Chewing constitutes a common trouble wherever dogs are pertained, and it's an issue that you want to address and control before long. Do not delay in controlling this behavior in your dog until it is too late, or you will pay a high price for it. My dog chewed my couch, and I did not recognize that his chewing had turned into such a big issue until I actually sat on the couch! As I looked at the region where my dog had chewed, I was astonished on how much damage he could do, in such a short amount of time. That was when I decided that dog training was in order.
Chewing is a normal activity for dogs, and they perform this act for a number of different reasons. If you can figure out what these reasons are,you will be halfway there to eradicating the problem. Dog chewing is natural and absolutely normal for dogs especially when they are young puppies. You need to realize that no punishment will suppress the behavior.
The problem with your dog chewing not only, is related to the damage they can cause to your property, but it could indeed be dangerous for the dog. For example, dogs will all nibble household plants, and care should be taken when this happens since some poinsettias and mistletoe can make your dog ill.
Among the reasons that a dog will chew virtually anything, particularly if it's a young puppy, is that they're teething. Yep! Even as a human baby will begin cranky while they are teething, a young pup responds in a similar way. Chewing aids with the pain caused by the teething process, and so the dog will chew and chew on anything that it can find.
An easy way of combating this, is to allow for your dog to chew certain things. In the particular case of a teething dog, he will enjoy rawhide. Rawhide is obtained from the skins of animals, like cows, pigs, goats and even water buffalo.
Your dog will love a cold rawhide chew, straight from the freezer. It obliterates the pain even as cold soothers or dentition aids alleviates a baby who's teething. If your dog is easily distracted, then attempt placing a number of rawhide chews in the freezer. Take half the amount out on one day and allow your dog chew freely on them. Place them back in the freezer and put the others out the following day. If you change them in this manner, your dog will note that the odor on for each one is a little different each time, and this will preserve his or her attention on the chews and not on your furnishings.
Make sure to oversee your dog as he's chewing the rawhide, to prevent any possible choking.
An additional reason why dogs chew on objects is out of boredom. As a matter of fact, boredom is frequently the root reason for a lot of behavioral problems such as chewing things in the home, destructing furniture, digging out holes, auto-- mutilation or even constant barking. Exercising and keeping your dog active will preclude this sort of behavior.
Toys are an additional way of training your dog not to chew the furniture. Play with your dog with their toys frequently, and they'll before long learn that the toys are fun, and that you don't get bothered with them when they chew them!
Never, but never, allow a dog chew on one of your old shoes, or article of clothing. This will be puzzling for the dog, and they'll assume that all items that smell of ?you? will be fine for them to chew on. This will sooner or later turn into a bad habit, and it you give your dog your old shoe to chew on he will not recognize why you're disturb after he amused himself masticating on your new shoes.
This is what I found it helped me the most, my "secret weapon". Every time I found my dog masticating on something that she wasn't supposed to have in her mouth, I would take the object away from her and quietly substitute it with one of her toys. It took some time, but finally she came to realize what she was permitted to chew on and what not.
Keep in mind, that when you're not there, your dog will become bored, and this is another reason to keep plenty of toys around for him or her to play with. So, you may trip over a couple, but think of your furniture!
Some of the times it's a huge struggle to get your dog to stop chewing in the wrong things, but with perseverance and patience you'll be able to control, if not completely stop his bad chewing habits.
Stop Dog From Chewing
When dogs chew on things, they use their sharp teeth and strong jaws and will produce some pretty awesome damage in minutes if given the chance. "Destructive chewing" is what happens when your dog chews on things that they are not supposed to chew on, such as your shoes, table legs, chairs, pillows, and so on... I mean after all, we really would to prefer their chewing to be limited to their own toys as that is what they are designed for! Dogs that chew do so for three major reasons:
1.) It's fun! It passes time, it could taste good, and it gives the dog a sense of accomplishment.
2.) The next reason is actually just passing the time a bit. In other words, the dog is bored out of her mind and needs something to do. It could also be that the dog is angry or anxious, and does it to help cope with the situation. Kind of like what you used to do when you dug your pen into the desktop in high school.
3.) If the dog doesn't get enough exercise, they may use chewing as an outlet for their unexpended energy. Like you, once again, they could be likened to your tapping your fingers on the table while waiting for your wife (or husband) to get ready to go to dinner.
Preventing Destructive Chewing
Dogs are very smart animals. They are very capable of learning that chewing is not something they should do on certain items while that they are welcome to chew on other things. But your dog doesn't know this out of the gate and it takes a little bit of effort on your part in order to instruct them what is, and is not, the appropriate toy to chew on. Here's one thing that makes sense but few people think about:
Dog Proof!!
One way to curb this behavior is to dog proof your house. This is a lot like child proofing your house when you first have a little one come home with you. You have to consider the childs size, what they can reach and if it's an older child how high it can climb, and/or jump. The same things have to be considered when you bring your dog home for the first time. How high can the dog reach when he gets on its hind legs? How high can the dog jump to get something off the counter? Is there a chair in the perfect position for the dog to make it to the top of the counter to eat the rest of the roast beef you had for dinner?
Another thing you have to consider just like with the child around the house is to not provide the dog with a target that it will easily be found to chew on. For example, don't leave your cell phone on the coach, don't leave your favorite book on the end table, and do NOT leave the remote control in your chair when you get up to get something to drink during the big game.
This will help prevent your dog from learning the joys of "illegal chewing". The more times these, "targets" are left out for your dog to chew on, and the more times they managed to get them, the more often they will look for these targets, and the more they will enjoy chewing them! Unfortunately, if the target is a table leg or a chair leg or the couch it's a little hard to "put away." So in this case you may have to confine them to a dog proofed area without these items until you're sure that she understands the house rules and that these are not huge chew toys meant only for her satisfaction.
Conclusion
So, give this a shot and I am sure you will see that this, combined with some of the other ideas on my web page will break your dog of this nasty habit and many more! Have a Great Day!
Both Dr. Mayra Alfonso & Donald Willson are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
Dr. Mayra Alfonso has sinced written about articles on various topics from Pets, Dog Care and Dog Training. Increase the happy years of your dog by checking out my free e-book. In it I reveal all the secrets I've used to develop a happy, healthier dog. Visit Dr. Alfonso's. Dr. Mayra Alfonso's top article generates over 8100 views. to your Favourites.
Donald Willson has sinced written about articles on various topics from Computers and The Internet, Pregnancy and Pets. Don Willson is a prolific writer that lives in Goochland, VA. He is 54 years old and 14 a heart! Check out his pet website today! Of all the things I. Donald Willson's top article generates over 49500 views. to your Favourites.
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