Chewing...

My dear little Bennie has intermittent chewing episodes. He has been great for quite a while but yesterday tucked into two cushions again
I am wondering if anyone has any advice of things to offer him to chew instead of the cushions. I have given him numerous rawhide things but these are mostly buried in the garden. A couple of soft toys are ignored, but he seems to like the soft stuff of cushions.
If I am around I can tell him off if I catch him chewing cushions, and I did yesterday, but I can't be around all the time. Favourite cushions have now been removed! I hope he will get the message eventually that it isn't on, but in the meantime?

Re: Chewing...

My Pashka was a Cushion Lover, like you I removed the good ones but when I had to go out and leave her I left her in the Kitchen in her Basket with a Chew.

Re: Chewing...

How about a large Kong filled with dog treats all stuck together with peanut butter? I did this for one of mine and stuck it in the fridge so it was solid to make it last longer. I know what you mean about the cushions though, the times I came home to a 'snowstorm'

Re: Chewing...

Tripe sticks are worth a try - very smelly, but dogs love them. Paddywack is another thing dogs love to chew and it does last a bit longer than tripe sticks.

Re: Chewing...

But I don't want him to get overweight from eating too much either!

And alas there is no door on my kitchen so I can't leave him in there. Anyway, he settles in the conservatory quite happily but I can't close him in there as it can get too hot. Hence he still has access to the house.

Will just have to see how it goes.

Re: Chewing...

Hi Ania does it happen mainly when Bennie is alone?
Chewing can also be a displacement activity, something dogs do when they are bored or lonely.
Mary mentioned a frozen Kong .This could be substituted for a meal so Bennie doesn't put on too much weight. It would last a while providing mental stimulation.

If Bennie is going to be left alone a walk and play with a toy may help to him to sleep while you are away.

If you catch him chewing something it can be helpful to do a swap for something he is allowed to chew and give lots of praise if he accepts it.
I like to give dried fish as a dog chew, it's good to chew, low fat and smelly enough to be interesting .
Both Fish4dogs and Burns make dried fish and you can order it online

Re: Chewing...

If you havent got a kitchen door could you buy a gate that expands to fit various areas and put his bed in there so he will have a nap whilst he is alone.

Re: Chewing...

You could try tying old socks into knots. We have had two "I'll chew it up" dogs and the knotty socks seemed to cure the problem. Sounds daft I know, but one dog in particular would spend hours trying to unknot the socks.

Re: Chewing...

I like that idea. He has been totally disinterested in one of those rope toys, but maybe DIRTY knotted socks would do!

Re: Chewing...

Meg, it initially was at night when he chewed up an old duvet and cushion that I had put out for him to sleep on. I put that down to the traumas of a new home. It settled, and I was optimistic. He chewed his bed to bits when I was away and he was staying with a friend. No problem, he may have missed me and I think he was only out for one longish walk a day instead of two which probably didn't help.
No further chewing until last week when he demolished one cushion when I was out of the room and tore another one shortly thereafter. And (touch wood) he has been fine since.
I'm hoping it is not attention seeking. I do spoil him but he does have some discipline so is not totally unruly.Will look into the kong idea.

Thanks for all suggestions!