What the world needs now

[Rick Potter]

I know the world need a lot of things, but right now I wish someone would invent a Kevlar dog bed. My dog has destroyed at least three new beds, half a dozen sofa cushions a friend gave us, pieces of carpeting, and heavy duty floor mats. I let her sleep in the shop on a cold night, and she ate the floor mat I stand on. The only thing I have found that she won't chew is a thick floor mat that has heavy grit imbedded in it, but that does not make a comfy bed. The yard is littered with chew toys, which she uses regularly.

She is an outside dog, 18 months old, and is just now starting to trust me. Don't know what her previous owners did, but if I raise my hand too fast, she takes off. Until a couple months ago, she stood back until I walked away before eating her food. Now she comes right up and sits till I tell her to eat, so she is making progress.

Anyway, if anyone has a bulletproof doggie bed, let me know.

Rick Potter

[Greg Peterson]

Try applying apple bitter to his bedding. Hopefully the taste will be a deterrent. Does the dog get enough exercise? If he does get walks you might try making the walks longer. Another option would be to kennel the dog. It may seem cruel, especially if you listen to their initial protests, but they quickly come to like it. It's just a canine bedroom where they feel safe and secure.

What kind of dog do you have?

[Rick Potter]

She's a Yellow Lab/Golden Retriever mix, rescue dog. She is the replacement for my 16 year old black lab, who is fading fast. My daughter has a Cocker Spaniel and the two of them tussle for hours, and have worn paths in my big back yard. I don't think exercise is a problem. She would love to sleep in the shop or garage, but she chews any pad up, besides she is supposed to be a watch dog. I let her in the shop with me, but not alone.

Where would I find apple bitter. Never heard of it.

[Jeff Erbele]

What the world needs now. Ah man; I thought you found a solution for world peace, disease and hunger.
When all you need is chew toys and puppy/teen training.

[Justin Ludwig]

Apple bitter can be found in almost any Wal-Mart, some Walgreen's, any pet store. Sounds like you need to buy a gallon of it and put it in a sprayer and coat everything!

My Spanador (spaniel/lab mix) is 11months and she only chews her toys and my wife's occasional dress sock. Apple Bitter work against my Jack Russell when she was a puppy. My dining room chairs have pre-Apple Bitter scars.

[glenn bradley]

My friend runs his lab to near exhaustion every day as part of his exercise routine. I have never seen such a well behaved animal. Dogs of that breed need lots of exercise and lots of attention. Fortunately, my friend's lab will chase a ball till he pukes. People at the park find his persistence so fascinating that there is almost always a willing passerby who wants to throw a few dozen. Or . . . http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature...Oy1DbvYw#t=129

[Gerold Griffin]

May I suggest a dog house? If you can locate a bale of hay fluff some up and put it inside the dog house with some cedar chips mixed in. It may take some meat scraps or treats to get her in the first few times but the dog will eventually make a nice depression inside to sleep in. Seen a lot of dogs sleep in the barn like this in Wisconsin winters as a kid growing up. You may have to rake up some hay from time to time but it is easier than running all over the yard picking up whatever. BTW the cedar chips help keep the bugs and flea's down.

[curtis rosche]

My dog used to chew up all the beds we gave him in his cage. We waited like 4-6 months to get him a new one. But this time we bought heavy canvas drop cloth and made a multi layer pillow case out of it to put over te dog bed figuring it's a good but stronger than the dog bed material but still soft enough. He has tore it once. And drop cloth is cheap. And then it can be washed