A good dog repellent spray is a very effective aid in correcting a dog's destructive behavior or other behavioral issues.
It's a simple and humane way to keep your pet from jumping on furniture, chewing your belongings or getting into things that he shouldn't.
This homemade bitter apple spray is an effective, all-natural substitute for the chemical-ridden commercial alternatives.
Dog repellent spray allows you to set boundaries that are designed to keep your pet safe and protect your home from destruction when you're away.
You can train your pup to avoid certain areas, and you can also discipline Fido when he is exhibiting any other naughty behaviors.
This homemade bitter apple spray is designed to prevent dogs from chewing, but it could also be effective at keeping them away from certain areas.
It's 100% safe, so you can even use it on your pet to prevent him from chewing his paws, tail, etc…
Homemade Bitter Apple Spray for Dogs
The bitterness of this spray will discourage your dog from chewing, but won't harm him at all.
To make it, simply mix 2 cups of apple cider vinegar and 1 cup of white vinegar in a spray bottle.
You could also use lemon juice instead of the apple cider vinegar.
You shouldn't spray the mixture on furniture or carpeting without testing a small, unseen area first.
It shouldn't hurt the material, but it's better to be safe than sorry.
Alternatives to Stop Chewing
This is just one simple method that you can use to deter your dog from damaging your clothes, furniture, or shoes.
Here are some other ways you can deter your dog from chewing in general:
Give them something else to chew on
A great way to keep them from chewing is to just swap whatever they are chewing on with a toy, or a bone and that way they still can be mentally stimulated without destroying things.
Make sure they get outside
You hear this all the time, get them moving. This is great for their overall health and happiness.
Now I prefer some form of mental training over physical exercise because it's more effective at calming them down, but exercise is CRUCIAL.
Do some training
In your free time on your lunch break if you work from home or in the mornings, go through some training.
All you really need is about 15-20 min per session to do this. This appears to fatigue them more so than physical exercise.
Make sure you doggie-proof their living space
This is straightforward, they can't get into trouble if you remove the temptations all together. Anything you care about that is of some value keep them where your dog cannot get to them.
Granted you may get the occasional baseboard chewer, but this should work for the most part.
Commonly Asked Questions
Can bitter apple spray hurt my dog?
Bitter apple like we discussed is a safe non-toxic way to keep your dog from chewing on items of value, so no it cannot.
Can you spray bitter spray on dog bed?
Yes, you can give the whole bed a light spritz, make sure to let it dry before letting them have the bed back to lay on. This should demotivate them from chewing on their bed.
Does vinegar stop dogs from chewing?
Yes, the sour taste of vinegar is unpleasant for us and even more so for dogs, considering their nose and taste buds are stronger than ours.
Closing on Homemade Bitter Apple Spray for Dogs
This spray isn't 100% effective.
If your dog is especially stubborn, he may continue to chew until he's licked off all of the spray.
In this case, you'll need to do some serious dog training to correct the chewing behavior.
If you have a new puppy, you should expect a certain level of destructive behavior because of curiosity and teething pain.
However, as a pet owner, you hold the key to effectively stop this behavior and solve the problem.
Ultimately, it’s your supervision and guidance that will teach your pooch how to be on his best behavior.
READ NEXT: How To Train A Dog To Stop Chewing – A Video Guide
