A dog might be man’s best friend, but when your pup is destroying your furniture, gnawing on the remote control or shredding your skirting boards, you can easily feel differently!
A great way to stop him from chewing could be to get yourself an anti-chew spray, so here in this article we’re going to round up the best dog anti chew spray options on the market, so you can get back to enjoying life with your pet.
If Your Pup is Chewing
We feel your pain!
Life with a new puppy in the house is a joyous time for all the family, but there are several milestones your little puppy friend will reach that can be hard work for his owners.
You might have finally managed to toilet train your puppy, and you think all is well, and then the dreaded chewing phase begins! Your slippers are in pieces, your table legs are full of tooth marks, and your expensive sunglasses have been destroyed.
But there are things that can really help, such as training spray products, taste deterrent products, and other training tips that will definitely help.
Let’s Take a Look at the Best Dog Anti Chew Products
We’ve compiled some of the best anti dog anti chew spray and products we think will help you combat your little furry pal’s chewing addiction, so sit back and pick the one you think will work best for you!
1. Fur Goodness Sake Dog & Cat Anti-Chew Bitter Spray
This anti chew bitter spray is perfect for the whole menagerie, because it works as a deterrent spray for not just dogs but cats and rabbits, too!
It contains tea tree oil but also has a bitter apple flavor that your pet will want to stay away from.
It’s a spray that’s safe to use no only on your pet himself, but on shoes, carpets, electrical wires and even plants.
It does contain propylene glycol and phenoxyethanol, so always check the label for whether your dog or anyone else in the house may be allergic to these ingredients.
Pros:
- Contains natural ingredients, including water and tea tree oil in diluted form, which will not only deter your pet from chewing items but will also help to heal the affected sore part of the animal it won’t otherwise stop licking.
- This formula won’t just work as a chew deterrent for your dog but also for any cats and rabbits in the house, and is especially effective on wires and electrical items that your pets may enjoy chewing.
- Won’t cause carpets to discolor or cause any harm to plants you might need to spray.
Cons:
- It does have a very strong smell, which of course will do its job as an anti chew spray, but you may find that you don’t like the smell yourself.
- The smell, while strong, wears off quite quickly so you may need to reapply the chew spray daily.
- Not alcohol free
2. NaturVet Bitter YUCK! No Chew Dog
Another great all-rounder as a no chew spray which does more than just stop your dog from chewing. To begin with, it’s popular with owners of all kinds of pets, including dogs, cats and even horses.
It’s alcohol free, so good for applying to an injured animal to stop them from licking the affected area. It appears to have an utterly disgusting taste, which of course is the whole point!
Pros:
- Non-sticky and non-staining gives you complete peace of mind to use this product all over the house and even outside, too.
- A product that’s made in the USA with non toxic, natural ingredients that will cause no harm to humans or pets (of course, you should keep all such products away from children).
- Works particularly well with horses who are known to suffer from irritable hooves and can also be sprayed on horses to stop other horses from nipping at them.
- Puppies respond very well to this product.
- The alcohol-free formula means application on the skin will be gentle.
Cons:
- Getting any on your hands isn’t recommended – this stuff really does smell disgusting, and can stay in the air for a while after application so be careful not to breathe it in.
- Wears off quite quickly so re-application of the bitter spray will be needed often.
- Better for deterring younger animals than older.
- Works on some items better than others, i.e. good for table legs but may not always deter dogs from shoes once it has dried.
3. Vet’s Best Bitter Cherry Spray for Dogs
Not all animals will respond to a bitter lemon or bitter apple taste, so many say that a bitter cherry flavor in an anti chew spray works better. This Vet’s Best Bitter Cherry Spray is made with an alcohol free formula that not only works as an anti chew spray for dogs but is more pleasant for humans.
Even when the non toxic scent of the anti chew spray wears off in the room, the bitter taste remains, so it’s still effective even when humans can’t smell it.
The description makes it clear that this is a spray for dogs, and there’s no mention of any other kind of pet, so be sure to only use this for a dog, or check with a veterinarian as to whether it’s safe to use around another breed of pet.
Pros:
- Packed full of natural ingredients including grapeseed extract and lemon extract, this alcohol free formula is gentle on the skin and won’t stain the furniture.
- Smells especially pleasant to humans who like the smell of cherry!
- Great for a pet who tends to enjoy the taste of a bitter apple spray but hates the taste of bitter cherry.
- Soothes itchy areas so dogs not only stop chewing or licking but itching, too.
Cons:
- Some animals do like the flavor of cherry, so your pet may see it as a nice flavor and won’t be deterred (even if this is the best no chew spray for the rest of the family’s nostrils!)
- Requires several applications to truly deter a pet, so this uses up rather a lot of the product.
- The strong scent fills the room for a while so this might not be for you if you hate the smell of cherry.
4. Bodhi Dog Bitter Lemon Dog
Bodhi Dog are a great family-based business who really do love pets and so create sprays that will work best for your pooch while getting the desired effect for their owners’ peace of mind, too.
This bitter lemon anti chew spray bottle contains only 4 ingredients, two of which are water and lemon extract, and won’t damage the products it’s sprayed onto.
Pros:
- An all-natural spray that can be used on anything from wood to rubber to garden plants, and everything in between, so it’s sure to be safe to use on any one of the items your pet loves to chew, as a spray deterrent.
- The natural lemon extract and natural bitter flavors make a non toxic formula that’s safe for use even if your dog is sensitive to certain products or has allergies
- Safe for all manner of pets, including dogs, cats, horses, rabbits and even ferrets and guinea pigs.
- Excellent for use as a training tool to not just deter your dog for now but to teach him to stay away from certain items.
Cons:
- Slightly more expensive than other products of similar size, which may deter some customers.
- Contains isopropanol, which means that this anti chew spray is not alcohol free.
- Items that contain alcohol can irritate an animal’s skin so is best used as an anti chew spray as opposed to being topically applied on your pet’s skin
5. The Company of Animals Pet Corrector Dog Training Aid
Just because this isn’t quite the same kind of anti chew spray that we’ve been reviewing until now in this article, doesn’t mean that this can’t be considered a best dog anti chew spray!
It works a little differently in that rather than being sprayed on furniture or items, this anti chew dog spray works by emitting a hiss that your pooch can’t stand to hear, therefore deterring him from his bad behavior.
Pavlov had it right: dogs can be conditioned out of bad behavior, so if other anti chew sprays haven’t worked, this spray could be the right one for you.
Think of it as an air horn for your pup, training him not to chew. It’s non toxic and a great tool to begin early puppy training with.
Pros:
- A great training tool for both a puppy and an adult dog alike, this spray doesn’t just work as an anti chew spray but also as a deterrent to all kinds of bad behaviors, including incessant barking, jumping up, and begging.
- No scent or lingering odor that you may find with other anti chew sprays.
- Once the puppy associates the can with the sound, he will soon be deterred without you even having to use it.
- Recommended by trainers all over the world.
Cons:
- Only works if you’re in the room to use it, so the puppies may resume chewing behaviors when you’re not there
- The can doesn’t last as long as an anti chew spray bottle does.
- Requires focused care and work, meaning more time on the behalf of the dog owner, and is more of a training device.
FaQ: Questions and Answers
Why do Dogs Chew?
All puppies go through a chewing phase, usually beginning when they’re around six months old. All dogs explore the world with their mouths, so as they grow up and begin to notice different smells, tastes and textures around them, then they love to test new items by chewing on them.
Chewing also helps to relieve the pain in their mouths from teething. Giving a dog a chew toy is the same as giving a baby a cold teething ring to gnaw on, only a puppy’s teething phase can be much more destructive and last much longer.
All dogs should have grown out of their chewing phase by the time they’re around a year old, but it can be a very frustrating time for a dog owner.
Not only that, but some puppies continue to chew everything even as adult dogs, and this can be down to separation anxiety, boredom, or even poor training.
Is a No Chew Spray Just for Chewing?
No.
Many pet owners choose to apply an anti chew spray to their dog himself if he has an injury he won’t stop licking or nibbling at.
Many dogs hate to wear collars as it can affect their otherwise impeccable hearing skills, so applying an an anti chew bitter spray to the affected area will stop your dog from licking it, and will give it chance to heal properly.
For this reason, you can be sure that a dog anti chew spray is not just safe to ingest, but will also be kind to their skin.
What can I Put on Walls to Stop Dog Chewing?
Both puppies and adult dogs are known for chewing walls. This is either a natural part of their chewing phase or can be destructive behavior due to stress or separation anxiety. Dog anti chew sprays cold be an effective method of preventing your dog from chewing for sure.
A dog anti chew spray is safe to use as it contains non toxic, natural ingredients that won’t harm your dog but that will taste disgusting to your pooch. Bitter apple spray, bitter lemon spray and other anti chew dog sprays are all veterinarian approved ways to help to a prevent a pet from chewing.
Another reason your dog may continue to chew at the walls even after you’ve applied a chew deterrent like a bitter spray may be that there are pests living in the walls that you’re not aware of!
It’s rare, but mice, termites or squirrels may be living in the walls and your dog can hear them scuttling around, so make sure you’ve thought of all the reasons your dog might be chewing.
How does an Anti Chew Dog Spray Work?
An anti chew dog spray works by tasting so disgusting that dogs don’t want to go near anything it’s sprayed on! Dogs have highly sensitive taste and smell faculties, and anything that has a bitter taste warns them to stay away.
Sour apple, lemon, cherry and other flavors are used in anti chew formulas because dogs hate them. That’s why you’ll never see a no chew spray with a meaty or creamy flavor!
The solution to your pup’s chewing problem may not lie in just a no chew spray alone; once your dog has stopped chewing the furniture because he hates the taste of anti chew sprays, he’ll need to have something else to chew instead!
Be sure to buy him good-quality, yummy and safe dog chews that he can happily gnaw away on for hours.
What if the No Chew Spray isn’t Effective?
If the behavior doesn’t go away with the dog chew spray, however, chances are you will have to explore other reasons to get your dog to stop chewing, including searching for training tips and looking at the roots causes of your dog’s chewing.
For example, it may be that it needs more stimulation, so requires extra exercise or chew toys.
Taste may not be a deterrent for your dog. Some dogs will continue to chew no matter how bad a taste may be, so a bitter flavored spray has little effect.
If this is the case, try a different kind of spray, one with a pressurised container that emits a hissing noise whenever they perform a behavior you want to stop, whether that’s chewing, barking, or jumping up.
PetMD advises that boredom and high energy levels that are given no outlet are very common reasons for your dog to start chewing, so keep him and his little dog brain busy!
Does Vinegar Stop Dogs from Chewing?
The internet is full of home remedies that dog owners will try to stop their pooch from chewing. It’s known that dogs don’t like bitter-tasting products and vinegar is surely one of those substances their taste buds can’t tolerate.
Vinegar has often been a popular product to deter dogs from chewing certain things. A formula made up of apple cider vinegar and water and put into a trigger sprayer is a remedy many dog owners swear by.
It’s always best to use a product that has been certified as safe by a veterinarian. Not everything we may think is safe to use is safe for our dogs and while you are trying to keep your dog away from your belongings, the first few times he goes near them he’s sure to lick some of the spray!
Be sure to choose a certified spray for your dog, or any animal, as opposed to making your own formula or concoction.
What is the Best Spray to Stop Dogs from Chewing?
The market is full of different kinds of dog anti chew spray, so it can be difficult to know which deterrent spray will work best for you.
Anti dog chew sprays are safe to use because they use natural ingredients, like bitter lemon or tea tree oil. The bitter taste doesn’t mean it will harm your pup, but instead will act as a deterrent.
Some sprays may contain such ingredients as alcohol or propylene glycol, so be sure to check the ingredients of the formula you come to use, so there’s nothing in there that will make your dog react, if he’s more sensitive to certain products.
Not only that, but some sprays are better for direct application to products, and others are better for use when your dog has a dressing, bandage or injury that he should stop licking.
Still other sprays are deterrents that use loud sounds as opposed to bitter tastes, so you may need to work out which one is best for your particular dog.
Now we’ll take a look at some of the best dog anti chew sprays and products on the market, so you’ll be best informed when it comes to getting your dog to stop chewing!
And the Winner Is…
So, now we’ve rounded up all our anti chew sprays, we have to pick a winner!
In our opinion, the best anti chew dog spray has to be the Fur Goodness Sake Dog & Cat Anti-Chew Bitter Spray and it seems to be a clear favorite with other users looking for pet sprays, too.
We believe that this is the best dog anti chew spray because of a combination of things: the tea tree oil doesn’t just act as a repellent for dogs who lick injured areas but can even help to heal the affected area, and we love that two-for-one feeling in a dog spray!
While the other dog sprays should be put onto bandages or dressings, the Fur Goodness Sake Dog & Cat Anti-Chew Bitter Spray can go directly onto the healing skin, although it should never be sprayed onto an open wound.
Not just that, but it also has a bitter apple spray, too, which is another popular ingredient found in a chew spray for dogs because they really don’t like the scent of bitter apple at all.
When sprayed, the odor might deter dogs but it leaves the room smelling fresh and crisp, so no unpleasant smell for humans to have to endure.
Although we loved the smell of the bitter cherry spray, we found that too many dogs actually loved the taste and that we might as well have called it a Treat Spray.
You may tend to find that when it comes to hunting down the best anti chew spray for dogs you don’t get it right first time, because your pup might love bitter cherry and hate bitter lemon, and vice versa.
Puppies are such wonderful additions to the family, and with the best anti chew spray for dogs, the chewing phase doesn’t have to be such a nightmare! Once you’ve managed to prevent your dog from chewing, you’ll be so much more relaxed.
When using an anti-chew spray as one of your dog’s chewing deterrents, be sure to include other training tools and toys that will improve your pooch’s behavior. Long walks, plenty of exercises, and stimulation will mean your puppy will never return to their chewing ways.
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