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Posts Tagged ‘stop dogs from chewing’

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.

It’s likely that you are here because you want to find out how to stop your dog from chewing your clothing, cushions, and shoes.

Dogs will vary in their need to chew. Some dogs will only chew when they are bored, while others will do it for the pleasure of the chewing activity.

Here are the main reasons for destructive and inappropriate dog chewing:

• The desire to chew is innate to most dogs, especially if the item being chewed tastes good.
• Chewing can be an emotionally satisfying activity for a bored or lonely dog. A nervous dog may find chewing to be a soothing activity, somewhat like comfort food is to humans.
• A dog that is not given sufficient exercise may chew to burn up excess energy or to keep himself busy.

How To Stop Dogs Chewing

With a little effort and training on your part, you can stop dogs chewing and damaging your stuff.

• First of all, your home needs to be dog-proofed. If you don’t want your dog to chew something, you should ensure that it is kept well away from his jaws. You will need to consider whether your dog will be able to jump, climb, leap, or stand on his hind legs in order to reach the object of his desire.

• Some of a dog’s favorite things to chew are shoes, eye glasses, clothing, cushions. They also love small crunchy items such as cell phones, cameras, and remote controls.

• Of course, in order to stop dogs chewing, all food must be safely placed in the pantry or in containers. You should rinse dirty dishes before leaving them in the sink. Food or snacks left on a low surface or even on the kitchen counter will be gobbled up in an instant by your delighted dog.

• Stop dogs from discovering the enjoyment of inappropriate chewing. If your dog is prevented from chewing your stuff early in his life, the easier it will be for him to understand what you require of him. Your dog will be more likely to chew on items such as furniture, clothing, and books, if he is frequently provided with the opportunity to do so. Until your dog has a full understanding of the house rules, he should be restricted to the doggy-proofed area of the house.

• Your dog must be made to understand what is your stuff (not for chewing) and his stuff (OK to chew). If you offer a dog cast-off shoes, he cannot be expected to know the difference between the one in his mouth that he is allowed to chew and the brand new shoes in the hallway. The same thing goes for clothing, towels etc.

• Stop dogs chewing by providing them with plenty of enticing alternatives to your prized possessions. Don’t forget that most dogs feel the need to chew, particularly puppies and dogs less than three years of age. Purchase chews or dog toys, providing your dog with a maximum of three all at once. The toys should have different tastes and be of varying shapes and textures. Rotating the toys will keep your dog interested and amused.

• Spend plenty of time actively supervising your dog. He won’t be able to figure out what is expected of him if he in constantly confined to the dog-proofed area. So your dog is able to comprehend what is appropriate and what is not, he will need to be given the chance to explore the limits of your expectations.

• When you catch your dog in the act of inappropriate chewing, clap your hands or say “No” in a firm voice!”. Give him appropriate alternatives such as rawhide bones or chew toys. The minute he bites down on it, you should praise him. This will help your dog to understand that he will be in trouble if he chews your belongings and will be praised when he restricts his chewing to his own stuff.

My recommended dog training guide to stop dogs chewing is: Secrets to Dog Training

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.