I'm about ready to throw in the towel!

Callie is about 19 months now. I had lots of trouble with her chewing on throw rugs when she was younger. I also penned her in the bathroom once -- thinking it would be roomier than her crate -- and she started chewing on the hall carpeting where it stuck underneath the bathroom door.

I haven't noticed her chewing on either the throw rug or carpet since she turned about a year old, so maybe yours will outgrow it too. Unfortunately she does still have a thing for shoelaces -- especially my son's -- and will lick the inside of shoes or slippers if they're left where she can get them. I'm hoping she'll eventually outgrow that too!
 
He is likely to grow out of it. He's an adolescent right now. It may be a combination of things - a learnt behaviour (I learnt the hard way to never laugh at anything that you don't want them to keep doing when they grow up). Also his teeth will still be settling into his jaw so he may have some aching in the jaw. And adolescents can be so recalcitrant.

I agree it's worthwhile confining him until he passes through this problem. Can you make a light-weight pen that you can move around so you keep an eye on him? Both mine had limited freedom while they passed through adolescence.

Honestly adolescence can be the most trying time - just do a search on the forum and you'll see so many members lamenting this stage. But the do grow out of it, and much faster than humans - fortunately.

Just to add to the suggestions of bitter apple and confining, you could carry a spray bottle of water and spray him with it when you see him heading for a chew. The idea would be to startle him to stop, say no and then lead him away and give him something else to chew on. It's not an ideal solution, but I know a people who found the spray bottle useful (just don't overdo it - don't want to make him scared of the bottle when you groom him).
 
Oh what stories you all have. I admire your perseversence with your pups.

Can't put a baby gate between the kitchen and other rooms as there are no flat angles in the doorway; it's cut on the diagonal. That would have been a perfect solution.

I had a thought last night after I wrote about my problem. I'm beginning to think that he resents the time I spend on the computer. Even though he doesn't get into any trouble while I'm on it (I can close him in with me), he still might have his nose out of joint about it. (And that's a lot of nose!) So I'm going to try to keep a dish of 'cookies' on the computer desk and see what happens. I do remember when my Polish Lowland Sheepdog was a pup and I was on the computer he would go outside and digs holes in the yard.

I've sprayed bitter something or other and it does help, but as I said, I'd have to have gallons to cover all the possible areas he might attack. I sort of thought that by the time he was nine months old he might be growing out of these bad habits.

We've been to obedience school and he's pretty consistently responsive to
commands and I'm working on other tricks to try to keep him occupied, and we play ball when I'm in the kitchen quite a bit. So I think he's got lots to keep him occupied. I also used Tabasco sauce with a Cairn I had eons ago, who decided to chew the corners of the kitchen cupboards in my brand new house. It does work.

I'm sure we'll get this figured out. I sure hope so. Can't rip the carpet out as it's all continuous throughout the house. I'd love to though.

Thanks again for all your responses. If you've looked at his face on the Hello forum you've seen what a cutie he is.
 
It's not very pretty, but there is also a really long plastic ex-pen that I use to gate off my living room. It's actually for kids, just google "Superyard XT".
 
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