Dog eating the skirting boards

[daffidazey]

Our 9 month old GSD x Collie has suddenly decided the last 3 nights in a row to eat the skirting boards and door frames! He's never shown any interest in them before other than a little gnaw when he was losing his baby teeth. He is well excercised and played with, he has plenty of toys with him over night. Has anyone got any ideas as to why he has suddenly started doing this? Thanks. daffi x

[mattie]

Two things are going on here.
Firstly, a puppy's teeth aren't fully developed at that age, they redevelop the need to chew to bed them in properly.

Secondly, if a puppy has all its toys available all the time, it gets bored with them, and will chew something else.

Let it have one toy at a time, and keep the rest out of reach, and use them in rotation.

[LoftyLottie]

Agree with mattie. Bring in new chewy toys and rotate the old ones.

[showcatbenga]

You could try painting the skirting & frames with something that tastes bad - washing up liquid usually works or tabasco sauce. Then distract him with 'kongs' of different sizes stuffed with tasty treats. They're the safe replacement for bones. Finally buy or rent a large dog crate & use it overnight. You have to train him to it not just shove him in every night! If this sounds harsh just think of the vet bill for removing splinters of wood from his mouth, tongue, throat & intestines......

[daffidazey]

Hi all! We do rotate his toys so he has different ones. He has a large chewy ball that we stuff with treats and he has a rawhide chewy bone or shoe to munch on too. Obviously the skirting boards taste better! Lol! Will try putting something on them to discourage him until his teeth are feeling better. Thanks for your help x

[woofgang]

is something happening at night that wakes and stresses him? It sounds like there is a new trigger that has started this behaviour.

[daffidazey]

Hi woofgang. Not that I can think of, but will bear that in mind. Thanks x