I have a Shihtzu that will not stop sucking and chewing my pillows and sheets?

I have a Shihtzu that will not stop sucking and chewing my pillows and sheets. At night, right after I turn out the lights, she attacks the pillow (especially feather). If she can't get that, she goes for the sheets or the binding on blankets.

She inhaled down from a pillow and developed a cough. I now put the pillows out of her reach (no more down! ) and cover the sheet and blanket hems with a fuzzy blanket.

When she does manage to get ahold of one and I reach to stop her, she growls and bites me! She has never bitten me at any other time. Any ideas about what she may be lacking or need.

Or a substitute? Thanks, Judy Asked by puffdragon 54 months ago Similar questions: Shihtzu stop sucking chewing pillows sheets Lifestyle > Fashion.

Similar questions: Shihtzu stop sucking chewing pillows sheets.

NILIF I don't think she is lacking anything from a dietary standpoint, just lacking in is a clear understanding of where her position is in your pack. Not at all uncommon in small dogs, which are usually spoiled a great deal more than big dogs. Your pillows and sheets smell like you, and she is acting out dominance behavior.

Google NILIF and read as many articles as you can on Nothing in Life is Free. It should help you immensely with your girl. I'd also suggest crating her at night when you go to bed.

Sleeping on your bed is sending her the message that she is on equal footing with you, or even above you, and she clearly has the idea that she is in charge.

We have a pillow-eating dog as well. S name is Boudreaux and he dearly loves to destroy pillows and stuffed animals (and do lots of other oddball things). What we did is catch him in the act and shout No!

And squirt him with water. In fact, everyone in the family had their own squirt bottle with their name on it. At the same time we also gave him his own toys, of which his absolute favorite is his "Loofah Dog."

So we told him what we didn't like and also gave him an equally satisfying substitute. We also made a point of putting pillows up where he can't get them (also toilet paper, Kleenex and napkins). The growling and biting are a guarding instinct.

When dogs do it they are saying "This is mine! " It is an inappropriate display to the owner, however, so you need to squirt him immediately when he does it. Small children often get bitten by otherwise gentle family pets because the pets have been allowed to keep their guarding behavior.

Fabric chewing and sucking is relatively rare in dogs. Young dogs love to chew but usually opt for more solid objects such as shoes, bones, wood, books, and even furniture. Some speculate that fabric chewing is a comfort-seeking behavior (reminding them of being back with mom and her milk supply, or that it fulfills a desire to play and investigate.It is perfectly normal for puppies to chew as they explore, and although many grow out of this behavior, some exhibit it for life.

Fabric chewing and sucking may also be tied to a genetic predisposition comparable to obsessive-compulsive disorders in humans. A dog with a serious chewing habit can destroy sweaters, socks, blankets, pillows, and other valuable items (I knew one that ate the legs off a table and one of mine trashed a lot of my books and still filches oddball things to take off into her crate and chew). But this behavior is even more important to recognize because it can be harmful to your dog's health as you have already discovered.

Obstruction of the gastrointestinal tract with bits of swallowed fabric can be life threatening. In addition, dogs that chew on fabric may also chew on dangerous items like electrical cords, twist ties, or even pins and needles. How do I get my dog to stop chewing on fabrics?

You can simply hide all valuable and/or dangerous chewable objects, and leave out a few non-valuable fabrics for your dog to chew on—so long as he does not swallow too much of it. You can catch him in the act and make a sudden loud sound (no is fine) similar to the sound Mama dog makes to tell her pups no.As we did, you can add in the quick squirt of cold water to further convince him this is not a rewarding behavior. You can also try offering your pet alternative items to chew on as we did with the "Loofah Dog" (we got it at PetsMart).

Rubber dog toys spread with fish oil, a well-cooked bone with some meat on it, or even dry dog food can safely satisfy the need to chew. We also made him a "fish on a rope" toy we could swing around for him to chase and leap at. A dog that habitually chews on inappropriate objects like fabric may need other outlets in order to fulfill unmet needs.

Good long walks are essential to take the edge of your dog's energy. Additionally, try to increase the amount of time you spend playing with him. You can help meet your dog's need to forage by putting a large ball in the food bowl, or by providing toys that deliver treats when moved or pawed.

Spraying bad-tasting commercial pet repellents on preferred fabrics can also deter chewing.It is best to rotate the positions and types of items sprayed so your dog learns that all fabric tastes bad. Because your dog should not be able to predict by smelling which items are sprayed, the repellent you use should not have a foul odor. One solution that this Yahoo group suggested is to wash your sheets and pillow cases with a (seeded) capsicum (hot pepper) because you won't notice the smell but dogs don't like it.

Another suggested bitter apple spray from a pet store or a citrus-based air freshener (supposedly dogs don't like citrus, but Boudreaux ate half a bottle of orange-flavored Vitamin C pills yesterday. He filched it off the kitchen counter. If worse comes to worse, your dog should not be allowed in the bed room.

If he doesn't go for the pillows until the light is out, then you could let him in for a while. However, when you are ready to turn out the light, out he goes. You can close the bedroom door, use a baby gate, or, if you want him in the room with you teach him to like a crate and then crate him each evening in a corner of the room.

Eventually he will see the crate as his bed and may even learn the command "go to bed. "Good luck! Sources: http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20070612090434AA3Y91o&show=7 .

She is doing it because they smell and taste of you I am in KY. I have been here for three days taking care of my best friends kids because she had to go out of town on a family emergency. I have a 5 month old chihuahua at home in Ill.

I had to go to Walmart out here and buy another nightgown because my puppy was making herself sick (not eatting, not sleeping, and crying all the time) I had to send my favorite "silkie" nightgown (it is not real silk but the same thing that blanket edgeing is made of) back home overnight mail the day after I got here. She got it yesterday and my husband told me that she tore open the box when it came.....then she rolled around on it, stoped crying and went to sleep. I guess that she realy loves the nightgown because it smells and tastes like me to her.

I left for her in her sleeping crate a tea-shirt that had worn, and my husband even let her come on the bed with him but she still would not go to sleep till she had my nightgown.. Maybe she just likes the feel of the blanket edgeing, giving her a small blanket that you have sewed blanket edgeing on all four sides and slept with will make her happy and she will leave yours alone As for your pillows it was your sent on them, not the down. I hope this helps....the things that we do for our "baby's" .

" "My son won't stop sucking my shoulder...

How do you stop a dog chewing blankets and sheets.

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