oscarsmom Posted July 15, 2012 Share Posted July 15, 2012 (edited) For some reason my girl Darla is eating the drywall in the house. This is a BRAND NEW house I don't know what to do. She is doing it when we are asleep or not home. We can't crate her because she freaks out and at her foster home she broke 2 teeth trying to get out of a crate. My husband is FURIOUS. I heard that it is possibly a vitamin deficiency? We have had her for about a year and a half and just moved to this house 2 months ago. Edited July 15, 2012 by oscarsmom Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheFullHouse Posted July 15, 2012 Share Posted July 15, 2012 Some dog like to chew and dry wall is one of the favorites. My Andy used to chew it also. He actually would lick it until it was soft and then bite holes in it. Muzzle her when you go out or go to bed at night. If she still manages to chew at it, put a stool guard in her muzzle. She won't be able to get to it that way. Personally I think it's a boredom so they just chew on what's handy. Leave lots of chew toys around and every time you catch her, redirect her to a toy. Quote Judy, mom to Darth Vader, Bandita, And Angel Forever in our hearts, DeeYoGee, Dani, Emmy, Andy, Heart, Saint, Valentino, Arrow, Gee, Bebe, Jilly Bean, Bullitt, Pistol, Junior, Sammie, Joey, Gizmo, Do Bee Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Time4ANap Posted July 15, 2012 Share Posted July 15, 2012 Licking it or actually eating it? New drywall is wet / moist for up to a year. There is probably some smell in it that she likes. You might need to muzzle her and use a stool guard. Rocket licked one of the corners on a wall by his bed when he first got here. A little drywall mud and a little paint and it's good as new. Quote Camp Broodie. The current home of Mark Kay Mark Jack and Gracie Kiowa Safe Joan. Always missing my boy Rocket Hi Noon Rocket, Allie Phoenix Dynamite, Kate Miss Kate, Starz Under Da Starz, Petunia MW Neptunia, Diva Astar Dashindiva, and LaVida I've Got Life Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oscarsmom Posted July 15, 2012 Author Share Posted July 15, 2012 I have fixed all the spots as I find them. I haven't muzzeled her in about 8 months so I think I will be digging that muzzel out again and see if that works. She has lots and lots of toys for her and Oscar our other hound. She is actually eating it (I can see the teeth marks). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheFullHouse Posted July 15, 2012 Share Posted July 15, 2012 (edited) That's exactly what my Andy did. Another thing you can try is some Bitter Apple spray. When you see a place where she's started chewing, spray it with this stuff. It has an awful taste to it. Once she's tried it it may discourage her from chewing on any place on the walls. You may want to spray the places you've repaired because my Andy would go right back to the same spot and start chewing again! Edited July 15, 2012 by JillysFullHouse Quote Judy, mom to Darth Vader, Bandita, And Angel Forever in our hearts, DeeYoGee, Dani, Emmy, Andy, Heart, Saint, Valentino, Arrow, Gee, Bebe, Jilly Bean, Bullitt, Pistol, Junior, Sammie, Joey, Gizmo, Do Bee Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Scouts_mom Posted July 15, 2012 Share Posted July 15, 2012 My Tia did this--she seemed to love the taste of dry wall. I sprayed every wall in the house with bitter apple (or No Chew) at her level. Every couple of weeks I would repeat the spraying. Eventually she lost interest. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oscarsmom Posted July 15, 2012 Author Share Posted July 15, 2012 I never thought of using the bitter apple spray. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ShebasMom Posted July 15, 2012 Share Posted July 15, 2012 Sheba doesn't chew dry wall thank goodness (my place is 30+ years), but she sometimes chews the door frame of the inside door into the garage. That's where I leave and return, so I assume it's because I leave her from time to time. Thankfully she doesn't chew it every time, just an odd time now and then. When I remodel, I'll have the door frames replaced. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JAJ2010 Posted July 16, 2012 Share Posted July 16, 2012 *sigh* I just finished patching the walls here. Google will tell you to spray the walls with are-sol deodorant. Doesn't work and just makes you choke on fumes in your bedroom. Is she doing it by her dog bed at night? If so just go to the hardware store and get cheap paneling to stick against the walls to protect. Around here they are $8 a sheet and cut in half works great. They eat the drywall for calcium. No way Sunshine has a calcium deficiency! She's just an interesting monster... Quote ------ Jessica Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tallgreydogmom Posted July 16, 2012 Share Posted July 16, 2012 You might need a muzzle cup along with the muzzle. We had one who could eat the dry wall thru the muzzle. Quote Then God sent the Greyhound to live among man and remember. And when the Day comes, God will call the Greyhound to give Testament, and God will pass judgment on man. (Persian Proverb) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oscarsmom Posted July 16, 2012 Author Share Posted July 16, 2012 It is in odd places not where she sleeps. Behind the couch,wall next to the stairs, a random couple of spots in the hallway, they make no sense. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JAJ2010 Posted July 16, 2012 Share Posted July 16, 2012 Darn! That makes it harder! Bitter apple and muzzle? Welcome to the naughty puppy club. Quote ------ Jessica Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Krissyfissy Posted July 17, 2012 Share Posted July 17, 2012 Instead of Bitter apple, I rub a halved lemon on the spot. Our problem is more with the wood window sills, than the drywall. Seems to work though Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest HHHounds Posted July 19, 2012 Share Posted July 19, 2012 Maybe she was a contractor in a former life? Sorry.. Our first dog ate our kitchen - floor, wallpaper, cabinets - so I do feel your pain.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest GreytPlains Posted July 19, 2012 Share Posted July 19, 2012 You might also try some systematic desensitization training to get her more comfortable with you leaving. Even though you've had her for a long time, the move must have created some anxiety (and the previous behavior with the crate would lead me to think the same thing) so it sure couldn't hurt. That way, you'd be addressing the problem and not just the symptom. Perhaps she'd like some new and more interesting toys that will keep her entertained while you are away. Toys she only gets when you are away. The good 'ol Kong stuffed with whatever is a sure winner, and then some "thinking" toys, like the buster cube and hide a squirrel could help. You could also put her in an ex-pen in the middle of a room, away from drywall. Good luck! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oscarsmom Posted July 19, 2012 Author Share Posted July 19, 2012 Just found another spot yesterday next to an OUTLET!!!!! Husband does not like the idea of a muzzle while we are gone. I told him the muzzle or the walls? Will the bitter apple or lemon stuff damage the paint? Funny think is she has Oscar and our puppy Chico (who is crated when we leave) so it is not like we leave her by herself. Lately we don't even leave for long periods of time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheFullHouse Posted July 19, 2012 Share Posted July 19, 2012 The bitter apple will not damage the paint. The only thing that stopped my Andy was a muzzle with a stool guard in it. He even managed to get it with just a muzzle on! We were still finding spots we had to repair after he passed away. Quote Judy, mom to Darth Vader, Bandita, And Angel Forever in our hearts, DeeYoGee, Dani, Emmy, Andy, Heart, Saint, Valentino, Arrow, Gee, Bebe, Jilly Bean, Bullitt, Pistol, Junior, Sammie, Joey, Gizmo, Do Bee Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest kirstenbergren Posted July 19, 2012 Share Posted July 19, 2012 I honestly haven't had anything like this happen to me, but I would use the muzzle. We use the muzzle when we are not home to supervise PJ with our cat. The bitter apple spray helps me with the furniture that my cat likes to claw at, so I'd try it on the walls. I doubt it would hurt the paint, it doesn't hurt my furniture. Good luck! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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