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Most dog chewing falls in one of the three categories: 1.
Your puppy is teething 2.
Your dog is bored 3.
Your dog is tense or anxious Chewing is a natural way for the dog to relieve the pain, boredom, or anxiety.
Dogs can, however, be taught to chew on appropriate toys while leaving your belongings alone.
If you have a puppy, first puppy-proof your home.
Gone are the days when you can kick off your shoes after work and leave them in living room.
All shoes, clothes, and other items that you don't want chewed need to be placed in a closet or off of the floor.
Make sure your puppy cannot chew on any wires.
Tape them to the wall and use pet repellent to discourage this dangerous habit.
There is a product on the market called Bitter Apple.
It is nontoxic but tastes bad to dogs.
Use it not only on the wires, but on any furniture that the dog might be tempted to chew on.
Now that you have removed the temptation of your belongings, be sure to give your dog appropriate chew toys or treats so that she can ease her pain or stop her boredom.
Frozen treats are great for young puppies that are chewing because it relieve their teething pain.
You can pick up special pet formulas at the store or freeze some peanut butter.
Adult dogs often enjoy frozen treats as well.
Toys that are great for chewing dogs include kongs and nylabones.
Unlike some pet toys which can be dangerous with small pieces, kongs and nylabones are durable and safe.
You can fill a kong with your dog's favorite treat and keep your pooch occupied for hours.
Praise your dog whenever you see him chewing on his toys instead of your furniture.
If your dog is engaging in destructive chewing because of separation anxiety, the above steps will help but may not be sufficient.
Consider crate training your dog so that you may safely kennel her in your home while you are gone.
Adult dogs may be crated up to five hours at a time.
If your dog is suffering from separation anxiety, seek training on ending this behavior.
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