<p>Looking for ideas here. We have an SUV. He hangs out in the cargo area in back when we take him out for walks. Sometimes we’ll leave him in the car for a half hour while we do an errand. Well, he’s chewing EVERYTHING. Chewed the cargo liner and was gagging on the hard plastic. Had to throw it out. Now chewed a huge hole in the carpet. Last week, we were traveling with him and put some suitcases in the back (we’ve done this for years). He destroyed one of them. Yikes. (Yes, he also chews at home but this is the biggest problem right now as we are able to confine him in the laundry room at home when we’re not around). </p>
<p>Bitter apple spray? Some sort of partition? Prozac? Please don’t tell us not to take him along.</p>
<p>The safest place for him to travel is in a plastic crate in the car. Bungee/tie it down. </p>
<p>Bitter apple/lime/yuck is a good solution also. You might try Comfort Zone DAP spray to make him feel more comfortable and less abandoned if you leave him alone in the vehicle.</p>
<p>Crate the pooch for your own safety while driving (and secure the crate to the car)! If you stop the car abruptly, the pooch will continue to travel forward until something stops him… A flying dog is not safe for anyone present in the car!</p>
<p>Any recommendations for crates? I worry that he will chew them…especially the soft crates. Do they come with straps to secure to the cargo area? We haven’t used a crate for our pup for over 11 years. I’m wondering if he will really freak out…<br>
I can see how it is a safety issue as well, although I thought he was probably OK in the back of an SUV (vs the backseat). Perhaps not…</p>
<p>Also, get the dog stuff that is appropriate for him to chew instead. Years ago I had a Rottie that was terrible about chewing as a puppy – one time while traveling with her I found an enormous bone at a butchers being sold very cheap (for soup, I guess) – I don’t remember whether I cooked it lightly or gave it to her raw, but I do remember that it kept her busy and occupied for at least a week. Most dogs like beef or lamb bones a lot more than carpet. (But as to the suitcases – what did you have IN the suitcases? If there is any food item packed, the dog might have smelled it and been trying to get it)</p>
<p>I measured very carefully and then bought a metal crate from [PetEdge.com</a> Wholesale prices on exclusive dog grooming and pet supplies](<a href=“http://www.petedge.com%5DPetEdge.com”>http://www.petedge.com) and wedged it into the back of my car. My dog is quite content in there, and safer. For either the plastic or metal crates, use cable ties at the seams. If you have an accident, the seams can break open.</p>
<p>The plastic ones are safer and generally hold together in accident. There are several brands. You get what you pay for. You will need your own straps to secure it – but your SUV probably has tie down points. They can also be seat belted in. </p>
<p>I do NOT recommend a soft crate for anyone whose dog still chews – or for any dog that is not reliably crate trained.</p>
<p>I use a metal crate in the car for my dog. I learned a hard lesson when he leaped our of the car when I stopped for gas and had a nice romp down a 4 lane busy highway. </p>
<p>What breed of dog of this - obviously a chewing breed. Something is usually behind destructive chewing and it is usually boredom and lack of exercise. My lab did this when he was bored. He required lots of exercise -not just a casual walk but long runs and swimming - or he punished me.</p>
<p>There is also a lesson here for all dog owners - crate train you dog, even if you don’t plan to crate them often. If they are hurt or you have to travel, you want them to be accustomed to the crate and look at it as a safe, comforting place.</p>
<p>toneranger, sounds as if you have an enthusiastic chewer. When I went back to work our lab (who had never been destructive or a chewer) went on a rampage and chewed literally anything of mine he could get his teeth into. What about a Kong? Our lab loved his Kong and you can get very heavy duty ones. You put peanut butter or some other treat inside and it really does keep them busy for quite a while. If you only let him have it in the car he would be thrilled every time you went somewhere if it meant his Kong (or at least that was our experience). </p>
<p>Re: the rawhide type chewies- if your dog is prone to gulping down large chunks of food/plastic/fabric- you might not want to allow chewies. Our first lab nearly developed an intestinal obstruction as the result of ingesting large pieces of the “chewy”. Choose carefully.</p>
<p>We had a heavy duty thick plastic gate to keep our dog confined to the kitchen. Came home with dog greeting us at the door. Chewed a hole right through the gate. May want to stay with metal :)</p>
<p>Two words: Stuffed Kongs. If you don’t know Kongs they are the world’s best doggie distractor chew toys. They have a hole in them and if you have strong hands you can stuff a doggie biscuit into it and it will take hours for the dog to get that biscuit out. It used to take mine days until he learned to bounce them down the stairs. Yup he takes them up the staircase and let them bounce down the wood stairs. We’ve had two world class chewing (large) dogs and it takes them 5 years to destroy a Kong. I never had one that chewed up a car, but I did have one that ate a banister when we left her home alone and one that ate the heels off all my (expensive) work pumps back when we wore pumps to work. Love Kongs. I think they come in all sizes depending on the size of your dog. We just buy the biggest ones we can find. My dog can eat a Rawhide in less than a half hour…I think the chewing is either because the dog is bored or he has separation anxiety when you leave him in the car. You need something to distract him. Crates aren’t bad, but unless the dog is crate trained I’d be afraid he’d bite on the crate or hurt himself trying to get out. I vote for distraction.</p>
<p>Lots of really good suggestions here. Thank you.
Our pup, a lab, chewed as a puppy and then stopped.
Then dear S left for college and he chewed a plate sized hole in our family room carpet. (He was nine years old at the time and is now twelve).<br>
It hasn’t been the same since.
No food in the luggage. Just nice chewable straps and other material he enjoys munching on.
We have tried a kong. We hide a biscuit in there and it keeps him happy for 10 minutes ( (I guess) and then he chews whatever is in sight. He’s quite efficient at getting those biscuits out!
We gave up rawhide a LONG time ago. He eats it and chokes. And throws it up. Yuk.
I’ll try the plastic crate. But he’s not used to crates so who knows. He’s a sweetie - we love him…but he’s costing us a lot of money lately ( he chewed a hole in our newly installed wall to wall rug upstairs…right outside my office…no longer allowed up here!)</p>
