How to stop a dog chewing?? Any advice

[zeon]

Hiya people,
I have a 1 1/2 year old boarder collie x jack russel x dalmation x staffordshire bull terrier yob yob.. I am very loyal to him as I am to his mother who is a jack russell x collie and he keeps chewing everything.. Well when we are at work I put the radio on for some background noise buy him bones toys and chews and he insists on chewing the sette, mail, Blackberry phone etc and its really getting to me because I keep having a argument with my ex boyfriend who has a mortgage with me when the dog does bad.. Sometimes we go to work and come home and NOTHING is chewed but about 75% something gets chewed... Any ideas how to possibily tackle this because I defend him against my ex and refuse to get shot of him...

Kindest regards

zeon

[OrphanPip]

Maybe you should consider buying a crate for him when you are not at home.

You've already tried providing appropriate toys, you can try and do something like have a Kong with frozen yogurt or peanut butter in it to keep him occupied longer. There is also the option of spraying stuff he often chews with a bitter spray, or cover it with something that has a lot of capsaisins in it, like chilli powder. If you do the bitter spray or chilli powder route, it is good to give the dog a taste of it first so that they learn to associate the smell with an unpleasant taste.

[fenris]

I have 3 dogs ... and what I can say is that a dog needs time to learn and very important is : NO punishment... Never...
Buy some chewing-bones ( cow or pig skin ) and give him one every day before you go out of the house. If you come home and he has chewed other things then his bone.. show him what he had done and with a hard voice : No ! and give him his bone with a friendly : Here .. and talk friendly with him.... repeat that till he has learned.
Use some tricks ... go out of the house ... maybe a half hour ... and go back in and watch what he does. If he does something bad .... tell it with a hard voice and show him what he had done... If he was Ok ..give him his bone and a few dog chocolates.

Never give a dog old shoes ...old clothes or something like that for play ...a dog can´t se a difference between an old and a new shoe ....

Show him that YOU are the Alpha-Dog.... and remember that the Problem of a dog never is on the leash ... the problem HOLDS the leash ;-)

[simon]

bet the poor thing is bored in the house all day,a collie is a very clever dog and needs a lot of walking,not just 10 mins around the block,an hour min but the more the better,get that side of it right and it will cut out a lot of its bad behaviour,as for the chewing you can't really just fix that without fixing the rest,but once you do,try training him to go for a toy or bone of your choosing,not a hard thing to do with a well exercised dog.

[fredv3b]

Vick's Vapo-Rub!

Apply liberally to everything he shouldn't chew. Utterly vile, he should soon learn.

[marshlander]

I was thinking super-glue ... but then I know nothing about dogs.

[princealbertofb]

I think Fenris's advice is probably the soundest. You might want to seek the advice of a veterinarian doctor, or even of some dog breeders or dog trainers... I think you'll probably get similar advice to what Fenris was suggesting, but it might be good to get it from a dog trainer. I'm not sure leaving the radio on is a good idea, it might in fact be counterproductive and he may not find it as comforting as you think it is. I'm not saying it's NOT a good idea, as I know nothing about dogs, really, but I'm just thinking that it might NOT be such a good idea, in fact. I don't know how dogs' sensitivities are concerning sound, and the fact that the radio is on all the time might make him more nervous than he needs to be. Maybe the radio keeps him from resting and he might be asleep instead of chewing everything in sight. I don't know. Get some advice from people who really know the problem.

[zeon]

Hello there,
I have bought him a kong already and he sort of gets through that and then moves onto whatever takes his fancy.. I know with regards to where his cage is concerned I only use that as a form of punishment because he doesnt like to be in there... For example last night when he chewed up my ex boyfriends blackberry mobile phone i put him in it for half an hour with the blackberry laid out infront of him. I dont tend to go mad at him when it happens because i think if its already happenned why go mad it wont make the situation feel any better... With regards to exercise I walk my dogs for half hour in morning round a field and half hour in evening and take one of those throwy ball things which they love... (i dont then get blood rush to my hands). Exercise wise they get alot of it... I am going to consult my mother i think and see what she can get in ways of bulk buy pig ears i am usually dubious about things because collies have sensitive stomachs and last thing I want is to come home and clean up a foul smelled flat....

Kindest regards

zeon

[simon]

I know I said collies are clever but not that much so they would understand being in a cage was a punishment for chewing the phone,you need to let the dog know the second it does something wrong,even a few seconds later will be too long,and as for putting the pone in the cage,all that will be doing is making the dog more attacted to the phone.

[zeon]

I know when i come home from work if i say in a lowered tone

Connor whats this and point he will go hide under my computer chair with tail between the legs.. I never shout at my dog otherwise ill not only have a nervous wreck of a dog for the night but ill be cleaning up wee as well... I dont understand why his so nervous because he was born and kept out of the litter because he was un sellable as no one wanted him due to a deformed ear but his still my little dumpling... His very loyal to me for example when it comes to bed time he will lift the cover with his nose go under turn around pop his head out facing me have a deep sigh and then give me a lick on the lips as though to say goodnight dad and all night he will lie facing me.. He never sleep with me ex.. I know he has potential and I am wondering whether because his mother was bought of what i didnt realise was a puppy farm and shes a wreck whether she has passed on a bad vibe to him... This circle i am trying to break..
Sometimes i come home from work and they have chewed nothing destroyed nothing and I give loads and loads of big hugs and kisses and reward them with a plate full of fish and meats and treats.. I know six months ago we moved and i am also wondering whether this is taking a toll from stress of moving and this is why they are being like they are...