Comments on: Bitter apple spray works to stop chewing

By: Lindsay Stordahl

Lindsay Stordahl — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 13:14:11 +0000

Not sure that I want to put Vaseline on my furniture, etc. Isn’t that pretty messy?

The duct tape idea might work as long as the dog doesn’t see you throwing the tape.

By: JCM's Dog Training

JCM's Dog Training — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 09:52:23 +0000

First the owner needs to have several strategically placed rolls of Duct Tape in the house. When the owner sees to dog going to chew on the table leg, shoes, or anything else for that matter, it is important that he say nothing. Let the dog start to chew, committing to the mistake. Quietly pick up a roll of tape and lightly toss it at the dog’s rear end. Because you haven’t said anything, in the dog’s mind it couldn’t have come from you. It must have come from the object being chewed. Dogs learn through “cause and “and through “repetition.” He may very well start to chew again. Here comes another roll. By the second or third roll the dog has learned to avoid the object.

By: Jean

Jean — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 09:44:19 +0000

I find that a mixture of Bitter Apple and Vaseline ½ and ½ works the best. That way when the dog goes to chew on a table leg, door frame, window sill, and so forth, it tastes bad. The objects themselves become the deterrent. Since the Vaseline holds the bad taste in it doesn’t have to be re-applied. The dog can repeatedly go back and try to chew with the same results. Therefore the item has taught the dog not to chew.

By: Lindsay Stordahl

Lindsay Stordahl — Sat, 07 Mar 2009 16:33:26 +0000

I’ve gotten it in my mouth. It is not a good taste at all. I don’t recommend putting the spray on furniture, because it will eventually make it onto people’s hands and into people’s mouths.

By: xereneles

xereneles — Sat, 07 Mar 2009 02:13:36 +0000

I had a roommate that had a Great Dane mix that used bitter apple to keep the dog from trying to chew our couch – it did absolutely nothing for the dog but drove me out of the house. I wasn’t around when she sprayed it, but it still made my nose and eyes water and left a nasty taste in my mouth.

Since getting a dog of my own, I haven’t once thought of using a spray to curb him from chewing/licking. I smear peanut butter on a toy and redirect his attention to that instead.

By: Biggie-Z

Biggie-Z — Mon, 25 Aug 2008 18:00:20 +0000

Bitter Apple worked incredibly well on my old dog, an American Eskimo. Not so much with Biggie – he seemed to treat it like salad dressing when we sprayed it on our living room plant to deter him from grabbing leaves and running around the apartment with them. We even tried hot and spicy sauces and they didn’t make a difference, so we had to deal with the underlying behavior instead. Luckily Biggie’s not much of a chewer.

Ben-Gay or anything else minty also worked to deter Boo from sniffing around the garbage.

By: Raj Krishnaswamy

Raj Krishnaswamy — Mon, 25 Aug 2008 14:21:11 +0000

Yes. This stuff works like a charm on dogs as well as cats. Plus no chemicals involved. Raj Krishnaswamys last blog post..Thermal Spray Gun Maintenance

By: Saint Lover

Saint Lover — Sun, 24 Aug 2008 03:10:56 +0000

I was very fortuneate that my two puppies (Apollo and Zeus) weren’t big chewers. Shoes were about the only thing that fell victim to Zeus and well.. clothes are Apollo’s achillies heel.

I did have a bottle of bitter apple way back when… but never needed to use it. I dont plan on getting puppies for some time, but when I do I will pick some of that stuff up.

Saint Lovers last blog post..Wag Fest

By: K9 Amiga

K9 Amiga — Sat, 23 Aug 2008 23:46:54 +0000

i think you put it well, its a good short term solution but shouldn't be the only approach to change a dogs habits K9 Amigas last blog post..Argentine Dog Saves Abandoned Baby

By: Marie

Marie — Fri, 22 Aug 2008 22:45:12 +0000

I haven’t tried the bitter apple spray, but I’m glad to hear that it’s giving Ace’s feet a rest until you find a more permanent solution.