Gnawing On Door Frame

[Guest kerber]

Here's an odd one. We just got a new girl grey Monday. In the adjustment period, she's found our walk in master bedroom closet as a relax zone. I can see her when I lie in my bed and she in hers. Once this morning and just this afternoon, after she's settled in and laying on her side, she stretches her neck to nibble on the door frame. I've said "no" in an assertive tone and she immediately stops. I've offered a rawhide, but she has no interest. There a slight scratch on the frame. She starts this behavior when I am not looking. Ideas.

[Busderpuddle]

Bitter spray ?

[Houndtime]

She is new and needs to learn what is acceptable and what is not. She'll get it.

[phall]

My girl, Joey, is a gnawer. We've had her almost a year now and she still occasionally does it. We've realized she tends to do this when we're out and she's alone. (We do have two other greyhounds to keep her company.) I think she gets bored and does this as an activity to keep herself occupied. She also does this if she hasn't had enough exercise to tire her out.

 

We're working with her on it when we catch her, we're increasing her exercise routine, and I also use bitter apple on the places she's been attracted to before I leave her alone. She's getting much better.

 

She's also a big toy destroyer - so far the only toy that has survived her is the Kong.

 

Your girl is very new to her home - I agree - she'll get it with a little time.

 

Pat

 

 

 

[Guest kerber]

Great advice. It's just strange as she's wore out, or so I think, and she's settling in to nap and reaches out ever so gently and daintily to GNAW...lol

[cleptogrey]

alum, which you can buy in the spice dept. at the supermarket is non-toxic and can be made into a liquid elmer's glue consistance and spread on objects she repeatively gnaws on. the stuff tastes awful and works better than bitter apple.

 

i had a foster who had a remarkable need to chew. she went from marrow bone to welsh dresser(type of furniture where her bed was located), just moved her head and kept on chewing. i ended up giving her chew objects in the crate and really had to watch her. she would turn her head and just eat the trim as well. training, refocusing her and alum should work. be diligent and consistant.

[a_daerr]

I've actually dealt with a similar problem... on a few different occasions, I've found Truman gnawing on our wood bedpost. It happened while he was lying on the bed. We sprayed Bitter Apple, and then it stopped.

[Guest Scouts_mom]

My bridge angel Tia loved to gnaw on what ever was handy while she drifted off to sleep. She actually put some holes in the wallboard! However I learned that if I was vigilant about spraying everything that was within her reach with bitter apple spray she would just gnaw on her chewys. I had to spray things about once a week.

[sobesmom]

Sounds like "comfort-seeking behavior" to me. It's like a baby sucking her thumb. She's just looking for something to soothe herself a little. She's very new - so don't get too wigged out. If she's really found a "happy spot" in the closet, that a good thing, and I'd let her have it for now - I'd just thumb-tack pillows over the woodwork so she can't chew at it. Or a piece of foam. That's really much easier that putting bad-tasting stuff in it. Better to just make the damage-causing thing not available than to scold her for it. She's not trying to cause harm, she just soothing herself.

 

Once she gets more comfortable, the "comfort chewing" will go away.