel) we found it helpful to use a "bark" collar to correct unwanted behavior. The collar can emit a tone or a small static shock. Since the tone is identical to the one that the invisible fence makes, and doggos both learned how not to cross the fence line when they hear that tone, we have had success with the bark collar only being on tone mode and NEVER on shock mode. It has a remote so any time dog is chewing something he shouldn't we hit the tone button and he immediately stops doing it. This also works for when he takes a stuffed animal or shoe or other item he shouldn't have, he will immediately drop it when he hears the tone. A few corrections of the same behavior with an item and he doesn't do it again. When our last dog would get a bit crazy every once and a while we'd only need to pull out the collar and show it too him and he'd immediately chill out...it was like warning a child they were about to get sent to time out. I know not everyone would agree with that type of collar but we've had success and feel confident using it without the static correction mode.

She is actually really good about chewing when we are home. Occasionally I will catch her chewing on something she shouldn't, but never the couch.

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[trcy]

Does she get walked? She may need more, or longer walks.

She doesn't get walked as much as she should, I need to work on that.

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[ray7694]

That is still a young dog. We crated longer. More activity and chew time as well.