Bad Chewing Habit

[nellbell]

So Nelly has had a tough year and recently had an intestinal blockage that required surgery, resection. She recovered nicely, and I'm working hard to train her and our family to avoid future events. She is still chewing like crazy and has had two more recent episodes. She chewed her crate pad and I think ingested a business card sized section; no more crate pads, it's been removed and not replaced. She chewed the corner of a couch scattering fluff; cushions had already been removed as the cushion piping may have been the problem in the blockage.

We've started sending her to day care two mornings a week. We're crating her more than we used to for safety reasons, but the pad was the first culprit, and the couch was when I was in the next room. Can't watch her 24/7 and we need a place to sit. We also have a plan to bring in her trainer to see if she has behavioral modification advice.

I don't think this is necessarily a hunger response to epilepsy meds. I think it's a boredom thing.

I almost bought a "boredom buster" star mark brand with flavored discs this am, but was afraid she'd shed the disc and end up with another blockage or puncture. Can anyone with power chewers share their experience with these? She has every power chewer Kong toy and I'm afraid to give her anything else. She has one elk antler.

Thanks in advance for any advice you can offer.

 

[dolphin]

I agree on anything that's labeled flavored and avoid them, maybe give her another antler or two and see how those work out?

 

[Davidh]

Get some nylabones too, but not the eatable ones. We get the white ones as they are harder. Keep her crated when you can't watch her and for her crate, we use Primo Crate pads. They are vinyl crate pads that fit in your crate in place of the crate pan. You can also get them with tie downs so she can not get it up to chew on. We have a bully who will chew her bedding, and she has never chewed on of these pads.

 

[schimpfy]

Himalayan dog chews a great treat lasts at least 6 - 9 hrs with Chance days and months for ordinary dogs and a marrow bone works wonders

 

[Cali Doll]

Nylabone Durachews (big ones, without rubber) are pretty indestructible.

 

[WifeofPA]

I have a HEAVY chewer who destroyed kongs in a matter of hours. I have had really good results with the starmark brand XL chews. I have 4 different ones I swap out so she stays interested. I don't always use the discs but instead use canned cheese or peanut butter in the ridges for her. I also order buffalo femur bones which she loves!!!! GL !!!!

 

[2BullyMama]

Nylabones, antlers, marrow bones from butcher are great options .... we also have a moose antler paddle which Lambeau LOVES... that is what we place in his crate with him

 

[Zedsded]

Dudley has his moments when he suddenly decides he would like to chew on something that he hasn't bothered with ever before! last week he started chewing the electrical plug for wall heater, he managed to pull it out of the wall (which is quite hard with a 3 pin UK plug ) and then he practically destroyed it, this has led to the heater being permanently off until i can box the plug in.
At the moment his favourite chew toy is a large Buffalo horn, he loves it.