Reasons Dogs Chew And How You Can Help Them Stop Chewing

Reasons Dogs Chew And How You Can Help Them Stop Chewing

Does your dog chew through just about everything, including your furniture, shoes, and books? Here’s what you need to know to change this behavior.

Reasons Dogs Chew

Chewing is a healthy and normal behavior, but when it becomes destructive, it’s a problem. Destructive chewing may occur because the dog:

  • Is stressed out
  • Has too much pent-up energy
  • Is teething
  • Enjoys chewing and doesn’t have better options

Correcting Chewing

Here’s how to correct destructive chewing:

  • Buy your dog chew toys that they like
  • When your dog stops chewing and looks at you, praise them and give them a chew toy they love
  • Make sure you rotate the chew toys to keep them interesting
  • Make sure your dog can always access chew toys
  • Make a quite, low “no” sound to mimic a mother dog’s growl – this only works for puppies!
  • Praise your dog when they chew their chew toys
  • Increase the frequency of your dog’s exercise or training
  • If you can’t watch your dog, move all possible chewable items away from your dog’s reach
  • If you won’t be home, consider keeping your dog in a crate or in a safe room until they learn not to chew

Do’s and Don’ts

While working on correcting chewing:

  • DO provide plenty of toys
  • DO keep calm
  • DO provide lots of exercise
  • DO supervise your dog carefully
  • DON’T mistake curious mouthing behavior for chewing
  • DON’T yell at, shout, or hit your dog; this will make them anxious and cause more problems in the future
  • DON’T blame your dog for chewing – they’re doing what feels natural!

Feature Image Source: Pixabay

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