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

[Karen]

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

[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.

[lvpets2002]

How about some chew bones or some raw hides for the baby.. A new couple moved in across the street from me about 6 months ago.. They have just got the most adorable new bloodhound puppy.. Well two days ago I saw he was chewing & distroying their young peach tree.. Of course the puppy looked at me like please dont tell on me..

[Taz_Zoee]

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.

That's something I'll have to discuss with Bruce. We shall see.

How about some chew bones or some raw hides for the baby.. A new couple moved in across the street from me about 6 months ago.. They have just got the most adorable new bloodhound puppy.. Well two days ago I saw he was chewing & distroying their young peach tree.. Of course the puppy looked at me like please dont tell on me..

I bought a small cuz for him today. And Bruce got rawhide bones (which I am not a fan of) for them for Xmas. But we haven't given them any. And I usually don't let Zoee outside with treasures like that. Also, that's something I would require to be highly supervised. I'm paranoid of them choking on the rawhide.
I also have the green knuckle bones that Zoee chewed on as a puppy. He's not very interested in them, but I should just throw one outside for him. I just need to find the second one first.

Thanks guys!!

[Giselle]

Frozen Kong? Sort of Dog Chewing 101 and you may have already tried it, but it doesn't hurt to have a couple lying around in the yard. Plus, it's completely safe to leave them with unsupervised, provided you don't stick something like a cooked chicken bone in it

I was also thinking about just using chicken fencing to blockade the wood. If nothing else, you could lay it over the parts that he likes to chew. That would make it more difficult (but not impossible) for him to chew the wood itself. What I'm thinking is: if you give him the option of a frozen Kong vs. wood with chicken wire over it, I'd be willing to bet that he'd choose the Kong over the wood. But who knows! Puppies are a different kind!

[boomersooner]

Wow, I bet Daddy isn't happy at all......Boomer and Cassie both like wood. Cassie used to chew the shrubs my husband tried to plant but as she got older, she left them alone...Their wood chewing is mostly pencils my kids leave out....I'm a city girl, and I don't know hardly anything about horses, but a friend of mine who has a small barn and a horse was horsesitting once, and the guest horse either chewed or rubbed or something on the wood of the stall. Her husband was not happy, either....Is there some sort of horse product out there that would prevent a horse from doing this? If there is, maybe it would work on a dog.....

[shepgirl]

Do you have access to a tree or trees that you could chop off big branches for the dog to chew? I know we did that with one of ours and it kept him happy forever.

[Taz_Zoee]

Frozen Kong? Sort of Dog Chewing 101 and you may have already tried it, but it doesn't hurt to have a couple lying around in the yard. Plus, it's completely safe to leave them with unsupervised, provided you don't stick something like a cooked chicken bone in it

I was also thinking about just using chicken fencing to blockade the wood. If nothing else, you could lay it over the parts that he likes to chew. That would make it more difficult (but not impossible) for him to chew the wood itself. What I'm thinking is: if you give him the option of a frozen Kong vs. wood with chicken wire over it, I'd be willing to bet that he'd choose the Kong over the wood. But who knows! Puppies are a different kind!

A Kong!! Darn, why didn't I think of that?! I even bought a second one so they would each have one. In fact, the new one is still in the bag. Duh!!! Today I put the cuz and one of the knuckle bone things out there and he was playing with those. I noticed that they like to play together, so I am going to get this ring I saw today and they can play tug with it.
The idea about wire over the areas is a good idea too.

Wow, I bet Daddy isn't happy at all......Boomer and Cassie both like wood. Cassie used to chew the shrubs my husband tried to plant but as she got older, she left them alone...Their wood chewing is mostly pencils my kids leave out....I'm a city girl, and I don't know hardly anything about horses, but a friend of mine who has a small barn and a horse was horsesitting once, and the guest horse either chewed or rubbed or something on the wood of the stall. Her husband was not happy, either....Is there some sort of horse product out there that would prevent a horse from doing this? If there is, maybe it would work on a dog.....

Hmmm, that would be something to look into as well. I'll have to ask my sister or niece. They are the horse experts in my family. LOL Thank you!

Do you have access to a tree or trees that you could chop off big branches for the dog to chew? I know we did that with one of ours and it kept him happy forever.

There are plenty of trees and bushes for him to get. In fact, before Bruce mows the lawn he must remove all kinds of twigs and things so he doesn't run over them.
I sorta thought chewing on wood would not be a good thing for their health though. I don't know that I'd want to encourage it. But for now I only want to discourage him eating the deck. I honestly don't care about the twigs and branches he finds.

So my solution for now is plenty of toys. I'm going to go get the Kongs set up to freeze so Bruce can throw them out with them tomorrow (providing it doesn't rain).

Thank you everyone for all the suggestions!!