When your pup is teething or just stressed out, he might start chewing on your dining room chair leg and once this becomes a habit, it is hard to break it. This behavior can be destructive, and not to mention harmful if your pooch swallows broken pieces of furniture. But don’t worry, here’s several versions of bitter liquids you can make at home and apply to the furniture in order to break this nasty habit.
Citrus
Dogs hate the sharp smell of citrus, and this easy homemade solution to your problem could be sitting in your fruit bowl. A simple squirt of lemon, orange or lime juice can go a long way toward keeping your dog away from items you don’t want chewed. You can make a citrus spray by steeping 2 cups of citrus peels in 4 cups of boiled water until cool. Spray this anywhere you think your dog is or will be chewing.
Apple Cider Vinegar
Combine two parts apple cider vinegar with one part regular white vinegar in a spray bottle, shake well and apply it on the furniture your dog likes to chew.
Cayenne Pepper Spray
If citrus and apple cider vinegar sprays aren’t working, try cayenne pepper spray. Cayenne peppers aren’t harmful to dogs, but be careful nevertheless since pepper spray liquids can irritate their eyes and nose, so you might not want to try it as a first option. Simply add 1 or 2 teaspoons ground cayenne pepper to a quart of room temperature water, shake and spray where necessary.
I took my puppy from a dog foster home about a year ago. I love him to bits; he has a great personality, and I feel that he loves our family so much. BUT he chews things A LOT. . So, leaving home is always a challenge for us.
My husband and I were thinking about taking him to ‘doggy school’, but then again, it’s extremely expensive, and the nearest ‘doggy school’ is far away from us. Maybe you have some advice? THANK YOU!!!!
You aren’t going to believe this but after you’ve discovered another chewed shoe place the dog next to the shoe and swat the shoe (hard and fast) with a newspaper and repeatedly say no, bad bad bad. Now tie the shoe onto his collar. that’s right tie the shoe around his collar and make him carry it and sleep with it for two days. If you notice any additional damage to the shoe scold him/her and resit the time for another 48 hours.
Bill that’s abuse and cruel.
I absolutely disagree. This can cause anxiety and set the animal up for failure. You never discipline after the fact….the animal does not understand. You must catch the animal in the act and redirect the animal. If the animal does this only when you are not home, then it is either having separation anxiety or is bored. Lots of durable toys that you can hide treats in or puzzles that hide treats, anything other than wood, plush items, no old shoes…etc should be good. Use a crate when you are gone and not there to supervise. Make the crate a… Read more »
Bill I see why you said “good luck” when we posted our new labradoodle. We haven’t had much luck yet. That is why we are googling this stuff.
Put your shoes away. DO NOT allow young pups free access to the house. Clip a leash to your belt & take an old bed spread & toys wherever you go & be sure it is the toys that are chewed. LARGE smoked knuckle bones are A#1. When you cant watch the pup put it outside in a run or in a crate with the BONE. I’ve bred dogs since 1948 so I have LOTS of experience. This results in a confident pleasant dog. Of course having a well bred dog is an immense help. If I had an inveterate… Read more »
I have two 5 month old Cane Corso boy and girl brother and sister. These two are a mess. If you ever had Children you know. You got to show them stuff love. They got sense now my biggest problem is trying to get them to go in one place outside for bathroom my girl was going where she supposed to go. Then her brother came and was going where ever he wanted to go and I had to make room for him so he taught her to go every where again so I got my work cut out. They… Read more »
My dog has no reaction to any of these items on the list, except to lick them, repeatedly.
Now this is the kind or response I was looking for (whether or not it worked)…I will concede it made me chuckle a little bit.
This is why I got the boy Corso he chewed my daughter porch. I telling you they chew rocks I brought both bones yesterday now he will go bury his and steal her hell these are going to be some big dogs they will toss me up in the air 😅