[madcity_mike]

My F1B doodle Sofie is finally home! Shes been great. So loving, playful, and smart!Shes been retrieving tennis balls and bringing them back to me from day 1 with no training.
However she chewed up a small area on an upholstered chair. Is there a spray anyone knows of to repel that behavior. She has so many toys including the nylabones and kong others have recommended in other posts. She loves them and ALL her toys.
Also I have had a hard time introducing her to the cat. Is it hopeless? Kitty stays downstairs and wont come up. I dont want to force a friendship but it would be nice. Thanks for any input!
Mike

 

[Jannie]

Bitter apple spray works great to deter chewing. You can even spray a bit in the dog's face if you catch her in the act of chewing something she shouldn't - like your couch! It won't hurt her but she won't like it one bit.
Good luck.

 

[Jac]

Hi, Sofie and your cat will probably get along fine, but it will take time. Probably won't happen until the cat let's Sofie know the consequences...but they learn to live together.
My dogs actually didn't mind the bitter apple spray...it didn't help us at all.
The best thing you can do is to be present when the dog is out in an area where she can either hurt things or things can hurt her. If you can't supervise her, crate her. Sounds mean, I know...we had troublw with that, but I believe that to be true.
Unfortunatly, the Lab in our doods will make them chewers sometimes.
I would suggest training...teaching "leave it" and "drop it" right away.
I am not sure that I would spay bitter apple in the dog's face...I believe that dogs are more receptive to the natural consequences (the bitter taste on the furniture) and are best not seeing the negative coming from you, if possible. But that is just my opinion...I am not saying it is a wrong thing...only that I would not be comfortable doing it. (With all due respect, Jannie... :? )

 

[wannadoodle]

Welcome Mike, I agree with Jac. The only thing that has worked for me is to keep him crated or keep him with me. The only sure way to avoid harm or harmfulness is to avoid all opportunity. Sorry, it's a tough job. Don't let anyone talk you into believing that crate time is unhappy time. Toby loves his den.

 

[madcity_mike]

Thanks for the advice everyone!

 

[Tinaweena]

I agree, no bitter apple in the face. I was spraying down a pair of shoes one day, and like an idiot, had the nozzle the wrong way and sprayed it right in my face. It really burns the eyes!
You can also try really cheap perfume...the alcoholy stuff. It smells gross to them and tastes gross!

 

[Jannie]

I should clarify my previous post . . . when I said spray the bitter apple in the face, I actually meant near her mouth so that she would get a little taste of it. I would never spray anything into my dog's eyes.

I guess every dog is different, but I found the bitter apple spray really deterred Sadie from chewing. I have some large floor plants and when we first brought her home she was really going after them. Even though they are not listed as being poisonous, you never know, so I would use the spray on the bottom leaves and it really worked. She never goes near them now.

Of course you can't spray everything in your house, so crating is always the best way to keep the dog safe when you can't be supervising her. But even when we were right there with her, she kept going over to the plants so I found the bitter apple to be just the thing to stop her from shredding up my plants and possibly making herself sick.

 

[madcity_mike]

hi jannie- The bittter apple spray did help.. i would never spray in the face,,, sprayed on chair and plants.. thanks for the advice

 

[gracielou]

This is a little of the subject of chewing but if you ever have the problem of them putting their front legs up on the counter to snoop a little, place a pizza tray (something unbreakable) close to the edge with some spoons (no knives or forks) and when they put their paws on it and it comes crashes down it scares the heck out of them breaks them fairly quickly. :shock:

 

[KMO20057]

HA! I love tha trick! I will remember that!

 

[Jac]

Good idea Linda! Nothing makes my dogs back away and run faster than a loud noise!