{"id":35681,"date":"2023-06-11T10:22:42","date_gmt":"2023-06-11T17:22:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/puppyintraining.com\/?p=35681"},"modified":"2024-02-23T16:10:43","modified_gmt":"2024-02-24T00:10:43","slug":"how-to-stop-a-dog-from-chewing-on-things","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/puppyintraining.com\/how-to-stop-a-dog-from-chewing-on-things\/","title":{"rendered":"How To Stop A Dog From Chewing On Things"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Is your dog always chewing on things?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

After raising two puppies and caring for hundreds of client dogs, I\u2019m happy to report that I\u2019ve learned a thing or two about how to stop a dog from chewing on things!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Because here\u2019s the thing – it doesn\u2019t matter how old a dog is, they have an innate urge to chew, chew, chew. <\/p>\n\n\n

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\"Beagle<\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n

Which can be super frustrating, especially when a puppy chews on furniture<\/a>, shoes and your kids\u2019 homework, right? <\/p>\n\n\n\n

OK, so maybe your kids won\u2019t mind the \u201cruff\u201d draft, but you know what I mean.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Besides destroying your things, inappropriate dog chewing can also be dangerous for your pup\u2019s health AND expensive if it warrants a trip to the (emergency) vet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So in this blog post, I\u2019ll talk about effective tactics to prevent and stop a dog from chewing on things. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Once you understand the underlying reasons behind a dog\u2019s desire to chew, you can implement positive training techniques and offer appropriate dog chews to nip the behavior in the bud.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Sounds good? Here we go!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Why Do Dogs Chew On Things?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Before I dive into the solutions, it’s important to understand why dogs love chewing so much.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

First and foremost, chewing is a normal dog behavior they\u2019re born with and that they share with their wild relative, the wolf. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Keeping that in mind, dogs and wolves chew on bones<\/a> to consume essential nutrients like calcium and phosphorus, exercise their jaws, massage their gums and relax!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Yep, that\u2019s right, chewing naturally calms dogs down and also has the benefit of cleaning their teeth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So when a puppy is teething, bored, anxious or stressed, they like to resort to chewing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lack of exercise or simply exploring their environment are other reasons why you may see your dog chewing on things.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Now that you understand the underlying cause, you can address it more effectively using four tactics:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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  1. Keeping inappropriate items out of reach<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  2. Offering appropriate alternatives to sink their teeth into<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  3. Teaching them to choose those over your belongings<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  4. Supervising or crating until your dog knows what not to chew on<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n

    Doggie Proofing Your Home<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

    Similar to baby-proofing, it’s essential to create a safe environment for your dog, whether they\u2019re adult pups or puppies. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    That means keeping valuable or potentially dangerous items out of reach. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Store shoes, clothing, cables, and other tempting objects in closed closets or drawers. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    You can also block off areas you don\u2019t want your dog to have access to with baby gates for dogs<\/a> or closed doors where possible. For example, the kitchen, your office or kids\u2019 rooms.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Another option are dog crates<\/a>, and I\u2019ll provide some detail on them in a later section.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    When I was preparing for the arrival of my puppies Missy and Buzz, I got down on all fours and visually inspected the floors of every room the pups were going to have access to.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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