<p>I’m reviving this thread to give an update and to thank those of you who suggested a crate. </p>
<p>We got the crate. And used the training tips. He loves it…is in it right now. We also use it for long trips in the car and he doesn’t mind…plus we keep valuable luggage and other items away from his chompers. </p>
<p>But now, the problem is the pad or pillow we put in the crate. He chews it to pieces when he’s in the car. And then gags…loudly (because he eats part of it!). We can’t leave him in the crate without a cushion because he’s old and has bad hips. That would be cruel. Sooo…should we try using some kind of bitter apple spray? We have tried putting other items in to chew (including stuffed kongs)…but the pillow always seems to be the most attractive item And he chews when we’re IN the car with him.</p>
<p>Cartera: hip dysplasia is genetic, and yes, you may have made it worse, but you can now work on improving the strength of the muscles around the joint, and reducing the inflammation. Some people have found that glucosamine helps. (I found it useless.) After my doctor recommended flax seed oil for my knee pain from arthritis, I gave that to the dog, too. Huge difference; she started moving freely and loosely, not stiffly. The biggest change, however, came when I switched to a harness instead of a collar for walking the dog. Not a no-pull harness, just a regular harness with a back attachment. She likes to pull on leash, and with the harness she pulls symmetrically and pushes from the hips. Her hip muscles bulked up and the joint stabilized, making it far less painful for the dog, which let her exercise more, which made her hips even stronger… If you can take your dog swimming, that will do much the same thing.</p>
<p>Thanks guys! I think I might try those vinyl pads. I like the guarantee. Orvis…wow, too expensive!</p>
<p>Re Hip Dysplasia…our old lab gets 6 fish oils and 3 extra strength “move free” (gloscosamine and chondroiton) pills every day. Has really helped to keep things stable. We also are careful not to run him. Swimming…hmmm…I’ve always been worried that his hips will give out when he’s far out in deep water so it makes me nervous. Probably my issue more than his…but it is what it is. </p>
<p>Anyway, we hope the vinyl pads will work. He’s eating junk that I’m SURE is not good for him. And it’s expensive to replace those cushion. Plus his gags are REALLY LOUD. Fingers crossed!</p>
<p>I suggest a wire crate–not a plastic one–lined with old towels, and several chews, including the stuffed kong. Another chew toy that accepts PB well looks like a miniature tire. And there are “bones” made out of potato starch that are more digestible than the rawhide ones. Multiple chews are expensive, but probably cheaper than car parts! I’m intrigued by the antlers…</p>
<p>Edit: sorry, I read the earlier posts and missed the revival part. I have no idea what would work to line the crate…perhaps nothing but the tray that comes with it would be the best thing. Not cushy, but not edible either.</p>
<p>Reviving this thread AGAIN to give an update and say thank you to DMD and SAX for your suggestions!</p>
<p>The crate is working beautifully. </p>
<p>And, Sax, the Primo Pad you linked to came last week just before one of our weekend trips with Ddog. And he didn’t chew it! No gagging…no damage. We’re thrilled. Of course, we’re somewhat limited in what we can put in the back now…the crate takes up lots of room in the cargo space. But we can squeeze stuff in without it being chewed to pieces. </p>
<p>The Kong works well too…although we need to get the REAL one. We have a cheap imitation with a larger hole in it. He gets so aggressive with sticking his snout in there that he ends up with nasty scrapes. We call it “Kong Nose.” Dogs are so funny. Anyway, we’re out to get the real version today at Petco. </p>
<p>Thanks again for your help! I think we’ve solved our problem. CC is terrific!</p>
<p>Sounds like you have your dog used to the crate now, but if you also have a crate in the house, I suggest feeding the dog in the crate. I have always feed my shepherd in her crate (with the door open) and she likes the crate becasue of that. She will go in there just to lie down sometimes.</p>
<p>Yes, we use the crate full time in the house, and transport it with us on long trips. He’s OK in the car for short jaunts (without the crate!) </p>
<p>We fed him MANY biscuits in that crate and kept the door open for the first couple of weeks. He retreats there regularly now (we have big fluffy dog pillow on top of the Primo pad…something we don’t do in the car). He’s even fine if we close it up…although we keep that to a minimum. </p>
<p>Thanks again for everyone’s help with our pup…there are many who gave terrific suggestions. I was starting to worry about his “eating habits.” In addition to the destruction, I was worried about a visit to the vet hospital for some strange thing he decided to ingest.</p>
<p>So good to hear. I love to hear good crate stories. It helps dispel the myth that a crate is an inhumane punishment. Lots of people don’t understand the use of crates.</p>
And he chews when we’re IN the car with him.</p>