We can't have nice things!

[Jennifer1970]

I'm so annoyed right now.  DH's dog compulsively chews all of DD's toys.  At first we thought it was just the plastic toys that were at risk which started us down the wooden toy path.  But then she moved onto wooden toys.  So we bought gates to keep the dog outside of the living room where DD's toys are.  I want DD's toys to be on shelves at her level so that she can pick and choose what to play with. 

Good solution...right?  Wrong.  The woman who walks our dog everyday for some reason forgets to shut the gate every few days and every time she does it, DD loses another toy.  Last week it was the rainbow stacking house I bought for DD's first birthday.  I was steamed.  Especially when the dogwalker claimed that she did shut the gate.  Sorry but a dog and several cats cannot open a gate.  Today it was the Plan Toys Shapeshifter. 

Thank goodness we haven't invested in any of the Ostheimer figures yet. 

It almost makes me want to give up and just buy cheap disposable toys for DD. 

Does anyone here have problems with dogs chewing on your LO's toys?  If so, any suggestions? 

[mama2Elia]

We clicker trained our dog, she wears a collar that vibrates a little when we push a button (does not shock!). It WORKS! Our dog is huge, and wild (still a puppy) but she knows boundaries and what we expect from her. It takes a little bit of work and tons of consistency but you might want to look into it.

[yukookoo]

YES!!!! we have a golden retriever who is a trained service dog, he is amazing! he does laundry, he brings my shoes, he can pick up and hand me anything from coins, to a pen to my cell phone, but he is also just a dog, 3 years old and i think he will always be a bit of a puppy and he does know better but, after bringing him home we quickly learned :) He has eaten up some woolens, all the doll house toys, those are his favorite the wooden dollhouse people, baskets, bean bags i made, he loves anything im knitting... there's a long list

we have a gate, dd is 3.5 and the rule is that it is OUR responsibility to keep stuff away from the dog that we dont want chewed up, because he can't really help it, and I think at his trainer's house (who had 2 kids) and at his puppy raiser's house, that was also the rule.

So all her toys stay in the play room, he has learned to leave them alone if they are int he playroom which he hangs in with us but if i leave him in there without supervision for a while he wont chew up toys its only if they are left in "his" area like in the living room while we leave the house or something.

Maybe put a big sign up somewhere on the door or gate to remind the dog walker to close the gate? It is HER responsibility to remember, its like not locking your front door or something especially when there is damage caused, like expensive things get chewed up, I dont think its the dogs fault especially if he/she is a puppy, puppies need to chew

also new toys, bones etc for the dog help, but that gets just as expensive as buying new toys that get chewed up haha

Im right there with you though! it's frustrating, but part of living with a dog....

[Bird Girl]

Is your dog crate trained? Crates are more foolproof than gates--either the dog is crated, or she's not.

I would encourage a lot of chewies that ARE ok for your pup, that will give your wooden toys a fighting chance.

Last year, our dog chewed up our woolen elf hat advent calendar, the wooden treats that were inside, and the chocolate coins. I feel your pain.

[tomtemama]

I was recently looking for a baby gate to keep my newly crawling babe out of the cat's litter. I remember seeing a gate that had a doorway in it that would swing closed automatically. I'm pretty sure that there was another one with an alarm. Maybe you could just get a new gate with one of these features?

[Jennifer1970]

Update - About a month ago, the dog ate the rainbow stacker house that I bought for DD's 1st birthday.  DH ordered a new one.  Guess what the dog ate last night?  Yes the new rainbow stacker house!  We left her in the living room for about 30 minutes while we were in the bedroom and that was enough time to destroy it.  I'm giving up on rainbow stackers.  Evidently the universe doesn't want me to own one so I'm not replacing it.  I told DH that we just can't ever leave the dog by herself in the living room.  She's got to be in the bedroom with us or on the other side of the gate.  It's very annoying because we're going to end up forgetting eventually and another toy will be destroyed.