Valupets.com

How can I stop my dog chewing everything in the house?

Many owners react to a puppy or dog chewing furniture in the house, by removing as many chewable items they can from the dog's surroundings. While this is logical, you dog or puppy must learn what they are allowed to chew and of course not what not to chew in your house. You shouldn't stop you dog chewing, but channel their attention towards something they are allowed to chew such as rawhide dog chews or tough rubber toys like kongs as it's a natural behaviour for puppies and dogs.

Why do puppies and dogs chew?

There are three main reasons why dogs or puppies chew, that are outlined below:

Teething - Just like babies, puppies teethe which normally occurs between 14 to 28 weeks of age, depending on the breed and size of your puppy. Chewing serves two purposes, it helps soothe inflamed gums, providing comfort and relief, but most importantly helps loosen baby teeth allowing them to fall out and adult teeth to grow in their place.

Exploratory Chewing - Normally occurs between 28 to 52 weeks of age, where your puppy explores their surrounding by chewing objects using their mouths, in much the same way as a baby or toddler will use their hands.

Chew to Relief Stress - Chewing causes calming endorphins to be released, having a positive effect on relieving stress and anxiety. While your dog may not be the anxious type, your dog will know that chewing calms them down and gives them a sense of wellbeing, making them feel less stressful or anxious.

 

How do I stop my dog's destructive chewing behaviour?

While some owners may think that their dog or puppy has maliciously chewed something to spite them, it couldn't be further than the truth as dog's have no sense of the value of possessions, they just chew to explore and relief tension.

Instead of trying to stop chewing around your home, you should actively encourage your dog or puppy to chew those items that you are happy for them to chew on. So the first step is to teach your new puppy or dog to understand the difference between your possessions and theirs which they are allowed chew on without you screaming at them.

The easiest way to focus their attention on to what they should be chewing is by rewarding good behaviour with toys or chews, so that your favourite slippers seem less appealing. While there are no instant fixes, within a few days of following the advice below, owners should see positive results, but it's important to always focus on good chewing behaviour and not dwell on any mishaps.

1) Provide your dog with about 3 or 4 toys or rawhide chews, but make sure that each one is different to each other in size, texture and shape to create interest.

2) Play with your puppy or dog using the toys or chews, so that your dog learns to associate them with having fun, so that if your dog or puppy is left alone with the chews they are more likely to choose them in favour to your possessions.

3) Most puppies and dogs can be trained more easily by using treats to reward behaviour, so make sure that at least one of the chew toys is hollow to allow you to stuff it with treats or food, to encourage them to focus on the chew rather than anything else they shouldn't.

4) Remove you most valuable items from your dog's reach to avoid unnecessary expense.

5) To limit any destructive chewing behaviour, keep your dog confined to one area or room, if necessary using a play pen or dog crate.

6) Whenever you see your dog or puppy chewing their toys or chews, praise them to reinforce the positive behaviour, but try to avoid interrupting their chewing with too much praise, as we don't want their attention to be drawn away from the chews or toys.

7) When you catch your dog or puppy chewing something they shouldn't, make sure you have their attention and firmly say NO, then immediately get a toy or rawhide chew for them and praise them if they start to chew on it.

8) Lastly the most important thing to remember is to keep things positive and reward good behaviour at all times, treating any mistake along the road as your fault, not your puppies or dogs for not teaching them right from wrong to avoid negative feelings.

Why not visit the following pages to view our range of discount Dog Chews, Munchy Dog Treats and Tough Rubber Dog Toys