Stop Chewing Dogs

Stop Chewing Dogs

The long and short of it is that some dogs chew things and some dogs don’t. When dogs were puppies, chewing was a natural part of growth and development and helped the puppy not only find out all about their environment, but helped them establish behaviour boundaries with their siblings when they were learning about bit inhibition, but chewing also forms a very helpful tool that enables teeth to firstly break through the skin, and then to hopefully stay cleaner by having plaque and debris being scraped off by the chewing action itself.

It’s odd however, that as adults, once puppydom is well and truly over, lots of dogs don’t seem bothered by chewing in the slightest.

Destructive chewing can and usually does cause a lot of problems for dogs and their owners. The phrase destructive chewing does seem to be a bit double layered, as all chewing, by the presence of lots of sharp and pointy teeth will cause damage within a very short time, but it is used to highlight inappropriate chewing where your shoes, books, socks, cds, TV remotes will all be chewed up into little pieces, as opposed to the chewing on dog toys or rawhide chews for example.

Stop Chewing Dogs - Why do they do it?

Dogs that don’t get enough exercise will often turn to chewing as a means to use up nervous energy and also to give themselves something to do to pass the time.

For a nervous, bored or lonely dog, chewing provides the canine version of comfort food. The repetition of the action is soothing to them and provides an outlet for their emotions.

Above all, most dogs have a natural desire to chew things. If you have a look back to when wild dogs hunted in packs, if they didn’t have good teeth, their ability to hunt, kill and eat would have been limited, and their lives would have been short. Chewing could well be one of natures methods of ensuring the teeth stayed as clean and well exercised as possible. To a dog, chewing is fun, and if she’s chewing something nice, it’s self-rewarding.

How To Stop Chewing Dogs

Firstly, please believe, as you peak out from beneath a pile of destroyed shoes and books, that it is possible to teach a dog not to chew your things; but it will take some time and persistent consistency on your part.

Stop Chewing Dogs Rule 1

You must first accept that dogs explore the world not with their fingers, but with their noses and mouths. You need to ensure that you look after your possessions. You need to dog proof your home, much as you would if their was a baby in the house. They really don’t understand that those gloves cost a small fortune.

Dog proofing means looking round for anything likely to end up in your dogs mouth that you don’t want to and putting it somewhere where she can’t reach it. You will need to bear in mind her size, agility and will she jump up on the sofa to get it?

Pay attention to things like cell phones, cameras, glasses, TV remotes, books, clothing, shoes and rubbish.

Pay close attention to food, unwashed plates, un-eaten lunch box contents left in school bags also- put them and keep putting them away where she can’t reach them. The smell of the food will encourage her even more.

It is a lot easier to stop chewing dogs before they get the habit established than it is to cure it once it’s in full swing, so try very hard to prevent your dog from finding out tat chewing your stuff is an option in the first place. This could take the form of keeping her confined to a dog proofed place until you are confident that she’s aware of the house rules and not going to take a sneaky chew on a chair leg when you’re not watching.

Stop Chewing Dogs Rule 2

Don’t set your dog up for failure by giving her blurred boundaries. By this, I mean don’t give her cast off shoes or towels to play with, f she’s not allowed to play with other shoes or towels. She just doesn’t have the judgement skills to get that one right any time, never mind every time.

Stop Chewing Dogs Rule 3

Provide designated things for her to chew. If her local environment is a barren land with nothing much going on, who can blame her for looking for something to keep her occupied? Don’t forget that most dogs actually need to chew. The need to chew in young dogs and puppies is even more pronounced. You’ll have to go shopping for chews and toys. Let her have 2 or 3 at a time, in various places, and rotate them every couple of day to keep the variety going. Play with them with her, so that she associates them with fun.

Stop Chewing Dogs Rule 4

Your dog needs to spend lots of time in active supervision. She can’t learn about what’s right and what’s not if she’s cooped up in a crate or run all the time. Let’s face it, it won’t be much fun for her and won’t be much fun for you. If you wanted a pet that didn’t move much, you’ve have got a hamster wouldn’t you? When she’s out and about, under supervision, if she starts to chew on something inappropriate, you are well placed to correct her.

Stop Chewing Dogs Rule 5

If you do catch your dog chewing something that she shouldn’t be, interrupt her immediately; a loud noise or single strong hand clap is usually a good move. As soon as she stops, give her a dog appropriate alternative. As soon as her aws close on it, pile on the praise. She will soon come to realise that chewing on her toys gets praise and treats and chewing on other things gets trouble.

Stop Chewing Dogs Rule 6

Above all be realistic. There will be times when you take your eye off the ball, and the shoe gets it. You have no choice but to be vigilant, persistent and consistent. Remember that until she really has proven herself to be switched onto her own chew toys and sticking to the house rules of no chewing stuff that’s not hers, you too have to remember the house rules of put your stuff where she can’t reach it! It will take time for the lessons to sink in, but they will. Persevere, it’ll be so worth it when you get there and everyone will be happier.

Another great source of information and advice for the responsible dog owner is Secrets to Dog Training. It’s a comprehensive A-Z of dog training, behaviour and health that’s really worth a look. You can get a free report exposing some of the myths about dog training from here. You can also get a free 6 day mini course on dog training delivered straight to your email inbox from here. Enjoy!