Dog Chewing - What causes it and how to stop it?
Upfront, understand that all dogs chew during their adorable lives; however, you can control the situation better by taking a few simple steps and minimize their destructive power. But first, why do dogs chew? Puppies and young adult dogs, within 3 years of age, find dog chewing as a form of exploring their surroundings. Often people make the mistake of believing that the puppy or dog is chewing in a destructive manner to get back at the owner and this opinion could not be further from the truth. All dogs chew, but puppies, going through early adolescent use chewing not only to explore but to ease there teething. In older dogs, chewing is still a form of exploration; however, the problem is generally associated with isolation for long periods of time, boredom, and anxiety; especially if dog chewing becomes destructive.
Understanding Dog chewing tendencies in your dog
A lot of dog owners who come home and see the result of their puppy or dog’s destructive power immediately scold their dog for the unwanted behavior. Granted a situation such as this can be quite frustrating; however, you the owner needs to be responsible for the problem and not the pet. You may be wondering how it becomes your fault, as you do not chew and destroy your own property. Correct – You did not chew and destroy your own property personally; however, you make your property accessible to your pet, and in turn you must protect your property as well as keep the puppy safe. Take a moment to absorb this thought then proceed to simple things you can do to manage this situation a little better and minimize the destructive chewing habits of a puppy.
What steps can I immediately do to control dog chewing?
Be realistic when introducing your new puppy or dog and accept that there is going to be some destruction by chewing; however reduce the problem by taking on the responsibility of doggie proofing your home. Doggie proofing you home is simple by removing personal belongings that are left out and are easily accessible to your puppy or adult dog to prevent dog chewing. You will want to remove things such shoes, socks, left out food, trash, remote control, magazines, exposed wired around your stereo, etc.
Make sure your puppy or dog has plenty of chew toys that he or she can play with. In addition, these toys should be clearly separate from normal things you find in the house hold. Never ever play with your pet with a shoe or household item as a play toy, nor should you buy a toy that has realistic similarities to a house hold item and expect the puppy or dog to distinguish between the two later.
Do not give your new puppy or dog complete access to your entire house especially when you are away from home. You would not give a stranger the keys to your house while you are away so until you are at a point where you can trust your pet completely, make sure you crate them or put them within a safe zone with a room. A safe zone can be something like a laundry room or an area that is gated off and deemed his area until you return home.
What you should NOT do when preventing Dog Chewing?
First, do not mistake of trying to reprimand your puppy or dog unless he or she is caught in the act of whatever destruction is occurring. A lot of dog owners often think that their pets understand why they are being punished an hour later, but this could not be further from the truth. Animals have no concept of time. Yes, your pet will cower down, run, hide, perhaps even urinate on the floor, but not because he understands why he is being punished, rather that his or her owner is scolding them for no reason. Pets, unless caught in the act, fail to make the connection of why they are being punished. If you fail to understand this reasoning and punish your pet after the fact, you will severely undermine any trust, and training. In addition, your pet will become scared of you even though he or she will still love you.
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