subject: Learn To Stop Your Dog From Chewing Everything [print this page] All dogs have a natural instinct to chew, so when we are trying to learn how to get our dogs to stop chewing everything, we are talking about everything they're not supposed to be chewing on obviously. Dogs have extremely strong jaws and that, coupled with the fact that their mouths are full of sharp, pointy teeth, means that their chewing can become destructive very quickly. In order to keep your dog from destroying your belongings such as furniture, clothes, shoes, etc, you must find a way to keep their focus on their own designated toys and chews.
The main reasons why a dog chews is because it's fun and passes the time. It's a self-rewarding activity, and that is especially true if she's found something that tastes really good to her. If your dog is nervous or anxious, you may also find that she likes to find things around the house to chew. Chewing for a dog is the equivalent of comfort food for a human - it relaxes them. The last main reason that your dog may excessively chew on everything is that she lacks exercise, and chewing helps to burn off that extra energy she has built up.
Knowing the why is just the first step in learning to stop your dog from chewing everything. The prevention and handling comes next, and it WILL take some effort on your part, but rest-assured your dog is perfectly capable of learning not to chew on your things. Here are some steps in helping to stop this destructive behavior:
* Dog-proof your home - Make whatever you don't want in her mouth unavailable to her. Keep in mind your dog's size and agility when doing this as well. If she can jump well or climb, then keep these objects out of her range. Make sure all food, human and dog, are securely put away, and don't leave snacks on low tables or countertops.
* Don't blur the boundaries - A common mistake of dog owners is that they will give their dog an old shoe or slipper to chew on and expect that the dog will know the difference between the old shoe they're allowed to chew on and the ones that are forbidden. It's unrealistic to expect your dog to know the difference. If you don't want your dog chewing on shoes, clothing, towels, etc, DO NOT giver her old ones to chew on. You are just setting your dog up for failure if you do.
* Give your dog her own tasty chew toys - We already discussed that your dog is going to naturally chew so it's a good idea to provide her with a bunch of tasty alternatives. Keep a nice large stash of chew toys around for your dog and give her 2 or 3 of them at a time. About once a week, rotate her toys so that your dog always has fresh and interesting chews around.
* Supervision - Active supervision is one of the best preventions for chewing. If you never allow your dog to learn the joys of chewing she will obviously not try to. When you're not around you can pen your dog in an already dog-proofed room where she cannot chew on forbidden objects, but when you are around, let her explore and be active in correcting inappropriate behavior right away.
* Interruption - When your dog attempts to chew on something that you don't want her to, interrupt her right away by clapping loudly or make a stern "Ah-Aah-Aaaah!" noise. Immediately after that, replace the object with one of her own chew toys.
* Praise your dog - When your dog chews on dog-appropriate objects, like her own toys or bones, offer your dog praise for being such a good doggie.
* More exercise - Finally, take your dog for some extra walks or longer ones if you find that your dog has now picked up the bad habit of chewing on things she shouldn't be. You may find out that this will wear off some of her energy so she'll spend more time snoozing than chewing.
The more quality time you spend with your dog, the faster she will learn the ropes and keep the destructive chewing to a minimum. Remember, when it comes to stopping this behavior, take precautionary steps so that your dog is not even tempted by keeping objects out of her view and reach. Lastly, make sure you always maintain a productive attitude and exercise a lot of patience whenever you are training your dog.
