How To Stop Your Dog From Chewing

If your dog is anything like mine, chewing is a problem. I can’t tell you how many times my little guy tied tearing his chew proof dog beds a new one. The good news is that there are ways to mitigate and put a stop to this type of behavior. While chewing is a common behavior in puppies, older dogs can continue the act if not properly trained. Here are a few steps you can use to help nip the issue in the bud before it gets worse.

• Dog Proofing. Investing in things like chew proof dog beds, and chew proof crate pads can help mitigate the destruction, but they can only do so much on their own. Keeping things out of reach, or gating off certain areas of your home can help prevent your dog from accessing chewable things. Additionally, keeping them crated can help prevent damage while your sleeping or away for short periods, at least until they’ve been trained.
• Chewable Toys. There is a reason chew toys are synonymous with dogs. Giving your furry friend a toy to chew on can help direct his attention away from other things. If you start to see him acting out, gently direct his attention towards the toy. This act of redirection can help train them that the toy is the only appropriate thing to chew.
• Sprays. You can buy nasty tasting straps to also help prevent chewing. If they have particular things they like to chew, spraying a bit of mist on the object will leave them with a bad taste in their mouths if they try chewing. This helps create the association that the object is nasty, meaning (hopefully) your pooch with steer clear of it.
• Exercise. Another option is to tucker the furry fella out. Ensuring that your dog gets plenty of exercise can help calm them down later in the day. It could be that your dog is just bored and looking to release pent up energy by chewing.
• Anxiety. Some dogs experience separation anxiety. This can manifest itself with destructive behaviors simply because the poor dog is scared. Working with your vet, and an animal behaviorist can help treat this problem so that your furry friend doesn’t feel scared to be home alone.
• Baby Steps. As with everything it can take persistent baby steps to completely solve the issue. Always remember to be gentle with your dog because they don’t understand why what they’re doing is bad. With the use of proper management techniques chewing can be stopped.

While going through these steps it may be worth investing in chew proof dog beds and crate pads. This ensures that no damage can occur both a night, and while they are crated. Keep up with the positive reinforcement, and keeping them occupied in other ways. With the proper direction, you can teach your dog to stop chewing.