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Posts Tagged ‘destructive chewing’

Puppy chewing problems can turn the joy of a new puppy into a nightmare.  However, you can solve the problem of destructive chewing.  All puppies chew, but it’s up to you as the dog owner to teach your puppy which items are off-limits to his teeth.  Here are ten tips that can help. 

1. Take Time To Puppy-proof Your Home

Instead of always yelling at your pup for getting into things, it’s better to temporarily put away things you don’t want him to damage. Cover or tape down electrical wires, hide your plants where he can’t get to them, and put away the throw rugs for now. Put trash bins in the closet, along with the toilet paper and any household cleaners. Put your clothes and shoes away. Secure anything heavy that a puppy could pull down on himself to prevent injuries.

2. Give Him Only Two Or Three Toys At A Time

If your puppy has too many toys, he’ll have a hard time learning what belongs to him and what belongs to you. Plus he’ll get bored with his toys after a couple of days. That’s when you put those toys up and give him different ones.

3. Confine Him Safely To One Place

If you’re not able to keep an eye on your puppy, it’s best to confine him to a safe area where he can’t destroy anything or get hurt. Keep him in one room by using a wire-reinforced puppy gate. You may want to confine him to a crate that’s the right size for him. Puppies often feel more secure in a small, protected den area like a crate. It also gives you peace of mind because you know destructive chewing isn’t happening while you’re gone.

4. Lots And Lots Of Exercise Is Essential

Your pup needs one to two hours of active exercise outside every day. Playing fetch with a ball or other toy can help to stop puppy chewing, too, as well as using up all that excess energy all puppies have.

5. A Puppy Playmate Can Help, Too

Playing with another puppy will also use up his energy, as well as teaching him how to interact with other dogs.

6. Begin Basic Dog Obedience Training Even Though He’s Still Young

Keep the sessions very short. A young puppy can’t concentrate too long, but a 30-second “mini-session” several times a day is a good start. Don’t ignore training opportunities as they arise during the day. If you take time now to correct small problem behaviors as they occur , you’ll prevent them from becoming big problem behaviors in a few months.

7. Find An Agility Training Course For Him

These classes are a lot of fun, plus your puppy is getting lots of exercise while he’s becoming more coordinated and confident. It’s easy to make it into a win-win situation for both of you.

8. Use A Bitter-Tasting Spray

If your puppy just won’t leave the sofa leg alone, try spraying it with a bitter-tasting substance. These sprays are available at pet stores, and they can be very effective in convincing your puppy that he doesn’t want to chew on the chair leg after all.

9. Don’t Punish Him After The Fact

You can’t stop puppy chewing by punishing him for something he did several hours ago. Dogs live in the present. Your pup can’t connect the fact that he chewed up your shoe two hours ago with your being upset now that you’ve just found it.

You either have to catch him in the act of chewing, or better yet, prevent the problem in the first place. See numbers one and three above.

10. Remember that it’s up to you to teach your puppy what kind of behavior is and isn’t acceptable, right from Day 1.

You should know that investing in a good dog training course will pay dividends now, and throughout your dog’s life.  If your puppy chews everything in sight, click on any link in this article to discover how a good dog training course will help you quickly solve your puppy behavior problems.

Are you frustrated with dog chewing problems?  Why do canines engage in destructive dog behavior like this?  How can you stop destructive chewing?  Here are tips you can use to stop dogs from chewing.

Why Does My Dog Chew On Everything?

Puppies chew on things for one reason; they’re cutting teeth.  If you’ve ever been around a human baby who’s teething, you know how chewing on a teething ring helps soothe those sore gums.  It’s like this for puppies too.  They’re in the process of losing baby teeth while adult teeth are coming in.  Sore gums are the result, and chewing helps soothe the pain.

An older dog may chew for many reasons.  One of the most common is that it helps to relieve stress and anxiety.  When a dog chews, endorphins are released.  These are chemicals that soothe and calm your dog.  You dog doesn’t know about endorphins, but he does know that chewing on things makes him feel better.

Chewing also helps to keep your dog’s teeth clean and strong.  Remember, if your dog is chewing, he’s not digging holes or barking, so there is an upside to this.

So chewing isn’t all bad.  But chewing becomes destructive chewing when your dog chews on things other than his toys.  How do you stop dogs from chewing on your toys?

How Do I Train My Dog Not To Chew?

You may be surprised to learn that your dog doesn’t know the difference between your stuff and his.  Even if he has lots of toys to chew on, he’ll still chew on a chair leg because he thinks everything in the house is a toy.  It’s up to you to teach him two things; that everything is not a toy, and that he’s not allowed to chew on things that belong to you.

Start by teaching him which toys are his.  Play with your dog, using one of his toys.  He’ll associate the toy with having fun, both with you, and by playing with the toy.  Another way to teach your dog that his toys are wonderful is to get a toy you can stuff with peanut butter or another treat.  He gets an instant food reward when he licks it out while playing with it.

If your dog picks up something that belongs to you, use the “drop-it” command, or clap your hands and make a noise to startle him into dropping it.  As soon as he does, give him one of his toys right away.  When he starts playing with it, reward him.  This is how you teach him that it’s good for him to chew on his own toys, but not good when he chews on yours.

It’s still necessary to dog-proof your home, and put away anything you really don’t want destroyed until you know you can trust him.  Or you may need to confine him to one room in your home where he can’t destroy anything when you have to leave the house.

Shouldn’t I Punish Him For Destructive Dog Behavior?

No.  If you don’t catch your dog in the act, he won’t have a clue why you’re mad at him.  If you do, you’ll teach him to wait until you’re gone to start destructive chewing.

Dogs operate on rewards.  If you reward your dog with attention (good or bad) for doing something, he’ll continue to do it, even if it’s something you don’t want him to do.  Focus on his good behavior by praising and rewarding him, while ignoring his bad dog behavior as much as you can.  A dog won’t continue doing something if he doesn’t get a reward for doing it.

Training your dog is an ongoing process that never really ends.  You’ll find that investing in a good dog training course will repay itself many times over in building a great relationship with your dog, while avoiding dog chewing problems.

Chewing is a matter of individual preference among dogs: some derive great pleasure from chewing and others just do it when they are extremely bored.

The phrase “destructive chewing” may sound redundant, because – by its very nature! – all chewing is destructive. Your dog has strong jaws full of sharp, pointy teeth: just about anything she starts to chew on is probably going to show the effects of it inside of a minute. To be clear when I use the phrase “destructive chewing” I am referring to chewing your possessions and house items instead of hers.

The three main reasons why dogs chew:

– Most dogs have a natural desire to chew. And really it’s fun and passes time a self-rewarding, self-reinforcing activity.)

Chewing is an outlet for a nervous bored or lonely dog. To an anxious dog, the repetitive act of chewing is soothing – it’s the doggie equivalent of comfort food.

If dogs are not exercised to burn up their excess energy they often turn to chewing to give themselves something to do.

– How to prevent bad chewing -

Dogs can learn not to chew your things – you just need to work at it.

1. Take control of the situation: manage your own possessions. Your first step should be to dog-proof your home. Even if she is well-behaved there is no reason to test her self-control – after all dogs explore the world with their mouth.

Dog-proofing your home means taking whatever you don’t want to end up in her mouth, and making it unavailable. Consider her size and agility when deciding whether something’s out of reach: can she jump? Can she climb on something to reach the desired object? How tall is she when standing on her back legs?

Small crunchy appliances such as cell phones, cameras and remote controls and eyewear, shoes and garbage are often targets in the home.

when food is at stake you will be surprised how easy she can get to it, all food needs to be put securely away!), put all food into containers or the pantry. Make sure you scrape out plates and rinse them before leaving them by the sink.

2. Prevent her from learning the joys of illegal chewing. The more times she gets to have forbidden substances such as a pilow, shoes and carpet runners the more readily she will grab them in the future. If you can prevent her from chewing your stuff in the first place, it’s a lot easier for her to understand what you expect of her. Practically speaking, this means confining her in a dog-proofed area until you’re confident of her understanding of the house rules.

3. Don’t set her up for failure by blurring the boundaries between her stuff (OK to chew) and your stuff (not OK to chew). Don’t offer your dog cast-off clothes, shoes, or towels to chew and play with: realistically, you can’t possibly expect her to be able to tell the difference between your current shoes and the one she’s got in her mouth that you gave her five minutes ago.

4. Give her lots of different, good tasting alternatives to your things. If her environment is relatively barren of attractive, appropriate chewing objects, you can hardly blame her for targeting your possessions. Just think, most dogs need to chew; especially if she’s an adolescent or a puppy. Go on a shopping spree and pick up several toys and chews so that you can give her two or three at a time. Rotate her toys and make it interesting.

5. Spend lots of time in active supervision. Yes, it might be easier for you to just keep her penned up in her crate, run, or the yard – but that’s boring and horrible for her, and hardly much fun for you either (if you wanted a pet that you don’t need to interact with, you’d have got a goldfish, right?) She can’t learn what you expect of her if she’s spending all her time boxed up in the dog-proof zone: she needs the opportunity to explore the boundaries of your expectations, so she can understand what’s appropriate and what’s not.

6. Make a loud noise like clapping your hand or make an “Ah-ah-aaaah” when you catch her chewing something you don’t want her to chew!” noise. Then, immediately hand her a tasty and dog-appropriate alternative (a rawhide bone or other chew toy); as soon as her jaws close around it, praise her lavishly. There is no better way to get your dog to understand that chewing “her ” toys is good but that everything else is bad.

– Maintain a productive attitude -

Above all, remember to keep your expectations realistic. You’re not perfect, and neither is your dog: there’s likely to be at least one incident where a cherished item is damaged by her curiosity.

Particularly in the early stages of your relationship, she’s still learning the ropes: it’ll take awhile before she’s completely reliable (and even then, if she’s left by herself for too long or feels neglected, she may choose your stuff over hers to occupy her time and jaws with.) Remember to give her time to learn the rules, and plenty of ‘you-time’ to help her learn faster – and don’t forget to take precautions and keep things out of reach until she’s got the hang of the chewing rules!

For more information on dog training techniques and how to deal with problem dog behavior (like chewing), check out Secrets to Dog Training. It’s the complete manual for dog ownership and is designed to fast-track your dog’s learning.

Tell me, does this describe you?Puppy chewing has turned your dream of having a happy, obedient dog into a nightmare as your belongings are shredded into a million little pieces due to of dog chewing problems.  Don’t despair.  You can stop puppy chewing by learning some dog training basics. 

You Need To Understand Why Puppies Chew On Things

If you’ve ever been around a human baby, you know that they learn about their surroundings by putting everything in their mouths.  A puppy is no different.  Puppies chew on chair legs, shoes, and whatever they can get hold of.  This is normal behavior, but that doesn’t mean it’s not destructive chewing.

Also like human babies, puppies chew on things because they’re teething.  When a dog chews, endorphins are released.  These chemicals soothe your puppy and make his sore gums feel better.

The Do’s Of Dog Training Basics For Puppies

Puppies don’t automatically outgrow chewing on everything.Training him to stop puppy chewing on things that don’t belong to him is your job as a dog owner.

You can prevent dog chewing problems by putting things away.  Don’t leave out eyeglasses, shoes, or the tv remote where he can get them.Move your defenseless plants to a safer place, and put the trash can in the closet.  Pick up throw rugs, socks, and anything else he’s tempted to chew on.

One suggestion is to make furniture and things you can’t move taste bad to your puppy by spraying them with a bitter-tasting substance.  These sprays, available at pet stores, are very effective at stopping destructive chewing.

Provide lots of chew toys.  Only give him two or three at a time so he can learn that they belong to him.  If he starts chewing on something off-limits, say “drop-it” and make a noise to startle him into dropping the object.  Immediately give him one of his chew toys and praise him when he puts it in his mouth.  This teaches him two things; he’s learning the “drop-it” command, and he’s also learning what things he should and should chew on.

Your puppy needs a couple of hours of vigorous exercise every day.  Take him out and play with him.Use this playtime for training opportunities as they come up.  A young puppy can’t concentrate for long, but taking advantage of thirty seconds here and there to work on basic commands lays a good foundation for training. 

Keep an eye on your new friend.  If you’re busy and can’t watch him, put him on his leash and tie it to your belt.  Make sure he has something to play with.  Now he can’t wander off and get into mischief if you turn your back for a minute.

When you leave the house, confine your puppy to one area, either in his crate, or by using a wire-reinforced puppy gate. 

What Not To Do When Dealing With Dog Chewing Problems

Don’t confuse your puppy by giving him old shoes or socks or towels to chew on.  He can’t tell the difference between an old worn out running shoe and the ones you just paid $150 for yesterday.  The boundaries between acceptable and unacceptable things to chew on must be very clear.

Avoid leaving him tied up outside all the time.  Your puppy needs to spend lots of time with you, so he can learn what you expect from him.  He can’t do this if he’s always in a puppy-proof environment.

Unless you catch him the act of destructive chewing, don’t punish him.He can’t comprehend that you’re upset about what he did three hours ago.  You might think he’s acting guilty, but what’s really happening is that he’s scared and threatened by you being angry and upset.  The guilty-looking behavior is actually a submissive posture that has nothing to do with being caught misbehaving.

You can see that it’s very easy to do the wrong thing when trying to stop puppy chewing.  The best way to train your puppy correctly is to make the investment in a well-recommended dog training course right now.

If you’re trying to stop puppy chewing, visit No More Bad Dogs to discover how a good dog training course will help you solve your puppy behavior problems.

Let’s face it, puppies and chewing go together like bread and butter. Puppies learn about their surroundings by either sniffing on something or putting it in their mouths and chewing on it. Puppies chew on things, but to avoid destructive chewing, it’s up to their owners to teach them which items are off-limits. Here are ten ways to stop puppy chewing and destruction.

1. Take Time To Puppy-proof Your Home

Instead of always yelling at your pup for getting into things, it’s better to temporarily put away things you don’t want him to damage. Pick up the throw rugs, put the plants someplace where he can’t get to them, and cover or tape down electrical wires. Put trash bins in the closet, along with the toilet paper and any household cleaners. Put your clothes and shoes away. Secure anything heavy that a puppy could pull down and hurt himself.

2. Give Him Only Two Or Three Toys At A Time

If your puppy has too many toys, he’ll have a hard time learning what belongs to him and what belongs to you. Plus he’ll get bored with his toys after a couple of days. That’s when you put those toys up and give him different ones.

3. Confine Him Safely To One Place

If you’re not able to keep an eye on your puppy, it’s best to confine him to a safe area where he can’t destroy anything or get hurt. Keep him in one room by using a wire-reinforced puppy gate. Another idea is to confine him to a crate that’s the right size for him. Puppies often feel more secure in a small, protected den area like a crate. It also gives you peace of mind because you know destructive chewing isn’t happening in your absence.

4. Lots And Lots Of Exercise Is Essential

Your pup needs one to two hours of active exercise outside every day. Playing fetch with a ball or other toy can help to stop puppy chewing, too, as well as using up all that excess energy all puppies have.

5. A Puppy Playmate Can Help, Too

Playing with another puppy will also use up his energy, as well as teaching him how to interact with other dogs.

6. Begin Basic Dog Obedience Training Even Though He’s Still Young

Keep the sessions very short. A young puppy can’t concentrate too long, but a 30-second “mini-session” several times a day is a good start. Don’t ignore training opportunities as they arise during the day. It’s much easier to correct small problem behaviors as they occur to prevent them from becoming big problem behaviors in a few months.

7. Find An Agility Training Course For Him

These classes are a lot of fun, plus your puppy is getting lots of exercise while he’s becoming more coordinated and confident. Make it into a win-win situation for both of you.

8. Use A Bitter-Tasting Spray

If your puppy just won’t leave the sofa leg alone, try spraying it with a bitter-tasting substance. You can get these sprays at any pet store; they’re very effective in making your puppy wonder what he ever saw in that chair leg.

9. Don’t Punish Him After The Fact

You can’t stop puppy chewing by punishing him for something he did several hours ago. Dogs live in the present. Your pup can’t connect the fact that he chewed up your shoe two hours ago with your being upset now that you’ve just found it.

You either have to catch him in the act of chewing, or better yet, prevent the problem in the first place. See numbers one and three above.

10. Remember that it’s up to you to teach your puppy what kind of behavior is and isn’t acceptable, right from Day 1.

You should know that making the investment in a good dog training course will pay dividends now, and through your dog’s life. Avoiding destructive chewing now is only the first step in preventing dog behavior problems throughout your pup’s life.

If you’re trying to stop puppy chewing, visit No More Bad Dogs to discover how a good dog training course will help you solve your puppy behavior problems.

Has this ever happened to you?  You come home to find that your dog has been chewing on your favorite shoes–again!  If dog chewing problems are a headache for you, read on to discover the four big reasons for destructive chewing.   

A Bored Dog Is A Dog That Will Engage In Destructive Dog Behavior

Dogs tend to play rough.  They chew on things and pick them up in their mouths to shake them, thereby “killing” them.  Tearing their toys to shreds is all part of the game.  This is natural dog behavior.  The problem starts when it’s your things the dog is playing with, not his own.

A bored dog will usually find something to do if he’s left by himself with nothing to occupy him.  Unfortunately, his idea of fun often involves destroying things, especially if he’s a puppy or adolescent, and he doesn’t have anything else to do to use up all his energy. 

What’s the solution?Your dog needs plenty of exercise.  Play fetch with him.  Go for long walks, and give your dog plenty of time to sniff at interesting things.Many dog owners aren’t aware that walks are great training opportunities, too.  They’re much more than just bathroom breaks for your dog.

Make sure your dog has plenty of toys.  Rotate them so he always has something new to interest him.Your dog will be entertained and happy for a long time if he’s presented with a toy stuffed with food.

Separation Anxiety In Dogs

This problem often shows up with dogs who are too attached to their owners.  Your dog has a panic attack whenever you leave him by himself.  Dogs with separation anxiety often chew on things to comfort and soothe themselves when they’re alone.  It makes him feel better.

The important thing to remember is that your dog isn’t chewing on your belongings to get back at you for leaving him alone.  He’s doing it because he’s scared; punishing him will add to the problem.

Separation anxiety in dogs is a tough problem to solve, but with lots of time and patience, you can desensitize your dog so he doesn’t react so strongly to your leaving.

Your Dog Wants Your Attention…

And he will do anything to get it, even if the attention is bad.  A dog who doesn’t get much attention unless he misbehaves is a dog who’s being trained to misbehave. 

It’s a hard thing to understand, but dogs are reward-based.  The best way to get a dog to stop doing something is to ignore him when he does it.  If he gets your attention, whether it’s good or bad, he’s been rewarded for what he’s been doing.

Give your dog lots of positive attention.  Play with him, take him for walks, just spend time with him.  If your dog is getting lots of good attention from you when he behaves well, he won’t resort to destructive chewing to get your attention.

Fearful Dogs

Anxiety in dog is often a problem with canines who are scared of loud noises like thunder or fireworks.He’ll attack doors, door frames, window coverings, screens, and walls, in an attempt to escape from whatever is frightening him. 

Don’t comfort your dog when he reacts fearfully to things.  You’re rewarding his behavior with your attention, which will only serve to reinforce it.Play with him and reward him when he responds to you, not to whatever is scaring him. 

Remember to provide a place where your dog feels safe during a scary situation.  This way he can retreat there when you’re absent.

To sum up, it’s important that you find and correct the reason for dog chewing problems.  A good dog training course is essential so that you can learn how to end destructive dog behavior without making the situation worse.

If you’re dealing with dog chewing problems, visit No More Bad Dogs to learn more about a dog training course that will help to solve your problem.

Are you frustrated with dog chewing problems?  Why do canines engage in destructive dog behavior like this?  How can you stop destructive chewing?  Learn easy ways to stop dogs from chewing by reading this article.

Why Does My Dog Chew On Everything?

The main reason puppies chew on things is that they’re cutting teeth.  If you’ve ever been around a human baby who’s teething, you know how chewing on a teething ring helps soothe those sore gums.  It’s like this for puppies too.  They’re in the process of losing baby teeth while adult teeth are coming in.Chewing on his toys helps his sore gums to feel better.

An older dog may chew for many reasons.  One of the most common is that it helps to relieve stress and anxiety.  When a dog chews, endorphins are released.  These are chemicals that soothe and calm your dog.  You dog doesn’t know about endorphins, but he does know that chewing on things makes him feel better.

Chewing also helps to keep your dog’s teeth clean and strong.  Remember, if your dog is chewing, he’s not digging holes or barking, so there is an upside to this.

So chewing isn’t all bad.  But chewing becomes destructive chewing when your dog chews on things other than his toys.  How do you stop dogs from chewing on your toys?

How Do I Train My Dog Not To Chew?

You may be surprised to learn that your dog doesn’t know the difference between your stuff and his.  Even if he has lots of toys to chew on, he’ll still chew on a chair leg because he thinks everything in the house is a toy.  It’s up to you to teach him two things; that everything is not a toy, and that he’s not allowed to chew on things that belong to you.

Start by teaching him which toys are his.  Play with your dog, using one of his toys.  He’ll associate the toy with having fun, both with you, and by playing with the toy.  Another way to teach your dog that his toys are wonderful is to get a toy you can stuff with peanut butter or another treat.  He gets an instant food reward when he licks it out while playing with it.

If your dog picks up something that belongs to you, use the “drop-it” command, or clap your hands and make a noise to startle him into dropping it.As soon as he obeys you, give him one of his toys right away.  When he starts playing with it, reward him.  This is how you teach him that it’s good for him to chew on his own toys, but not good when he chews on yours.

Dog-proofing your home is still a good idea; put anything you really don’t want destroyed in a safe place until you know you can trust him.Or else keep him confined to one room in your home where he can’t destroy anything in your absence.

Shouldn’t I Punish Him For Destructive Dog Behavior?

No.  If you don’t catch your dog in the act, he won’t have a clue why you’re mad at him.You’ll teach him to wait until you’ve left the scene to start destructive chewing. 

Dogs operate on rewards.  If you reward your dog with attention (good or bad) for doing something, he’ll continue to do it, even if it’s something you don’t want him to do.Do your best to ignore bad dog behavior as much as possible, while praising and rewarding him when he’s a good dog.  A dog won’t continue doing something if he doesn’t get a reward for doing it.

Training your dog is an ongoing process that never really ends.  In conclusion, you’ll find that an investment in a good dog training course will repay itself many times over in building a great relationship with your dog, while avoiding dog chewing problems. 

If you’re dealing with dog chewing problems, visit No More Bad Dogs to learn more about a dog training course that will help to solve your problem.

Why is it that destructive chewing is a problem for so many dogs?  How to stop dogs from chewing is the question of the year for many dog owners.  Read on to find seven solutions for dog chewing problems.

Why Do Dogs Chew?

Dogs like to chew on things for several reasons.  The first is that chewing is instinctive for your dog.  Dogs play rough, and part of their play is to chew things up into little pieces.  If whatever they’re chewing on tastes good, that’s a bonus.

A bored dog, or one that’s anxious about something will chew on something to soothe himself, or to give himself something to do.There is a similarity to people who eat when they’re upset over something or need something to do.

Your dog needs lots of exercise to burn up his excess energy.  If he’s not getting the exercise he needs, he’ll find a way to use that energy, and he may turn to chewing on your shoes to do it.

Another reason that dog chewing problems surface is that you’re not giving your dog enough time and attention.  Your dog craves your attention, whether it’s good or bad.  If your dog only gets attention from you when he’s engaged in destructive chewing, you can bet that he’ll keep doing it.

Six Solutions To Dog Chewing Problems

Your undivided attention is the one thing your dog needs from you.  Play fetch with him, take him for long walks, spend time with him.  Lots of exercise will use up the extra energy he has. 

Dog-proof your home.  Put away things like shoes, cell phones, tv remotes, books, eyeglasses, and whatever other goodies your dog loves to chew on.  Dogs don’t resist temptation well, so don’t tempt him. 

Keep your dog’s size and agility in mind when you’re putting things away.  Can he jump up on the counter to get at something?  Or is he a climber?  Or is he big enough to just stand on his hind legs and reach it? 

Don’t leave your canine friend tied up in the yard all the time.If your dog is always left in a dog-proofed area all the time, he can’t learn what you expect from him.  He does need to push the boundaries when you’re there, so he can learn which toys are his, and which are off limits.

Speaking of toys, you’ll want to keep lots of toys on hand.  Give your dog two or three at a time, and swap them out every couple of days.  Dogs lose interest in the same old thing, just like we do, so give him lots of variety.

Don’t blur the boundaries.  Avoid giving your dog old shoes or clothing or towels to chew on. It’s unrealistic to expect him to know the difference between your old shoe and your new designer shoes.  To a dog, a shoe is a shoe.

The Seventh Solution – Catch Him In The Act Of Destructive Chewing

Now you have a teachable moment.  If he knows the “drop-it” command, use it.If he doesn’t, get his attention by clapping your hands or saying, “Ah-ah-aaah!” loudly.  In either case, give him an appropriate chew toy right away.  Praise him as soon as his mouth closes around it.  You’re training him that chewing on his own toys is fine, but yours are off-limits.

Punishment seldom works to stop dogs from chewing.  If you don’t catch him in the act, he’ll have no idea why he’s in trouble.  And even if you do, he’s liable to just wait until you’re gone to chew on your things.

You can see how easy it is to inadvertently give your dog the wrong idea when training him.  The best thing you can do is to invest in a good dog training course, so you’ll avoid making mistakes and having to retrain him to stop dog chewing.

If you’re trying to stop dogs from chewing, visit No More Bad Dogs to learn more about a dog training course that will help you to solve your dog’s problem.