Staff Author
|October 01, 2015
Dogs’ mouths function much like our hands. It’s their preferred tool for exploring surroundings. This means that your dog will frequently examine something interesting by tasting and gnawing it.
With some dogs this chewing becomes a destructive problem, and correcting it is part of providing the best dog care.
Dogs chew for a variety of reasons:
Identify the cause. The key to stopping the behavior is identifying the reason for the chewing:
Apply discipline correctly. Unfortunately, the only time you can effectively discipline your dog for chewing is when you catch it in the act. If you find a chewed-up shoe an hour after the deed is done, your dog won’t be able to associate punishment with the act of chewing. Your dog may seem guilty when you wave the shoe in front of its face, but this is just submissive behavior as a reaction to you.
Catch your dog in the act. When you do catch your dog chewing, stop it with a verbal command or a loud noise. When your dog stops, provide a chew toy. When your dog starts chewing on the toy, provide praise and positive reinforcement.
Chew toy choices vary. It is also important to choose the right type of chew toy. Never give your dog an object that looks like something you don’t want chewed. If you provide shoes or clothes, your dog won’t be able to understand the difference between them and appropriate objects.
Use deterrents. Products are available that can be applied to household objects to discourage your dog from chewing them. These products have a taste or smell that is unpleasant (but not harmful) to dogs but not offensive to humans.
As always, consult your veterinarian for additional advice and suggestions.
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