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New PON owners often report on the teething activities of their puppies and ask experienced owners for help in coping with this time in their PON's lives. Expensive furniture, shoes and more may fall victim to their active mouths.

 

In most cases, experienced owners have advised to hide heels in the closet, but one can't exactly hide a coffee table in the linen closet. Instead of crating your baby for long hours or watching him like a mother hen, stir up a mixture of bitter spray with ingredients already in your home to create a nontoxic formula that will send your beloved PON to the chew toys you bought him.

Bitter is better

Vinegar is the chief ingredient of most bitter-apple sprays. This tart flavor makes most PONS  back off biting objects and will deter them from nibbling on your valuables. If the scent of the vinegar turns you off as much as it does your PON, you can use lemon juice as an alternative. Some PONS may actually like the way it tastes and if that's the case, consider using both vinegar and lemon juice, or try a pickling spice called "alum" or good, old-fashioned yellow-flavored mouthwash (you know, the really gross stuff). Another alternative is cayenne pepper in the mix, but be careful, as it may stain some surfaces.

Homemade bitter-apple recipe

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup apple cider vinegar
  • 1 cup white vinegar or lemon juice
  • 1 cup water
  • Pinch to 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)

Directions:

  1. Pour the ingredients into a 24-ounce spray bottle.
  2. Shake several times..
  3. Test the spray on the back of your furniture, shoes or other items.
  4. Apply as often as needed.

Avoid spraying the mix directly in your PON's mouth. Good luck !