How To Help Your Dog Stop Destructive Chewing

No matter how adorable your puppy is, they can be mischievous little devils that drive you out of your mind. One of the biggest battles you can have with your dog is trying to teach them to stop chewing everything around them.

But chewing is completely normal. Puppies will chew to soothe the pain created by their teeth growing in, while older dogs chew because of their instinct. Sometimes chewing is used as a response to anxiety, to alleviate boredom, or to investigate their surroundings.

When your dog chews things they know they shouldn’t even touch, like your shoes or a couch, that’s called destructive chewing. When you’re dealing with that, don’t punish your dog for their behavior. Yelling at them for something they did minutes or hours before will only confuse them. They won’t be able to connect the punishment to their past actions. So, it’s important to solve the issue from the root.

If you have a young puppy who is chewing to soothe the pain caused by their growing teeth, try teething toys. Don’t give them harder toys a those can cause damage to their puppy teeth, which are soft and hollow. A freezing cold washcloth can also do the trick.

Some adult pups might get bored during the day and resort to chewing as a form of entertainment. While you aren’t home, give them solid toys and keep them in a smaller room where they can’t reach valuable objects. Before you leave home, make sure you take them on a long walk to relieve some of the boredom.

Your dog might chew because of stress or separation anxiety. If it’s stress, try to remove the stressful factors and comfort them when needed. If it’s separation anxiety, train them to stay alone. Gradually prolong how long your dog is left alone. Give them treats to make being left alone be seen as a good thing.

Some breeds are just heavy chewers, and there’s nothing else you can do but provide them with durable chew toys.