Chewing table leg

nancy361

Dog just started doing it a month ago.. He has been here with us since FEB.

How long he's been with you isn't so much the issue ...

nancy361

....He is 14 months old..

Bingo -- thta's the "why" of it -- he's teething!!

They cut "adult" teeth for almost a year after they hit 12 - 14 months.  "wood" gives a really really deep massaging "chew" for them and table legs are THE BEST (aside from the wooden arm on my futon!) because they are stationary -- you don't have to "Hold onto it" -- you can kinda lean into it with your whole body weight to REALLY get a deep massage on the sore gums.

You can try a "Doggie No" kind of spray -- but essentially you need to put something on there that tastes really BAD (and bitter apple may or may not do it).  I wound up using an essential oil combination (peppermint/eucalyptus, etc.) that had such a potent smell she found it NOT attractive I think (it wasn't toxic but she was SO determined).  Negative reinforcement like yelling isn't going to do much (the dog will just transfer to another piece of wood).

You may want to try a different type of chew toy, or even do something like raw chicken wings  or chicken backs for dinner a couple of nights a week -- (not cooked - cooked chicken bones splinter, but raw non-weight bearing chicken bones are a marvelous deep chew and good for the teeth).

 Thanks callie, that is what sense i was getting, but not sure.. still teething....whats funny is last nite i was holding an antler and he was chewing it, but it was way in back of his mouth, so i guess he is in fact still cutting teeth.. i got him one of those heavy chewer kong bone shaped toy , but unless snacks are in it, he doesnt bother too much with yet...

and so if i buy RAW chicken wings, and just give it to him, itll be ok? he cant choke or get bones stuck in mouth?  you dont boil it maybe 5 min? just raw is better?  what is it about that raw wing that helps with gums?  He uses his back teeth mostly?  any particular size wing that works better, or just kind you get in package at grocery store?

ill have to put foam and 2 sided tape or maybe vicks rubbed on foam , smell will keep him away...Thanks!!

nancy361

i buy RAW chicken wings, and just give it to him, itll be ok? he cant choke or get bones stuck in mouth?  you dont boil it maybe 5 min? just raw is better?  what is it about that raw wing that helps with gums?  He uses his back teeth mostly?  any particular size wing that works better, or just kind you get in package at grocery store?

cooked bones of any sort are brittle and shouldn't be given.  But yes, raw - straight from the store (I usually portion them out and freeze them until I need them so a package doesn't stay open).  don't cook -- if it bothers you (and it does me) I just plunge the pieces in boiling water literally for no more than 20 seconds and OUT and under cold water.

I like backs as well -- it surely does a great job of cracking plaque off the teeth as well.  Decrease his food that night as well -- this is *food* as well.  But essentially what they need to do is help cut thru the skin of the gums to let the new tooth thru (which is why they chew as puppies) and they will aim for the area where they need to relieve the pain.

With mine at first I had to monitor this carefully -- in fact a couple of my dogs just stood there and looked at it and I sort of held it for them and encouraged them as they nibbled at it -- but then they were wholeheartedly in the game!!

Have some ground rules -- you don't want them wandering all over with these -- but it's surprising how strong they are and adept at chewing once they get started. 

 Mostly you want to use non-weight bearing bones (like not legs or thighs but wings, necks, backs -- and yes, turkey necks are great too uncooked. 

Another goodie that might help is chicken gizzards - those I do cook (they aren't boney) but they can get those back in there and chew as well.  Not as effective, but they think they're fun.

calliecritturs

Negative reinforcement like yelling isn't going to do much

to clarify, sorry, I have to do it, Negative reinforcement is the removal of something that increases the future frequency of the behavior. Yelling at him is probably positive reinforcement. It'll probably stop him for the time being, but it won't prevent him from doing it in the future. 

In addition to the tips about putting something on the table leg that he likes to eat, you can also give positive reinforcement for chewing on appropriate things, which will increase his likelihood of chewing on those things. Praise him for chewing on the right things. If he gets out his need to chew on those things, he will be less likely to chew table legs, and he can't chew the right things and the wrong things at the same time. You can give him a treat for chewing on the right thing too. 

If you don't want to put things on your table legs, you can just put vicks right on them. That may help, because if you go and take the stuff off later that was visible, he may be able to tell that when it's gone, he can chew away. With vicks there, he doesn't have a visual so he can't see from a distance that it's safe to chew. I don't think the spray stuff like bitter apple would work on something like that, but maybe it would. I think it'll just run right off though. 

 Thanks to BOTH of you for all the info....Yes its like when my kids were babies and the teething and such, hahaha...He too going thru same thing. Just didnt know after this age he was still cutting back teeth. Now i know...Thanks......Ill try the vicks and hope the smell keeps him away.. and yes positive reinforcement and praise for doing good, is a good thing.. But you have to say NO when doing the negative and move him away from it....room is gated now... Ill let you know how things go and how he does with the raw wings and helping soothe his gums...

Thanks again

 I would suggest Vaseline, not Vicks - WE humans can smell the Vicks too!  Vaseline, it is the taste and texture which turns him off.

Something we use with teething dogs is a frozen washcloth.  Soak the wash cloth, ring out a bit not completely, wrap some small treats in it, twist it and stick it in the freezer.  

I used Bitter Apple just spray it on.  Ava chewed everything and still will do it sometimes. She chewed baseboard, my dining room furniture, legs on chairs in l/r bedroom furniture, and put a hole underneah my mattress.   She has plenty of bones to chew on.  I like the bully sticks for her.