Tracilee014

Last week I made the mistake of bragging about how my brat pack had never torn up a piece of furniture and sure enough, later that same week they lit into my couch. Since then I've been diligent in covering every part of the couch that I can and tucking every little piece of material away so there were no grab spots. However, it seems my little pack have become fixated on the couch and will go to the ends of the earth to uncover and lay into my couch the very moment my back is turned.

No one really uses the couch any more except the dogs and I'm wondering if its just best to get rid of it to help discourage this behavior. If I get rid of it will they turn their fixation onto another piece of furniture or will removing the couch, their new favorite chew toy, curb the behavior?

I had planned to just hold onto it and keep it covered for the dogs to lay on until they pass their teenage years and then get a new couch but now I feel like I'm encouraging the behavior by leaving it in the house.....

Thoughts?

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cadkids

removing the couch wont help they will move to the next item we tried that and they ate my antique rocking chair so we put the couch back until they were no longer teens or bratty 2 year olds we kept our old couch ugly and torn up as it was till mine were past the shredding days used pillowcases stuffed with what remained of the back cushions that they made "snow" with about 15 times we put bitters on the front and sides to discourage the chewing yes it stained but we didn't care since we were replacing it later so I would say put bitters on the necessary parts and do what you can with the rest they do outgrow it eventually

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Carol mommy of Roxi aka "rotten" at the bridge RIP sweet girl you are missed, Brandi, Buster and miss Ziggy and occasionally Mia

WholeLottaBoxers

DON'T LET THEM TEACH SARGE ANYTHING!!!

For those who don't know, Traci is fostering a senior for me 'til Barkley passes. I've never had a dog destroy furniture. (Joe says that would be his limit with a dog.) I can just imagine Sarge getting here and going, "Hey guys! Look what I learned from this superkewl boxer family I lived with!" Ugh!

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Cait, Mom to:
Max (11), Tucker (4), Sam (9), Cinnamon (13),
Titan (8 ), Honey (8 ), Piper (3) & Virgil (10)
Jake ~1/1/98-10/31/08~ ♥
Saba ~???-7/28/11~ ♥
Baby ~1998-11/25/11~ ♥
Lillie ~3/10/05-1/17/12~ ♥
Sadie ~2001-2/14/12~ ♥
Chief ~1998-2/20/12~ ♥
Barkley ~2000-2/28/13~ ♥
Maggie ~1999-4/22/13~ ♥

"Adapt yourself to the things among which your lot has been cast and love sincerely the fellow creatures with whom destiny has ordained that you shall live." ~ Marcus Aurelius

GoudasMom

LOL Cait!

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Gouda 9/6/01 - 7/19/12

Sue - Mom to Kippah rescued 8/19/12

Tracilee014

Don't worry Cait, Sarge lives upstairs and the brat pack lives downstairs with my poor couch. I've never had a dog that's been destructive until now and I just know in my heart that I jinxed myself when I said that! Sarge only interacts with Button, my long, lanky, goofy, non-destructive baby and occasionally with Tag but only rarely. Tag is my destructive brat and a thief to top it off! Sigh... Their teenage time will be the death of me.

On a different note... What is bitters? Is it some sort of spray? My luck they'd like the taste of it lol.

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cadkids

go to the liquor store and get some anagosta bitters (and maybe a bottle or two to help you keep sane LOL) they are used to make certin mixed drinks and plain they are horrid ( put on the thumb of a thumb sucker they will cure that too my mom did it to me when I was little YUUCCKK ) and I have NEVER had any dog like them mine however like the bitter apple spray you can get at pet store hence the anagosta bitters from the liquor store like I said they can leave a stain but ....... great training tool

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Carol mommy of Roxi aka "rotten" at the bridge RIP sweet girl you are missed, Brandi, Buster and miss Ziggy and occasionally Mia

marki.s70

Keno was a chewer. He nawed a little bit on the wooden leg’s of the couch but supervision and bones stopped it quickly. He would chew on the deck floor or post’s if I wasn’t watching. I used the bitter apple spray from the pet store and it worked. You just have to reapply it every time you catch them chewing. Good luck! Hopefully they don’t swallow any of it. Blockage scares me to death!

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af_wx_wife

They also have a bitter spray at Petsmart that I've seen. I know our instructor talked about it & then sprayed some on her hand for the dogs to sniff. My goofball Pheona...licked her hand & appeared to like the taste of it. I'm so glad she's never chewed on furniture or anything. So far Murphy has been good too so I'm happy. <now I am knocking on wood as I type this>

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