Dogs Go Bow Wow For The TV Remote - Remotecontrols.com Shares The Craziest Chew Stories

November 13, 2018

It seems that Fido is using the remote control almost as much as his owner. The next time you wonder, "Where's the remote?" don't be surprised if the dog has buried it or chewed it beyond recognition. Similar in size and shape to their favorite bone, a remote control has the added flavor of its master's scent, making it an irresistible treat.

"Dogs are devouring remote controls," remarked Charlie Waters, Customer Service Director for www.remotecontrols.com  the largest seller of original remotes in the Country for over 22 years. "My dog ate the remote" is second only to "I lost it" as the most common reason given by customers when ordering a remote control. "The average living room has four remotes just in that one room alone," continued Waters, "combine that with eighty–nine million canines living in U.S. households and it's easy to see why the remote is going to the dogs."

Apparently no one has found a solution either, judging by the number of phone calls and e-mails that Remotecontrols.com receives concerning this problem. From foul-tasting industrial-strength no-chew sprays to homemade bitter-tasting concoctions, nothing seems to do the trick. Gail Spadafori, syndicated pet care columnist says in her bestselling book Dogs For Dummies, "All dogs chew, it's part of the genetic blueprint of the dog. . . . Forget about trying to train your dog to leave the remote alone. Training yourself to put it out of harm's way when it's not in your hand is far easier."

Waters agrees, but adds, "We hear it all the time. People hide the remote from their dog and then they can't find it themselves."

"Every day we get lots of crazy calls and e-mails from dog owners," Waters chuckles, "including the customer who ordered several of our least-expensive remotes with no concern for make or model. She figured she would buy her four dogs their own remotes and then maybe they would leave her remote alone. Who knows? Maybe the idea actually worked. Another customer insisted their Chihuahua would only attack their Samsung-brand remotes but would leave the other remotes alone. We even had one customer who swore their dog was just trying to change the channel!"

Dogs are not the only pets getting into the act. "It's not unusual for us to hear about birds and even rabbits destroying a remote," continued Waters. "Birds love to peck at it and rabbits seem to have a special affection for the rubber keypad buttons. Surprisingly, we rarely hear from cat owners."

Once pet owners' remotes are destroyed, they discover that it was more than just a modern convenience. Waters explains, "Many of today's consumer electronics are simply useless without the original remote control. Most universal or cable remotes just can't get the job done--they don't operate such key features as Input, menu and smart functions, which are necessary on most of today's sophisticated electronic equipment."

Like everyone, Remotecontrols.com hasn't found the answer to prevent Fido from slobbering on the remote. Though as Waters says, "We are not really looking for a solution. We figure why bite the hand that feeds us?