# How to stop cardboard chewing?



## reveriereptile (Aug 18, 2010)

My english bulldog puppy keeps chewing on cardboard even when there are plenty of toys around. Last night I asked my husband to watch her while I took a quick shower. I tied her leash to something just to make sure she wouldn't get into anything. I come back and she somehow managed to get hold of the corner of a shoe box that had new shoes in it and had the box, papers, those little packets they put in the boxes, and my shoes chewed on. I complained to my husband cause I told him to make sure he looks over at her. He didn't look back at all and had headphones on so he didn't even hear her. She has chewed on cardboard other times and I'm afraid she will end up chewing up the books or files inside the boxes that are worth a lot of money and business related. I have even tried some of that bitter spray and my husband even tested the stuff first. He couldn't help himself when reading that it is suppose to be the most bitter stuff on earth. He spent 20 minutes trying to rid his mouth of the taste so we thought for sure it would work. Unfortuantely she loves the stuff. I keep a close eye on her unlike my husband but once in a while I have to take a business related call or do a quick bathroom trip and she will chew on the cardboard then. Also when there little cousins coming over the spend the night it is hard to get to her in time when she starts chewing with all the people in the house. We have file boxes sitting around everywhere and other boxes so we don't have any place to put them out of reach. We also live with my husband's parents so it isn't like we have a whole house to put our stuff. I've gotten her out of chewing on most stuff by using the spray bottle or can of coins but those don't bother her anymore. She tries to bite the water or tries to get up to the bottle to drink the water coming out. She ignores the coins when it use be better than the water. I'm tempted on bringing my snare drum around when she starts to chew since she doesn't like the sound of it but that is just to big to lug around or she might chew on it.


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## ioreks_mom (Oct 1, 2008)

easiest way is to keep all things away from her that you don't want her to chew. 

if you can't watch her directly put her in a crate or a safe room. obviously your husband is not watching her close enough. i don't think that scaring her is the best option. she is a puppy. puppies chew. when you catch her chewing on something redirect her to something she is allowed to chew on, don't scare her.


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## reveriereptile (Aug 18, 2010)

I have some of her squeek toys I try to use to get her attention but she looks over and turns back to the cardboard. She doesn't even play with her Kong toy to much anymore. That helped a lot to keep her busy. Maybe some new types of treats would help. I'd love to get her some type of edible dog bone that is safe but I only find those raw hides, real bones, or hooves. Like today has been raining all day so she has been in our faces whenever we try to sit down even if we are giving her attention. She loves being outside more than inside.


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## kacaju (Jan 2, 2008)

My collies love cardboard. I give them paper towel rolls and they think it is the greatest toy ever!!


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## hanksimon (Mar 18, 2009)

Ditto with i_mom - remove the cardboard and other potential items. At this age, puppy-proofing is the most effective way. When they reach 6 mos - a year, they shouldn't chew on Everything anymore. There's no easy way to discourage the habit, because it is very self-rewarding. Bitter Apple may not help, because the taste buds for Bitter are in the back of a dog's thorat and they have to swallow (after chewing and eating) in order to taste the Bitter. Their sense of taste may not be as strong as ours, in contrast to their sense of smell, etc., and the Bitter may not be a strong deterrant. 

I also gave my puppy paper towel rolls to play with. 9 years later, he still loves them, but he can't always figure out why. If I throw one at him, he'll stop what he's doing to catch it. Then, he realize what he did and go back to the original activity.


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