Chewing is a very common problem with puppies and adult dogs. If your dog is bored he will be more prone to chew. Some dogs like to chew out of sheer pleasure and some dogs don’t have a need to chew at all. No matter what your dog finds pleasurable or tasty to chew it is just plain destructive, unless it is a bone that you have allowed him to chew; well, that will be destructive as well, but you have allowed that behavior to happen. “Destructive chewing” is an appropriate term for destroying an item using their sharp teeth. It doesn’t take but a few minutes to show the effects of chewing on your precious possessions instead of his specified toys or other designated items you allow him to chew.
Most Common Reasons Dogs Chew
Chewing is fun, possibly tastes good, it passes the time when left alone and is a very natural instinct for a dog. Let’s face it, some humans have a habit of chewing on things like, the end of a pencil, tooth picks or their nails. It is a natural desire for dogs as well, they just don’t know the difference between their toys and your valuable furniture.
Chewing is soothing to a dog that might be nervous, frightened or lonely. It is a distraction for the negative emotion your dog is feeling at the time.
If your dog is not exercised regularly he will most likely find something to chew on to pass the time. Exercising your dog will help to burn up the built up nervous energy he has and will not be so likely to look for something to chew that leads to destruction
Preventing Destructive Chewing
When you put in a little effort to train your puppy not to chew, he is very capable of learning that he is not supposed to chew your belongings.
It is natural for your dog to investigate his surroundings with his nose and mouth. By keeping your possessions out of reach is the first step to preventing unwanted destruction of your stuff, like your cell phone, shoes, eyeglasses or anything that smells good or easily fits in his mouth. Take into consideration the type of dog you have. Can he easily jump or is he capable of climbing onto a chair to get to the top of the table? Investigate your own surroundings when considering what he might be capable of reaching. For instance, don’t leave garbage in a bag on the floor or a counter that can be reach….if it contains food…it is natural that he will want to chew into the bag to get at that great smelling left over food. It isn’t fair to your dog to assume that he won’t be curious. To prevent your dog from trying to help you clean up dishes that have been left on the counter….rinse them off and put them in the dishwasher or finish washing them and put them away. Now you have a clean kitchen and a happy dog that didn’t have to be yelled at. By keeping your belongings that you don’t want chewed up and destroyed, put away and clear of the area where your dog lives and frequents, from the beginning, it will eliminate the need for your dog to chew in the future. Eliminate temptations!
It is impossible for your dog to distinguish the difference between the socks or shoes that you give him to chew or play tug of war and your socks that you left on the floor by your shoes that you took off. Be sure that you have plenty of OK to chew toys to choose from. However, it is a good idea to limit the number of toys to three or four at a time. Exchanging the old ones for new ones every now and then makes it more fun and interesting to him. Dogs at any age need to chew, it is natural. The key is training them to chew only the toys you specify them to chew. This training has to start from the time he/she is a puppy.
Training a puppy not to chew inappropriate things takes a bit of discipline on your part. Schedule play time that includes playing with the toys that you want him/her to play with. It is always easier to shut him outside or tie him up to a post, but that is cruel and unfair. He certainly won’t learn the rules if you don’t spend the time to interact with your dog and allow him to explore the boundaries that have been set for him. if you don’t want to be a responsible dog owner, get a fish instead.
If you catch your dog in the act of chewing something inappropriate, immediately get his attention by clapping your hands or firmly using the word NOPE! Yelling is not necessary. Then instantly give him a tasty chew toy like a Kong toy filled with his favorite treats, or a safe chew toy. When he has it in his mouth, immediately praise him. Now he will know exactly what you want him to be chewing.
Persistence Creates Productivity
Always be realistic about your expectations. If all things were perfect…you would be perfect and so would your dog and we know that isn’t possible…at least one unwanted item will get into the jaws of a puppy before the learning process is completely underway. Leaving your pooch for long periods of time breeds boredom and curiosity, especially for something other than the designated toys you have set out for him. Take the necessary steps to keep those unwanted items out of puppy jaws reach until he understands the rules.