Pet Services

Ending your Dog's Chewing

Few things can be as disturbing as a dog that chews on everything in sight. Depending on what your dog decides to chew upon, this can be a very expensive problem. One of the keys to putting a stop to this type of problematic behavior is in understanding what is driving it.

Why Dogs Chew
If your dog is just a puppy, it could be that he is simply teething and that is what is behind his chewing behavior. While this might not make it any less frustrating, at least you know it is only a phase. During this time it is crucial that you provide your pup with plenty of chew toys that are acceptable for him to chew upon. You should also know that puppies also sometimes chew and nip as a way of exploring their environment. This is how young dogs learn about the world around them. Of course, if you do not get a handle on this behavior right now, you will have very big problem on your hands before long.

In other instances, it could be that your dog has simply not learned what is acceptable to chew on and what is not. This can be a common problem if your dog was never taught as a puppy that he is not allowed to chew on everything. The problem can be made even more serious if your dog was confused by being allowed to chew on an old slipper or shoe but then yelled at when he chewed on your expensive pair of Italian loafers.

Before you can begin to consider how to stop chewing behavior, you do need to consider why your dog is doing it. Catching your dog in the act of actually chewing can be helpful in this instance because it can provide you with some insight.

Stopping Chewing Behavior
Obedience training can be quite helpful in many problematic behaviors related to pets and chewing is certainly no exception. If you have not already done so, consider immediately either enrolling your dog in an obedience class or educating yourself about various obedience training techniques that you can use at home with your dog. There are many different obedience training guides and books available today that can help you with this. 7 Dog Training Secrets is a good resource to get started with if you do not have any prior experience with obedience training.