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Chewing is a normal behavior for puppies and dogs. In the first six months of their lives, puppies need to chew because their teeth are forming and it is how they explore and develop into full grown, healthy dogs. But sometimes dogs develop the nasty habit of turning chewing into an unhealthy and destructive activity. Read on for the best tips on how to stop your dog’s excessive chewing whatever the cause may be.
Quick Summary
- You can take charge of your dog’s chewing habits by supervising them, providing ample exercise, and integrating appropriate toys into their daily routine.
- Create a dog-proof environment, teach boundaries, and distinguish between your belongings and your dog’s chew toys. Maintain your dog’s well-being through proper nutrition, exercise, and mental engagement. If necessary, consult a professional trainer or behaviorist for additional guidance in managing destructive chewing.
- Recognize that excessive chewing can cause discomfort and potential health issues for your dog. Address boredom, anxiety, and the need for closeness by providing mental stimulation, exercise, and a dog-friendly environment. Seek veterinary attention if the chewing persists despite your efforts.
Is your furry friend wreaking havoc on your belongings with their relentless chewing habits? If you’re tired of finding your favorite shoes or household items in tatters, it’s time to take charge and find a solution. For me, the best countermeasures against destructive chewing are supervision, exercise, and integrating toys into their daily routine. That last one is particularly important – I started developing my techniques to stop excessive dog chewing after I realized that my dog didn’t have that many toys, and what he was allowed to play with – an old hacky sack and some tattered footwear – looked too much like our regular household items, and so he just ended up confused. In this article, I’ll share all of what I’ve learned with you.
One of the best things you can do for a dog – and for yourself! – is to stop them from chewing. Many people think it’s cute when a dog chews up shoes, slippers, remote controls, baby gate, or household objects around the house. This can cause your dog a great deal of pain and discomfort if they swallow pieces of the things they are chewing on.
Understanding chewing as a destructive behavior
With all of the responsibilities you have as a dog owner, it’s surprising that one of the most important ones of them all is how to stop your dog from excessively chewing certain items. If you can get them to stop, this will save your dog from a lot of pain and discomfort.
Adult dogs chew for a variety of reasons: It apparently feels good (comforting and soothing) and it can be a way to burn off excess energy.
Some types of chewing is not normal, however. Excessive dog chewing can indicate a problem with teeth, gums or some other physical condition. Or it can indicate that something in the home environment is triggering the inappropriate behavior.
The Basics Of Controlling Your Dog’s Chewing Behaviors
Responsible dog owners know that their pets depend on them for leadership, guidance, and care. Dogs get blamed for bad habits and misbehavior. However, many dogs will develop normally and be on good behavior if they are well managed. Doing your job as a well-informed owner is required to prevent inappropriate chewing in the first place.
A dog requires proper management to control what gets chewed. With doggies, it’s especially important to either keep their environment free from electrical cords and other objects you wouldn’t want chewed or to keep the puppy out of places where those items are located. As with anything, teach them while they’re young if you can. Puppy chewing can be managed by providing appropriate chew toys, which can serve as mental stimulation for the pup and help redirect their chewing behavior away from destructive chewing. It’s important to note that puppies have baby teeth, and providing appropriate chew toys can aid in the teething process while preventing them from chewing on inappropriate items.
With dogs of all ages, it’s important to make it clear what is OK to chew and what isn’t. It is a wise idea to control where your dog goes in order to have control over what your dog is chewing, you can accomplish this by purchasing a wireless dog fence. It’s difficult to make changes in expectations after some time has gone by. So it’s critical that your dog always understands the difference between his or her possessions (chew toys) and yours. Your possessions include everything that you own and don’t want to be messed up by your dog.
Dog-proofing
To keep your dog from chewing, it’s essential to ensure their environment is dog-proof. Remove any potential hazards or objects that may trigger the dog’s destructive chewing. Additionally, providing suitable dog toys can keep their mouths engaged and satisfy their natural chewing instincts. It’s important to note that puppies have baby teeth, and providing appropriate chew toys can aid in the teething process while preventing them from chewing on inappropriate items.
In cases where the dog’s destructive chewing persists despite your efforts, seeking assistance from a certified professional dog trainer might be beneficial. They can provide guidance and specialized training techniques to address the underlying causes of the behavior and help redirect the dog’s destructive chewing tendencies.
Top causes of excessive chewing in dogs
Here are some of the most common reasons why dogs chew excessively. If any of these sound familiar, you’ll have to work out a strategy to deal with them that fits with your dog’s specific needs.
Boredom and Anxiety: Long chewing sessions is a sign that your dog is bored or anxious. Chewing might bring comfort if the family’s not around for long periods of time to provide attention and love.
The Need to Feel Close To Family Members: The family dog may begin to think that things like clothing, shoes, and relative members belong to him. He chews on these family members and belongings out of anxiety and to relieve boredom.
Underlying Health Condition: Excessive chewing can also be a symptom of an underlying health condition. If your family dog becomes overly fixated on chewing, it may be a sign of an illness. You should take him to the vet for an exam to rule out health issues that could lead to discomfort.
Hunger: Your dog may just have a bigger appetite than you initially thought. Destructive chewing can be a sign that you’re not feeding them enough or that they have an issue with overeating.
Chew Control Essentials
To keep your dog’s chewing within the range of normal, you have to spend time assessing his or her living conditions. Are you the right pet food? Allowing enough play time and exercise? Excessive chewing is connected to poor well-being, so you should look at where your dog is lacking in terms of quality of life.
Physical and mental exercise
Remember, preventing boredom and preventing your dog from chewing go hand in hand; we need to make sure they get enough exercise too.
Ensure that they get plenty of mental as well as physical exercise. Take into account their age, health, and breed to figure out how to properly maintain their activity level. Daily walks and other outside activities are important for their health. Remember to let your dog stop and smell things – it’s more enjoyable than just walking two miles without stopping, which is great positive reinforcement for dogs that need a little extra motivation. If you’re too busy, a well-run doggie daycare may be a great solution for high-energy canines that love the company of other dogs.
The Right Dog Chew Toys
When it comes to toys, you shouldn’t just give any old thing to your dog to play with. He’ll probably get confused and think everything it looks like must be a toy as well. This is why most dog toys on the market are in bright colors, with bold patterns and visual textures. Aside from being easier to spot, it’s way harder to mistake for something you’d rather your dog didn’t mess with. Give your dog the best indestructible dog toys to play with to help get rid of the boredom.
To train them on which objects are for playing, make toys a part of your daily routine. You can also get creative and put their food in a puzzle toy or fill a Kong-style toy with their kibble instead of their usual doggy bowl, if they’re a bit too quick to get bored with their dedicated toys. Always keep the toys near your dog so that they can think up ways to enjoy themselves with it, and so that they always have something fun on hand that will redirect their destructive chewing.
When do you need professional help?
When dogs are bored, they look to chew anything at hand. If you’ve ever experienced the chewed corner of your couch cushion or found that your dog’s teeth marks are all over your favorite pair of shoes, then you know how difficult it is to correct this behavior. The best way to get a dog to stop chewing is to get him the proper attention and physical exercise. However, if separation anxiety is at issue, professional help from a qualified veterinary behaviorist may be needed.
One type of destructive behavior that is often caused by separation anxiety is excessive chewing [1]. It is very important that pet parents know how to help a dog with separation anxiety. Your dog will stop chewing when his separation anxiety is resolved, since the root of this behavior is being addressed.
How to discipline a dog who chews too much without having to punish them
When you’re angry or agitated, your dog may hide or adopt submissive postures in response to your tone of voice, body language, and/or facial expressions. The cornerstone of a successful life together is developing and maintaining a strong relationship with your dog through trust! So never yell at a chewing dog and instead, assess the cause of the behavior and follow our tips above.
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