Dog chewing sticks

[Swoopinggulls]

My lurcher, adopted a couple of months ago, is mostly walked on lead, but I give her a sprint off lead in a small safe private park nearby.

Unfortunately it's full of trees and shrubs, and she's discovered the joys of chewing sticks. Treats, which normally help in her training as she's extremely greedy, don't interest her when she has a stick to chew. If I throw the ball for her the movement makes her run after it but often with the stick in her mouth, then she chews it until I can reach her when she runs away again.

I'm very worried about the danger of sticks but am reluctant to stop the off lead run as it's great for getting rid of some of her energy. Would a muzzle be a sensible idea just for this?

[Nesssie]

I think supervised chewing of sticks is fine, the problems are throwing sticks, as that is when they pierce mouths/get stuck down throats.

Is she actually swallowing it?

My dogs love to shred a branch.

[missbattenburg]

What if you upped the value of treats (e.g. to roast chicken, if that's not what you're using) with a view to swapping a stick for a bit of chicken?

[Swoopinggulls]

I think she does swallow some, though I try not to give her the chance.

I've been cooking chicken to take to her behaviour class tomorrow andI'll try that with her in the park too.

The class is an ordeal but we've just started - she doesn't like other dogs too close. But at least she doesn't lunge at the sight of them like she did when I first got her, so progress is being made, or so I keep reminding myself!

[BiteyShark]

Is it the wood that is the enjoyable thing or the 'stick'?

I know kong do a safestix but that would only work if it was the object shape she liked rather than the wood taste

[Swoopinggulls]

I suspect it's the wood taste. She eats anything and everything or would if she got the chance. When she's on the lead it's easier to remove her with a treat.
Thanks, I'll try all these ideas. I'm just getting to know what works with her.

[bigpawsnopaws]

I bought a coffee wood piece of wood (£10!!) as it's meant to be safe for dogs and doesn't splinter. Pup has no interest in it atall, would rather have an old stick from the garden
He just likes to shred the wood, I don't think he actually eats it. makes hell of a mess tho!

[Sunburntnoseandears]

I read that sight hounds recognise and prefer other sight hounds! My Lurchers
are usually nervous, met a greyhound last night and were very calm and approached her!
Maybe some truth?!

[Swoopinggulls]

I'd never heard of coffee wood. Worth a go but I suspect she'd prefer the sticks she finds!

My previous lurchers seemed to recognise fellow sighthounds, but my new girl lunged at a greyhound which was several metres away so it doesn't seem to work for her.

She's lovely, but a work in progress.

[Swoopinggulls]

We shall see! I’ll certainly try it.

[bigpawsnopaws]

sorry had the photo removed as it showed my address, but Amazon or Zooplus sell coffee wood sticks

[Swoopinggulls]

Thought I'd let you know that I'm having some success with a combination of a Kong Safestix to throw, and chicken to distract her from sticks.

I met up with an old friend the other day who was horrified recently to find that her dog has several cracked teeth. This was discovered when one tooth broke and had to be extracted.
The specialist dental vet advised strongly against anything hard like wood or antlers and nylabones and recommended the Safestix.