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Help - Stop My Dog From Chewing!
“My dog is chewing everything! How do I stop my dog from chewing? I know it’s natural for him to chew but that doesn’t mean it’s okay for him to chew on my favorite slippers or the corner of my new purse.”
Here are some of the reasons why your dog may be chewing:
He’s lonely.
He’s bored.
He’s stressed or suffers from separation anxiety.
He’s teething.
He’s anticipating that you’re about to come home.
Bonus - It’s fun.
To get a dog to stop chewing the things he shouldn’t be chewing means you have to train him. There are also a few tricks you can use. First of all, tuck all your valuable items away or up higher and out of reach of your dog. Keep in mind that this is temporary until he is trained.
Make sure to take care of anything that can harm him. Do your best to eliminate electrical cords that he can chew through, and at the very least hide them behind big furniture. Some pet owners swear that wrapping cords in aluminum foil prevents their pets from chewing on the cords. I haven’t tried this myself but it gives me the willies even thinking about putting my teeth around aluminum foil.
If your dog likes to chew his paws or his tail, try a chew-deterrent spray, such as Bitter Apple, on these areas. Watch your dog closely as some dogs like the taste of Bitter Apple.
Give your dog acceptable things to chew like safe chew toys. Catch him in the act of chewing the appropriate toy and praise him. The same thing goes when you see him chewing something inappropriate - correct him. He may soon make the connection that chewing toys gets him praise and chewing anything else gets him a reprimand.
When training your dog, teach him to “leave it” when he’s got a hold of something he shouldn’t have. Teaching him to immediately drop whatever is in his mouth can come in handy when he’s got something dangerous like a chicken bone or something gross like another dog’s poop.
Your dog needs lots of physical and mental exercise when you’re with him, and in return he’ll be less stressed and willing to take a nap when you’re not with him. Play fetch, go on walks, and play mental games. If you can’t be with him, make sure his surroundings are safe by tucking him into his crate or kennel.
If you keep working on “leave it” and redirecting him to his own chew toys, one day you will no longer wonder “How do I stop my dog from chewing?”
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