Taggart is chewing wood!

[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?

[Taz_Zoee]

Thanks for the suggestions, but unfortunately they won't work for us.
I'm sure Bruce doesn't want to put metal on his deck. And we do not have an ex-pen large enough, besides he'd probably jump over it anyway.
I did think about somehow blocking off the deck, but that would require more fencing (meaning $$) and someone to do it. I know Bruce wouldn't want to or probably even know how to do it. LOL
It's just going to have to be more supervision, PERIOD. He's going to have to check on them more often while they are out there. Honestly, I haven't caught him too many times chewing. So I think there may be hope yet. And I'm still going to get more outside toys.

Thanks again everyone. I was hoping there would be something I could put on the wood to deter him.

Oh, some Taggart stats: He is 8 months old today (approx) and he weighs 40.7 lbs.

[joycenalex]

chicken or rabbit fence as a temporary deterrant? angel alex would chew on wood and chance he got, and yes, i'd find it in his stool too.

[Karen]

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