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.
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