How do you stop a dickhead teenage dog from chewing EVERYTHING!

[JoshLymanIsHotterThanSam]

Just as the title really. JoshPup is 9 months old and generally lovely but chews everything, and has taken to trying to steal human food. She is deaf so simple shouts of no are pointless. I need someone to spell out a rock solid training method with her so I can nip this in the bud.

Have you tried bitter apple spray?

You make sure she cannot get it to chew it or steal it.

It really is that 'simple'

Does she like to chew for relaxation? We find that the JR beef slices are good for our chewer (the sort of chewer that chews and eats even the toughest dog toys and whatever other items he should not have).

We’ve started the new pup on these too and are directing him to these whenever he gets bitey (he’s only 4 months so a bit younger than yours) or needs to chew to relax. We’re having some success with their goats ears as well.

They did send us an ostrich bone which looks like it might keep a chewy food loving dog happy for a while but we only have one of those and 3 dogs so I need to get some more otherwise war will break out.

Are you training with hand signal? Could you have a cue / hand signal that means off / down (assuming she’s jumping up to steal human food) and then reward with treats and then something that will occupy her?

Muzzle?

Bitter Apple Spray on household items + getting her deer antlers or yak chews. Those things are very tough and long lasting, my dogs would gnaw on them for weeks until finally destroying. Then I would get new ones!

There are lots of issues to address here.

If she's deaf and can't hear any verbal communication then you need a way to "talk" to her at all times. Some people have had success with vibrating collars or visual cues, but you could also try just having a house lead attached to her at all times so you can just grab it and move her away from the situation.

It's also really important that you puppy proof her environment so that she physically can't chew anything. That could mean that you leave her in a pen or safe area whenever she's on her own.

You also need to be providing her with lots of safe things that she can chew on. Dogs need to chew - it's a calming and soothing behaviour and if they're not given access to safe chew toys they will go and find their own!

I'd go for natural chews and frozen kongs if possible - rotate them around so she gets lots of variety and doesn't get bored.

I’ve got 4 DC who aren’t getting this message despite me making it clear to them 😑! (They’re all old enough to understand).

She has plenty in her toy box of safe chews, and is crated currently when home alone, but the little shit got upstairs the other day when we were in the kitchen and ate smallest DS pop tarts (they were in his room), we’ve solved that by putting a bolt on the gate at the top of the stairs. But DC3’s bedroom is downstairs so that’s what’s proving tricky-he’s 13 and good at leaving bowls and banana skins in his room and not shutting the door!

I know I’m going to need to teach a leave it signal (she does know some hand signs) but I was hoping for a good way to teach her leave it with all human plates and bowls, should I have them on the floor near her whilst teaching it?

yak chews. Those things are very tough and long lasting, my dogs would gnaw on them for weeks until finally destroying

Not sure what breed op's pup is but our labs can each get through a yak chew in an evening! (We don't buy them anymore, too expensive!)

JoshPup is a JRT x French Bulldog. She’s mostly JRT in nature. I’ll look into a deer antler now she’s a bit older, I was a bit wary when she was small.

But DC3’s bedroom is downstairs so that’s what’s proving tricky-he’s 13 and good at leaving bowls and banana skins in his room and not shutting the door!

A self closer on the door? They are about £20-30.

At 13 he's probably old enough to have it explained that a banana skin can really, really hurt (even kill) a dog. Especially a small one.

Plates etc - honestly, the best way is to ensure they never get anything from the plate. Eventually they give up trying. As soon as the dog gets to a plate and is able to steal something from it, they have had a powerful lesson that it is rewarding to do so. The most reliable dogs in this regard are reliable because they have never had that lesson.

I know I’m going to need to teach a leave it signal (she does know some hand signs) but I was hoping for a good way to teach her leave it with all human plates and bowls, should I have them on the floor near her whilst teaching it

Honestly, this is almost impossible for most young dogs - your best bet is to manage her environment so she can't access them in the first place. You won't always be around to catch her and if she's deaf then how are you going to make sure she sees a visual cue in time for her to leave the food?

Yep. Management. No smugness here as we've been lucky to be on top of her 24/7 but our pup has never chewed anything because we made sure she couldn't get it due to supervision, room dividers and moving anything not nailed down! Now at 11 months just we can trust her with most things *glares at the shredded cardboard in the garden from the box she found.

Positive interruptors - I know she is deaf so verbal won't work but can you teach a hand signal? One of the best things we did - just her name and treat. Repeat repeat. Then when they are into something just name, then redirect. Worked 99.9% of the time and still does.

Our pup is a Border terrier and has had antlers and horns, yak chews and other rubber things and chew treats since she was a baby and no problems at all. Both recommended by breeder and the vet. Yes they can break teeth but it's unusual and our vet pointed out in his deadpan manner she is more likely to hurt her mouth on something she shouldn't have if you don't give her an outlet.

I’ve picked up a deer antler for her today. Little shit has only gone and buried it somewhere. I shall have to look for it tomorrow, she has a few hiding spots. Don’t think she understood the idea 😂.