Attn: All dog experts....Need advise or suggestions.

[rvgrammy1953]

Hey, all....Need some help with a Spinner problem.....We seem to have a issue with chewing up almost any toys he gets.....tug ropes-he chews the end strings....squeeky toys-tears them up to get the squeeky....tennis balls- takes the covering off...the only ones he hasn't destroyed are....a hard plastic ball, and a Frisbee-like toy made with a fabric that's like a tough webbing on it. He doesn't seem to know what to do with rawhide chews...just carries them around looking for somewhere to hide them....he's also chewed up 1 doggy bed....we're at a loss...to find something for him to play with.....he gets lots of attention and lots of exercise....and we enforce the pack "chain of command' with him, so he knows where his place is there..... We take him to doggy day care a couple times a month so he can socialize with other dogs and the Doodlelady's fur-babies are next door here to romp with.....So what's up here?? Any thoughts?? Ernie & I have decided that we're going back to not giving him inside toys and instilling toys are for outside play only.....guess I've answered my own question....thanks for letting me vent.... But chime in if you want....

[avalen]

hey, thats what toys are for, so buy lots of them and be glad its not the furniture
I was just thinking of taking a picture of Gracies basket of toys, including her dead
ones, but then my brain said, Wait, I can't do that, her basket of toys is in the rv! We
only brought a few favorites. I really was gonna post a pic of them.

[avalen]

here's a little video of Gracie playing with her squeaky toy
not sure which link to post for the video, so take your pic


the direct link is..
http://s158.photobucket.com/albums/t94/ ... Gracie.mp4

[bikerchic777]

Rags doesn't really play with toys, but Gizmo did and he chewed them up, too. I decided to only play with him with the toys and when he was done fetching and started chewing on the toy or ball, I put it away. He was allowed bones or a Kong with peanut butter or a treat in it to chew on. My suggestion is to try different types of bones and correct Spinner when he tries to chew on his bed. Rags didn't chew bones unless Gizmo chewed on them first. Now, since we don't have Gizmo with us I figured out that Rags will chew on rawhide twists or rolled up rawhide (hard ones so he can't eat too much of it at a time). He didn't chew on anything else, but I wanted him to chew to clean his teeth. He has a ritual in the evening. He talks to me and I tell him to go get his bone and he does. He is chewing one as I type He does "bury" them in my pillows sometimes Fun to spy on him when he's doing that

[Forestgal]

You might try the hard rubber Kong brand toys, Lori. Also, the hardest Nylabones you can buy that are shaped like a bone seem to be winners with Jed. That's just about all he can't destroy, but still give him hours of chewing enjoyment. They're pricey, but considering how much you're problably spending in replacing the ones he's destroyed you'll save in the end.

Good luck!

Laura

[dpf]

Lori, How old is Spinner? Radar was terrible about chewing things for the first three years. She gave a whole new meaning to the word Boston Terrorist. I will have you know that I hold the local school record for buying the most pads that go in football girdles! She loved to chew up those dirty sweaty things. Chewed up two pair of glasses... destroyed two of her beds...a Christmas tree skirt...numerous books and other things. She wouldn't acknowledge the toys and chew bones that we bought her and would usually just hide them somewhere and didn't touch them unless our older dog (at the time) or my sister's dog found them and wanted to play with them. Then one day she just went cold turkey and quit chewing. She'll be 10 in February and doesn't destroy things anymore..now her only fetish in dirty underwear...tips over the hamper and hides them under the bed. I think it was last year about this time while I was at work that she tipped over a 5 gallon pail of potatoes that we had in the mud room in the basement and stuffed them between all the chair and couch cushions in the family room and living room. Wish I had a video of her doing that because I wonder if she did it in a hurry or if she figured that she had about 8 hours before anyone came home and she took her sweet time doing it. If I remember correctly Spinner is a Jack Russell. Our vet told us that while they are lovable most terrier breeds have a bit of an ornery streak.

[BarbaraRose]

I am assuming that this is new behavior? I don't know much about dogs but maybe only let her have toys like the Kong that she is allowed to chew on and can't destroy. As for her bed, try spraying Bitter Apple on it to see if that helps. If it is new behavior, maybe she is stressed about something and taking it out on her toys, bed, etc. (maybe she has anger issues? )
Good luck!

Ava, that video is hilarious!

[VickieP]

Yep, Weatherby is a Jack Russell too. When he was little he would chew and destroy toys, beds, etc. even would chew on Ronnie's toes! He couldn't feel it and I would walk in the room and find little holes and blood spots on his socks! I found that if I took out the poofy stuffing in his bed pillows and put cedar shavings in there, he wouldn't tear it up. Now he's about 10 yrs old and on happy pills, so he's not so destructive.

[rvgrammy1953]

Yep, He's a Jack Russell and is 3 yrs old...We're hoping this is his "last puppy Hurrah" But in the mean time, all toys are up and away only to be brought out for outside play....the new bed is made of a tougher fabric so no chewing issues there....we'll see if this all works...thanks for all the suggestions and stories about your "best friend"....will keep you posted.....

[retiredhappy]

None of my dogs play with any kind of toys - guess as puppies they were never given any so they don't have any idea what to do with them. I used to give Sassy those white rawhide bones but she "ate" them and they gave her really runny poop and the vet said to stop. If you give Buddy anything he just buries it. They did play fetch with me but not so much anymore. As for Sophie, I don't think she's ever even seen a toy. Her idea of fun is to play "kissy face" with a human and get her belly rubbed by anyone she can con into doing it. I'm at the computer and all three of the dogs are on "my" bed right now.

[Bethers]

I couldn't keep toys around when I had Tips and Moxie. Moxie would have liked them, but Tips tore every tow to shreds - except the tug of war toy - which I only allowed out when they both played with it together - then put away. Peaches plays with her toys - knows the difference between chew toys and play toys. Some dogs think all toys are "chew" toys - the danger is if they are chewing and eating toys that aren't meant to be edible. So those are the ones to not have around without supervision.

Yes, get the hard nylabones, and toys that are meant for chewing - and DO have those inside. You don't want chewing to start happening on things inside that you don't want chewed! Peaches doesn't care for rawhides, either - but I keep some around, and every now and then she'll chew them. When we visited Kathleen, both our dogs were chewing them when they don't normally - guess they didn't want to think they'd lose it to the other dog

Nothing unusual here, Lori -

[OutandAbout]

Lori, other than the nylabones and Kong don't know what else to tell ya. Mine out grew their chewing on everything eventually.

Ava, that video is so funny. Is that Pixie singing to Gracie's squeeking? Linda

[Echo]

Yep, yep, yep!!! Nylabones, Kong toys and anything that is extremely hard rubber. My friend in TN has a Jack Russel mix who chews and destroys any toy he can get a hold of. But when he didn't have toys to chew up he would chew shoes, sneakers, boots etc. While at PetsMart I bought him a hard rubber bone made for "Strong Chewers". It's now the only toy he hasn't destroyed and it's also his favorite. Bought that dang thing for Buster when we first moved back down to TN in Oct '07'.

[rvgrammy1953]

Thanks, everyone.....have narrowed it down to his "super" frisbee with squeeky to play with outside....no tennis balls for him...he just chews them up....do you know the insurance commercial with the dog looking for a place to put a bone for safe keeping....that's what Spinner looks like with toys lately....got to hide it somewhere... poor guy....I think it's just a phase, but we'll see...and ya' know, it's funny....Ernie's seems as concerned as me..... and he's the one who didn't want to get a pet... Okay, I've obsessed on this long enough...will just go with the flow....Spinner is fine...his Mommy is nuts... s

on edit: Spinner's Mommy is under the influence of "Sharazz' red wine.... so take it as you will right now...

[Mollysmom]

Molly is a Jack Russell/Fox Terrier mix and she has destroyed just about all her toys & I let her. I just don't buy new ones very often. I get her a super cheap-o stuffed toy once in awhile and she goes at like a rabid squirrel !! She tears out all the stuffing and gets the squeaky out - after it's "dead" she'll play with the material. Almost all her toys look like old rags, but she loves them !! I got her one of those "Skinnies" - toy without any stuffing in them and it's survived quite a long time, in fact it's still recognizable as a fox ! Molly did pull the squeakers out, but that was all the tearing she did on that one. She has one toy the "Bad Cuz" that's been around for a couple of years - it a squeaky ball and I guess she either doesn't want to chew it up or can't chew it up. She ate his feet off, but that was the only damage. Kong squeaker tennis balls survive too - Molly can tear up a regular tennis ball in about 5 mins, a squeaker Kong tennis ball will last several weeks. (don't tell, but that's what I got her for Christmas)
Molly doesn't chew on anything in the house (other then her things) and she stays in a kennel when I'm gone.
Good luck - terriers are a strange bunch but I love their spirit !
Oh - her most favorite thing to play with now is an empty box, especially a box a 12 pack of pop comes in - she grabs it and runs around and I chase her - it's her new fav game (we're a strange bunch - HA)