Puppy vs. Furniture

by Natalie
(Milford, OH)

I have a 4 month old beagle mix puppy and he has just discovered our furniture, especially the antique table.

I know that puppies are notorious for chewing (especially on stuff you don't want it to). I was wondering if there were any remedies for helping the furniture and how to teach him not to chew on the furniture.

Thanks in advance!



Hi Natalie
You're absolutely right that puppies adore to chew on things, and for some odd reason all those lovely (expensive!) toys that you bought him, aren't nearly as interesting to him as table legs, rugs, shoes, underwear, cupboard handles etc.

You could try Bitter Apple spray, which is available at most major Petstores. Most puppies hate the taste and are less likely to chew on the table legs if you've sprayed them with it.

If he doesn't mind the taste of Bitter Apple (some pups don't), you could try using hot sauce in the same way. Smear it on the table/chair legs etc. Of course it doesn't work well on rugs :o)

To keep your pup from chewing on electrical wires (another favorite), the best thing to do is to buy some PVC piping (the kind you use for plumbing and can buy at any hardware store) and run the wires through the pipe. This is really good protection, for the wires and the puppy!

As for teaching him not to chew on forbidden objects? It's really just an ongoing process. EVERY single time you see him chewing on something he shouldn't, tell him "NO" in a firm voice and then redirect his attention to his own chew toys.

Puppies learn through repetition and habit, so you need to be consistent and patient with this. The good news is that they do eventually grow out of this chewing frenzy, but you'll need to be vigilant to ensure that your possession are still intact when he does.

Best of luck.