Stop Your Dog From Chewing Everything

Dogs naturally explore the world around them with their mouths. Chewing can become a huge problem when your dog decides that everything in sight is a yummy snack. Don't panic. This behavior can be stopped with a little patience, a lot of supervision, and a few tricks that make those yummy snacks far less appealing in nature.

Teaching a puppy to chew on the right toys starts at the very beginning. Introduce your puppy only to safe chew toys and don not give your puppy anything that you don't want them to chew on including socks or shoes. If your puppy finds these items appealing, then your new shoes could quickly become a target. Reinforce your puppy's behavior by praising him for chewing on his own toys or healthy chewbles such as Heartgard Plus for dogs.

If your puppy or dog seems to be chewing on everything all the time, it could be a signal that something is medically wrong. Take your dog to the vet to have them checked out, as there could be an underlying medical problem and not a behavioral problem. Dogs don't have the voice to tell us what is wrong with them.

Once any medical problems have been ruled out, it is time to look at changing your dog's behavior. Supervision is crucial when starting this technique. The idea is to distract your dog when he begins chewing on something he shouldn't. Clap your hands abruptly to create a loud noise, followed with a sharp NO. Do this the instant the dog starts chewing something he isn't allowed to, then quickly replace the forbidden item with his own chew toy. Follow up with lots of praise to encourage his good behavior or give him a small treat.

Another technique you can employ is to make the forbidden items no longer palatable. Consult with your vet prior to using this technique. The vet can recommend a safe product that actually changes the flavor of the forbidden items. You have to be very careful in using this technique so the puppy does not associate you with that bad taste. If your dog finds the object really yucky, he won't chew on it.

Setting a few noisy traps can distract your dog from chewing on forbidden objects. The whole idea is that this object has teeth and can bite back. Make your traps so that the instant your dog touches the forbidden object, it trips. You can use common household objects like soda cans or a coffee can filled with pennies. Set these when your dog is not in the room so they are caught unaware. Keep in mind, you have to continue to reset them to reinforce the idea that the object is dangerous.

Have a dog crate available for those times when you can't directly supervise your dog. Fill it only with his chew toys. Keeping the dog in the crate for a few hours keeps him out of trouble and you from having to clean up another mess. Be sure to praise your dog when you see him chewing on his toys. The positive reinforcement will encourage him to stick to his toys and not your furniture.

>Changing your dog's behavior takes your time and supervision. Don't forget that positive reinforcement is as crucial as your distraction techniques. When finished, it is worth that time when you can leave the room and trust that your dog won't chew the furniture.