Taggart is chewing wood!

[Taz_Zoee]

He is eating the deck and Bruce is not happy. Bruce designed and built this deck.
When we catch him doing it we make him stop, but we are not outside with them ALL the time.
I just did the poop scooping (which hadn't been done in a LONG time ) and even his poop looked like wood. He is chewing on the step, one of the posts of the fence and another step to the hot tub.

Any suggestions on how to stop this? Bruce put the Phooey (like bitter apple) on it but with the rain it doesn't last. Plus I think the taste doesn't bother Taggart. I had put it on Zoee's collar tag thingy and he still pulled it off. Is there anything that can be put on the wood?
I have attached some pictures of the damage.

Thanks.

[Giselle]

Puppies like wood Just provide him with alternatives, i.e. Kongs, Bully sticks, marrow bones, RMBs, dehydrated tracheas (yep, they're out there), compressed rawhide, etc. With all those goodies, he's not going to want to chew wood.

As always, supervise when chewing. If you can't supervise, don't give him the opportunity to chew anything (example - crate/babygate him).

[Taz_Zoee]

Yeah, while he's inside supervision is easier. But during the day while Bruce is working or not home they sometimes stay outside. That's when he chews. I guess I'll just have to get MORE outside toys. I actually don't have too many. It's just that outside toys tend to ruin quicker in the elements. I'll just find inexpensive ones. I need to take Zoee on a trip to Petsmart for training anyway.

We were so spoiled with Zoee. She was never a destructive chewer and we got her younger than Taggart.

[wolf_Q]

Keva is 2 and she still loves chewing wood. Luckily she has left the deck alone, my dad would be really angry about that especially since we just re-did it. But the trees, forget it. She and Skya eat them together. I think she would choose chewing a stick over a rawhide sometimes. We have a ton of toys outside too. Luckily the tree they have chosen to "eat" is already dead. Really I think you just won't be able to leave him unsupervised outside, even if he has stuff inside to chew the temptation is there. Well that is if he's like Keva (hope he's not and he outgrows it or realizes that wood isn't as fun to chew as rawhide, etc.). She's also chewed up the fence trying to get to the boxer that lives behinds us (they want to play). Nebo has occasionally chewed on a tree branch but that's about it....he is not even close to as destructive as Keva has been, he doesn't even dig holes.

[Giselle]

When he's outside, can you keep him in an ex-pen? That way, he can't reinforce this bad behavior. Remember, wood-chewing is self-reinforcing. Everytime he gets the chance to chew on wood, he rewards himself and he'll do it even more.

So you really have to nip it in the bud: 1) Prevent him from chewing wood at all 2) Provide him with alternatives. You can get creative and stuff with #2 (i.e. I know folks who hang stuffed Kongs from tree branches - talk about FUN!). Just make sure that #1 is met ALL the time, and the behavior will soon disappear

[Cinder & Smoke]

Provide him with alternatives.

Alternative: Give him a big bowl of Cedar Shavings. (Breath otta smell good, too.)

Or, maybe he's Part Beaver?

[Karen]

You might try just cover the edge of the wood with metal or something else he won't want to chew.