Wood-chewers - help

[The Food Group]

Tanner LOVES wood, sometimes even more than water, which say a lot because he is a binge drinker. 

He has chewed, baseboards, door frames, window frames; taking him to potty near a tree is a mistake because he'll sit there and just smell the tree bark. When training him to go through a tunnel for agility, he wouldn't go for treats, for water bottle, for anything, except a stick. 

I have on occasion let me chew on a stick he had at the time, just to see what he did. As i expected, he eats them like leaves, just chews the bark off and then spits it out.    My question is, can dogs chew wood/or even eat it?   Secondly, are there any treats made of a wood that would be safe to chew? 

Thanks

-Nick

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

The chewing is fine, it's the actual ingesting of wood that can be harmful.

Can you give us a link to the Nylabone product?  

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

But can you give us a link to the actual product, or at least the name? I found this, but it's not Nylabone: http://www.amazon.com/Petstages-219-Durable-Stick-Large/dp/B007R1BN...

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Yeah, that's the same one I found. I'll have to research it, but I wouldn't use it personally.

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

Does the package say where the ingredients come from? The company itself is right down the road from me, but that's not where it's made, and I can't find a list of ingredients or sources anywhere.

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

I did read it, I just didn't want to freak you out, lol.

[Karen, Jasper and Jackdoodle]

I didn't remember this discussion, found it on an internet search: http://www.doodlekisses.com/forum/topics/fake-sticks-anyone-ever-us...

Apparently, these are "assembled" in China, and the source of the ingredients is still questionable. I am not comofrtable with any company that will not disclose their sources or their ingredients, or any product that goes through China on its way to my dog's gut, lol. 

[F, Calla & Luca]

Yes, that would make me nervous.

[Shirley Splude]

Nick, from what I was told wood is not healthy. They can get splinters... how old is Tanner?

[Shirley Splude]

Do you think the Kong dog toy that looks like a stick would work? I've seen them but never had the need for my GD she walks outside with a stuffed animal in her mouth.

[Nancy, Ned, Clancy, and Charlie]

We had a wood chewer and painted a paste made of red pepper on the  inside areas that were likely to get chewed - like molding and chair legs.  This worked for us.  We tried bitter apple and other sprays but our dog liked them.

[Lorraine Bromley]

Neely has had that issue too. Especially the baseboard. We have repainted then used sprays and stuff to keep him from eating it. He is three now so doesn't but we have the table and chair legs nibbled a bit too. He only did it out of convenience if he was laying down and he got close or was chewing his toy and it got close to a piece of furniture. He is not a huge stick carrier but will go at a stick and chew it up. He seems picky about the sticks he eats. We figure we let him off the crate training too soon. As he only did it when we were away. If I had it to do over again I would keep up the crate training and throw in a stick  for fun.