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Every dog owner will be required to stop dog chewing problems at some stage. When our puppies and dogs chew it is a perfectly natural behaviour, just very annoying (and expensive!) for us dog owners.
Dogs chew just about anything they can wrap their mouths around. My dog's favourite chewing objects are socks, shoes and furniture.
What Causes Dogs To Chew?
• Through loneliness or boredom.
• Separation anxiety, often occurs if you work long hours away from home.
• When they are teething (this can be a very trying time for owners).
• Through fear or a phobia.
• Seeking attention.
• Through anticipation, some dogs chew just before their owner is due to arrive home.
It's important that we stop our dogs chewing not only because it frustrates us, but also because it can be very dangerous for our dogs. If your dog chews into electric wires, poisons and any number of other objects they could be in serious danger.
How To Stop Dog Chewing Problems
Always keep in mind that your dog can't tell the difference between a £200 pair of shoe's and a worthless old rag. And your dog is not chewing to spite you, dogs don't think like us humans.
1. Give your dog lots of exercise, both physical and mental (games, obedience training).
2. Provide your dog with a few tasty dog chews. Don't overload your dog with dozens of chew toys, just a couple of good one's. Make it clear to your dog that if he wants to chew, it must be on his toys.
3. The best way to stop dog chewing is to catch it before it becomes a habit. This requires you to not leave your dog in a situation where he can chew something that you don't want him to. If your dog chews when you are away from home, keep your dog in a crate or kennel run. Once your dog is old enough and can be trusted, you can give him a free run of the place.
4. If your dog has a particular liking for a certain object like a furniture leg you can try this method. Coat the object with a foul tasting substance (non toxic) such as bitter apple, cayenne pepper or Tabasco sauce. This method can be effective but because it doesn't actually teach your dog to stop chewing, it may mean that your dog just chews on a different object. Of course, if you put some tasty treats in the area, the chewing behaviour will hopefully shift straight over to these.
5. If you catch your dog in the act of chewing, give a firm "No!" and replace the inappropriate chewing object with a tasty chew toy. Give your dog praise when he starts chewing the toy. Never ever reprimand your dog if you don't actually catch him in the act of chewing. If you don't issue your correction within about two seconds of his chewing behaviour, he won't have a clue what you are disciplining him for.
6. A good solution to stop dog chewing and any other behavioural problem is to apply some obedience training. This establishes you as the pack leader in your owner-dog relationship. It will also help to build a strong bond with your dog, based on trust and respect.
In order to control your dog's annoying chewing habit all you need to do is consistently follow the above training methods. Add a touch of common sense and patience and you will be well on your way to stopping your dogs chewing problem.
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