Differences between toys

[Chantal]

Hi!! I was wondering if any one had any good ways to help the dogs determine what toys are theirs and what toys are the baby's? I am due in April to have a baby. I don't have any problems with them ever chewing on anything that they are not suppose to, but not sure what will happen if toys are laying around. I did read about putting a drop of mouthwash on the babys toys, wondering if that works...

[cryjay]

Myabe start training your dog now. Leave a few toys around the house that you don't mind losing just in case. If your dogs try to play with the toys tell them "no" and replace the toy with one of the dogs own toys. I had to do that twice with my dog Dakota when we first brought her home and that was it. My dogs have their own special area where their toys are kept and that's it. Otherwise I have kids toys form one end of the house to the next ;) and my animals won't even look twice at them... well okay I lied the cats are a bit of a problem as soon as they see something with a string all of their little feline urges kick in and they can't seem to resist! Good luck.

[mellie137]

Maybe a scent training thing? Just a thought and I haven't tried it, but my trainer suggested something similar to stop chewing. Maybe if you spray puppy's toys with a specific non-toxic pleasant smelly cheap purfume or essential oil or maybe vanilla extract or bacon fat, and reward her for picking out her "marked" toys from a mix of marked and unmarked toys? Maybe add negative reinforcement (shake a can of pennies, spray with a 50/50 mix of water and Listerine, or just say "No!") for picking up unmarked toys. Good luck.