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6 Ways to Stop Puppy Chewing
Puppy chewing is a normal behavior, but may become destructive.
Puppies chew out of curiosity, anxiety or stress, boredom, a
medical condition or when they are teething.
1. Training to Stop Dog Chewing
In order to stop dog chewing
you need to supervise him and when you see he is chewing say a
firm “No”. Remove the object and send him to his crate or an
isolated room for the following 10 minutes. This is a form of
detention. After the 10 minutes, bring your puppy back to his
former place and offer him an acceptable toy to chew. Praise him
whenever he is chewing on a toy.
Don’t use this technique if you don’t catch the dog in the
act. Puppies have a low attention span and will not be able to
associate the inappropriate chewing with your punishment.
2. Puppy Chew Toys
Chewing is a natural behavior for puppies.
Whether they are curious, bored or stressed, they want to chew
on things. Offer them a variety of chew toys to divert them from
chewing inappropriate things. The toys can be squeaky and some
should be softer, some harder, so as to offer diverse challenges
to the puppy.
Make sure the toys are big enough, so that he will not
swallow them.
Keep dangerous items out of the reach of the puppy: cover
cables, and hide chemicals or poisonous plants.
3. Encourage Good Chewing Habits
To encourage good chewing
habits, you may initiate a few games. Place 1 or 2 chew toys in
every room and ask you puppy to find the chew toy. Use words
such as “Find the toy”, “Find the chewy” or simply “Chew!” and
use the same, enthusiastic tone of voice. Praise your dog if he
finds the toy and starts chewing on it.
4. Bitter Taste Repellents
Use some repellents such as bitter
apple sprays or solutions and spread these around the things
your puppy likes to chew. If your puppy is chewing furniture
with a bitter taste or he tastes a bitter shoe, he will
associate the taste with that shoe or furniture, and he will be
no longer be tempted to gnaw on it. Meanwhile, place a chew toy
near the shoes or furniture, to ensure your dog finds it and
gets the chance to chew on it.
Make sure the repellent is non-toxic. You may find odorless,
non-toxic repellents at pet stores.
5. Enough Exercise
Make sure the puppy gets the right amount
of exercise. In this way, he spends his energy and will be too
tired to start chewing. The necessary amount of exercise varies
from breed to breed. On average, a dog needs at least two 15 to
20 minute play and exercise sessions every day.
6. Choose the Right Puppy
Last but not least, it is essential
to choose the right dog for you. If your personality doesn’t
match the dog’s, he is more likely to become a chewer and
develop other behavioral problems.
Don’t chase your dog when he is chewing on something
inappropriate. The dog will interpret this as a game or he will
get stressed.
If your puppy is stressed or suffers from separation anxiety,
make sure to treat this condition with affection and even
therapy. Medical conditions such as gastrointestinal distress
may cause the puppy to chew.
Some puppies may outgrow the chewing phase. To be on the safe
side, correct this behavior as early as possible.
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