Destructive Dog Chewing
" How To Stop A Dog From Chewing
Up All Your Stuff! "
The
act of chewing seems to be a matter of individual preference among
dogs. While some have a desire to chew as a pleasurable activity,
some seem to have no need to chew unless they are driven to it out
of boredom.
The
phrase “destructive chewing” may sound redundant, because
all chewing is destructive. Dogs have very strong jaws that are full
of sharp, pointy teeth. Just about anything a dog starts to chew on
is probably going to show some effects. So just to clarify a bit,
when I use the phrase “destructive chewing”, i am referring
to inappropriate chewing. The kind of dog chewing that is focused
on your own possessions and household items, and not on your dog’s
own toys and chews.
Dogs
chew for three main reasons:
- Most dogs just
have a natural desire to chew. It is fun, it passes the time, and
it is a self-rewarding & self-reinforcing activity - for example,
if she is chewing on something that tastes good.
- Chewing provides
a lonely, nervous, or bored dog with an outlet for her emotions. To
an anxious dog, the repetitive act of chewing is soothing – it
is like the doggie equivalent of comfort food.
- Under-exercised
dogs often use chewing as a way of burning up nervous energy &
giving themselves something to do.
How to prevent destructive
chewing
Dogs
are perfectly capable of learning not to chew on your stuff, but you
have to put in a little effort first, that’s all.
- You need to
take control of the situation and manage your own possessions. Your
first step should be to doggie-proof your home. Even if you think
you have the best-behaved dog in the world, there is still no reason
to test her self-control. After all, dogs explore the world with their
mouths.
Doggie-proofing
your home means taking whatever you do not want to end up in her mouth,
and making it unavailable. You should also consider her size &
agility when deciding whether something is out of reach. Can she jump,
climb, or leap onto something else to reach the desired object? How
tall is she when standing on her back legs?
- Prevent her
from learning the joys of destructive chewing. The more times she
manages to snatch a mouthful of forbidden substances – a chair-leg,
a shoe , apillow – the more readily she will target those same
items in future. If you can prevent her from chewing your stuff in
the first place, it is a lot easier for her to understand what you
expect of her.
- Do not set
her up for failure byconfusing the boundaries between her stuff (OK
to chew) and your stuff (not OK to chew). Do not offer your dog old
shoes, clothes, or towels to chew and play with. You cannot expect
her to be able to tell the difference between your current shoes and
the one she has in her mouth that you gave her a couple minutes ago.
- Provide her
with lots of tasty alternatives to chewing your stuff. If her environment
doesn't have attractive, appropriate chewing objects, you can't really
blame her for targeting your possessions. Remember that most dogs
need to chew. Go on a toy & chew shopping spree and give her two
or three to play with at a time. Rotating the available toys every
few days will keep things interesting and exciting for her.
- Make sure to
spend lots of time supervising. Of course it would be easier for you
to just keep her locked up in her crate or the yard, but that is boring
and very bad for her. She cannot learn what you expect of her if she
is spending all of her time locked up. She needs the chance &
opportunity to explore the boundaries of your expectations. This way
she can understand what is appropriate and what is not.
- When you catch
her chewing something inappropriate, interrupt her by making a loud
noise. Clap your hands or make an “Ah-ah-aaaah!” noise.
After that, immediately hand her a tasty & dog appropriate alternative
like a rawhide bone or other chew toy. As soon as she takes it, praise
her lavishly. There is no better way to get your dog to understand
that chewing “her” chews equals praise from you, and everything
else equals trouble.
Maintain a productive
attitude
Above
all, remember to keep realistic expectations. You are not perfect,
and neither is your dog. There is likely to be at least one incident
where a cherished item is destroyed by her curiosity.
Particularly
in the early stages of your relationship, she will still be learning
the rules. It will take awhile before she is completely reliable.
Even then, if she is left by herself for too long or feels neglected,
she may choose your stuff over hers to occupy her time. Remember to
give her time to learn the rules. Don’t forget to take precautions
& keep things out of reach until she has gotten the hang of the
chewing rules.
For
more information on the best
dog training techniques, and how to deal with dog behavior problems
like chewing, click
here. It’s the complete manual for dog ownership and is designed
to fast-track your dog’s learning.
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