# Does bitter apple work?



## heidi_pooh (Feb 9, 2006)

When Otto first decided that the corners of cabinets were yummy, I bought the apple spray. It seemed to work because he wouldn't continue in the same spot. The bad news is, he would just find another corner to chew on. Now he is past the teething phase and doesn't get to run around the house without supervision so he hasn't done it in a very long time.


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## gold'nchocolate (May 31, 2005)

What an adorable pair they are!! Look at those innocent expressions--how could they ever chew on anything???!!! LOL --Which one is Marley and which one is Maya?

I've been using Grannick's Bitter Apple and it works for my pups. I have even sprayed a sock (I wet it really good) and left it laying around on the floor and he didn't eat it!!! Before that he had swallowed 3 child size socks in one gulp. It's been awhile since I sprayed it and he still hasn't eaten it.
When I see Biscuit starting to chew something (kitchen chair, sofa cushion, whatever) I don't bother to scold him I just spray it and let him decide for himself if he wants to continue chewing that item. :yuck: He always makes a wise choice!!: 

Here he is looking lovingly at a "flavored" sock that he decided wasn't worth eating....
Cathy


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## Goldndust (Jul 30, 2005)

Bitter Apple works for "Some" dogs, while some are not effected by it whatsoever. I did use it for Bianka, it worked for her. Didn't work for Kode, hot sauce he even lapped up. lol

The best thing I think you can do is supervise them, the minute you see them chewing on something there not sopposed to replace it with a toy, kong, etc. 

Both were given rawhides when younger, and still given them occassionally now. The main thing is too supervise if given. I always remove them once they get small. There are also nylabones, kongs and sterilized bones out there to use. Oh, mine loved ice cubes as well.


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## Brandy's Mom (Oct 5, 2005)

The Bitter Apple worked on Brandy, but not our last golden Reyna. There's also Bitter Orange, so you can try that. Bitter Apple must be re-applied every 24 hours. 

Rawhides can contain dangerous formaldehyde, in addition to chocking dogs by breaking off large pieces. 

In addition to the kongs and nylabones, I've found that the largest Galileo bones and Hurleys are virtually indestructible.


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## Lucky's mom (Nov 4, 2005)

Bitter Apple was instrumental in saving (the rest of) our carpet. But spraying it on the carpet was not enough.

When Lucky chewed on carpet, if I said "no" he'd graze to a new spot. If I sprayed the carpet, he'd lick it and paw at it for a while (fascenating to him) and then find a new spot.

But he stopped when I sprayed his tongue as he chewed, saying "no". It took a couple of times but the impact was enough that he didn't figure it worth it.

I might say...that nothing else distracted him from the darn carpet. It was a true obsession.


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## jessme7 (May 29, 2006)

gold'nchocolate said:


> What an adorable pair they are!! Look at those innocent expressions--how could they ever chew on anything???!!! LOL --Which one is Marley and which one is Maya?
> 
> Cathy


In the previous pic Marley is the larger one on the bottom, he is 11 wks now and Maya is 8 wks. Marley is a big ole fluff ball. His hair is a little messed up in that pic







your pup is adorable too...that is such a funny pic, look at those floppy ears!


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## ty823 (Feb 7, 2006)

I think that bitter apple spray was the one of the most helpful tools in training our dog. It does need to be re-applied to surfaces to keep them from chewing on it, but the key (and I'm sure someone will have something to say about this) is to catch them in the act, and then spray it directly in their mouth. This was also recommended by our trainer to keep her from getting too mouthy with us. Be careful not to get it in their eyes though. 
Now when Lucy is biting at us trying to get us to wrestle with her, all I have to do is hold up the yellow & green bottle and she will instantly behave.


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## jessme7 (May 29, 2006)

Thanks everyone for all your replies. I am going out to get the bitter apple spray now. Lets hope it works. I would appreciate any more tips that anyone else has.


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## Brandy's Mom (Oct 5, 2005)

ty823 said:


> I think that bitter apple spray was the one of the most helpful tools in training our dog. It does need to be re-applied to surfaces to keep them from chewing on it, but the key (and I'm sure someone will have something to say about this) is to catch them in the act, and then spray it directly in their mouth. This was also recommended by our trainer to keep her from getting too mouthy with us. Be careful not to get it in their eyes though.
> Now when Lucy is biting at us trying to get us to wrestle with her, all I have to do is hold up the yellow & green bottle and she will instantly behave.


That's pretty much how it goes at our house too! I think this bottle will last a LONG time because all I need to do is hold it up. And yes, I also spray it directly into the mouth if necessary.


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## jessme7 (May 29, 2006)

Ok I got the spray now. I got the green and yellow bottle. So if it IS necessary, do you just pry their mouths open to spray it in there?


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## Brandy's Mom (Oct 5, 2005)

Yes. Usually it's not that difficult.


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## Pointgold (Jun 6, 2007)

It works on some dogs, but not others. Lyric HATED the stuff. I would spray the front of her legs because she would chew the hair there (always, seemingly, when I had just sent a check for bazillions of dollars in entries!) It worked like a charm. UNTIL - I had been spritzing her with it morning, noon, and night, and her hair was perfect. Then VOILA! She'd chewed them again. WHAT THE HECK? I put the dogs in the kennel before leaving for work, and LIBERALLY sprayed her legs, and for good measure put a spritz in her mouth yuck: she was mortified...) and got in my van to leave. Before pulling out, it struck me that I might not have latched the run gates, so back I went. And much to my amazement, there was Lyric, with her front legs IN HER WATER BUCKET, washing the Bitter Apple off!!! Did she ever look surprised to see MOM! Dried her off, resprayed her, and from tha moment forward, ALL water bucket were hung high enough to drink out of easily, but TOO high to wash in!!!

Now, Dave seemed to actually LIKE the stuff - he'd gotten a laceration on his upper arm, just below the point of the shoulder, and had 5 sutures in. He wasn't chewing at them, but was licking the area, so I spritzed the wrap. YUMMY! I swear that dog would have DRUNK the stuff - when I used some of the Bitter Apple cream on a table leg that then baby Zoom was showing a keen interest in, Dave licked it all off! :doh:

Sometimes adding a few drops of Tabasco, or Liquid Heat or Absorbine Jr to the Bitter Apple helps intensify their dislike of it...


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## Pointgold (Jun 6, 2007)

jessme7 said:


> Ok I got the spray now. I got the green and yellow bottle. So if it IS necessary, do you just pry their mouths open to spray it in there?


Even if you just spritz their muzzle, without opening their mouth, they will lick it - that's usually enough to repulse them.


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## dogluver04 (Jul 5, 2008)

My chloe used to chew the rug in front of the kitchen sink when she was a pup. We tried everything to stop her. Bitter apple didnt seem to phase her one bit.. she enjoyed the stuff i swear.. lol Eventually she stopped chew the rug with enough scolding. She was bad for chewing carpets and rugs. She even chewed a strip about an inch thick of carpet in the upstairs hallway from one wall to the other.. my mom finally fixed it last summer after 5 years of it being there.. gotta love these goldens.. lol


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## 3459 (Dec 27, 2007)

Pointgold said:


> And much to my amazement, there was Lyric, with her front legs IN HER WATER BUCKET, washing the Bitter Apple off!!! Did she ever look surprised to see MOM! Dried her off, resprayed her, and from tha moment forward, ALL water bucket were hung high enough to drink out of easily, but TOO high to wash in!!!


HeHeHe!! Lyric must have been an absolute delight -- never a dull moment.


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## Pointgold (Jun 6, 2007)

DaMama said:


> HeHeHe!! Lyric must have been an absolute delight -- never a dull moment.


She was The Queen of the Universe - all you had to do was ask her. She'd tell ya!


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## LifeOfRiley (Nov 2, 2007)

Pointgold said:


> Before pulling out, it struck me that I might not have latched the run gates, so back I went. And much to my amazement, there was Lyric, with her front legs IN HER WATER BUCKET, washing the Bitter Apple off!!! Did she ever look surprised to see MOM! Dried her off, resprayed her, and from tha moment forward, ALL water bucket were hung high enough to drink out of easily, but TOO high to wash in!!!


 
ROFL!! It's just scary sometimes, how smart they are! 

Good luck with the Bitter Apple - I hope it works for you!
It worked wonders with Riley, but Cooper liked it. Now Alomar (one of my GSDs) didn't like it, but it never stopped him. He'd stand there, licking his chops, making this "Yuck!" face... and then proceeded to go right back and chew on whatever it was that he wasn't supposed to be chewing on. He'd turn around and give me "that look", that only a GSD can give, as if to say "Thought that would stop me, did you?" Luckily, his chewing stage didn't last real long or I would have been in serious trouble!


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## FlyingQuizini (Oct 24, 2006)

Bitter Apple can help. Apply and reapply often and don't let them see you spray it. Spray every they can reach in the room as a preventative measure, don't just wait for them to chew something and then spray it.

There are several similar products on the market in case your pups don't mind the taste of Bitter Apple. I've also had great luck with original yellow Listerine.


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## norabrown (Jul 20, 2007)

Your 2 are adorable!!! So cute. Things will get easier and they will learn what they can chew and what they can't. Just be consistant and don't allow them to be somewhere without you.


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## olik (Apr 13, 2008)

Good luck.It did work for both of mine dogs,but my Friend's dog just love this staff.


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## MSEB0814 (Feb 4, 2011)

Well I have read some success and failure stories. I am thinking of making my own bitter apple spray and adjusting the concentrate of the vinegar to increase effectiveness (as needed). Anyone know if that stuff, in excess, causes any problems in them? Thanks!


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## Lil_Burke (Aug 14, 2010)

Bitter Apple worked on everything with Sawyer - except rugs and mats - he still tries to rip them apart even after they've been drenched in Bitter Apple. Everything else (wood, electrical cords, furniture) he won't touch.


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## Mandie (Feb 16, 2011)

Bitter Apple helped with our Aussie who had a taste for our baseboards! :doh:


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