How Do I stop My Dog Chewing?

 
There are three main reasons why dogs get into the habit of chewing household items and furniture. Firstly, all dogs have a natural instinct to chew, especially if the texture or taste is good. Secondly, chewing provides an outlet for a dog’s emotions if they are bored or lonely. Thirdly, it is a way of using up extra energy if they don’t get enough exercise.

How to Prevent Chewing:
· With any puppy or new dog you need to make sure that first you have looked around your home and moved the most obvious chew targets out of reach. Some of your most valuable possessions are items that your dog will just love to crunch: glasses, i-pods, cameras, remote controls, books, clothing etc. Dogs can be quite clever when they want something, so also think about where they can jump to and how tall they are when standing on their hind legs. Food should never be left around where a dog has access to it, as this is teaching them bad habits right from the start. Throw any scraps away and don’t leave dirty plates lying around

· Make it clear from the start which items it is ok to chew and which it is not. Those that are ok to chew should clearly be the dog’s own toys and don’t give them something of yours however old it might be. If you give them an old slipper to chew you are asking for trouble with any new slippers or shoes lying around the house

· Linked to this always make sure that your dog has his own toys that he is allowed to chew and that these are tasty and satisfying. Keep these fresh and provide variety by rotating those toys that are kept out.

· If you catch your dog chewing something that he shouldn’t then you should clap your hands and interrupt him. Take the item away and hand the dog one of his own toys. Only once he is chewing this should you praise him, thus he will associate good chewing with praise and bad chewing with your displeasure.
Along the way with any puppy or new dog there are bound to be mistakes, but that is why it is important to keep valuable items out of reach and to be consistent in your praise when he does the right thing. Before long your dog will have learnt what is his and what is yours and you will gradually be able to trust him around the house.