Have you come home to find unexpected damages and teeth marks all over your treasured chair, sofa, or shoes?  And culprit is — you guess it— your dog!  One of the most common behavioral problems that every dog owner faces is his beloved dog’s inappropriate chewing of materials around the house.  A dog just like infants and toddlers explore their surroundings by putting objects into their mouth to taste and smell the new information.  Chewing is, in fact, a normal developmental phase that all puppies undergo to relieve itching in sore gums and pain growing new teeth.  Unfortunately, this often jeopardizes the items that you value or it can even be dangerous to themselves.  When a dog with destructive chewing is left on its own, dangerous items such as cleaning liquids, electrical cords, toxic plants, wood, and paint could cause damages to your dog’s health when chewed on.  Hard objects such as rocks and sharp objects such as knives and scissors when swallowed could mean a costly trip to the emergency room. Wide scale destructive chewing can lead to damage of personally valued items, health problems, and wearing away of the mutual bond between dog and pet owner.

To understand this common behavioral issue, we first need to understand the growth of puppies’ teeth.  Deciduous teeth (baby teeth) of puppies erupt about three to eight weeks old and at about 4-6 weeks, they are replaced by permanent teeth.  During this painful teething phase, the puppy is uncomfortable and chews more to relieve the irritation in their gums and the pain the newly formed teeth. When new teeth are fully erupt at about when they are 9 months old, they usually begin to selectively chew things.  By the age of 1, if they have not ceased chewing everything in sight, there may be a number of reasons for their destructive chewing.  Reasons may include boredom, frustration, need of attention, fear, separation anxiety, or simply they were not taught the proper etiquette for chewing.   If they have acquired a separation anxiety disorder or any other psychological issues, the appropriate thing to do is to consult with your veterinarian who specializes in the mental behavior of your dog.

You might catch the dog in the act of inappropriate chewing, yell at your pet, and make yourself feel better.  But it curb your dog’s destructive chewing?  No.  There’s slim chance that your dog will make the connection between this unsuitable chew toy and undesirable behavior.  You must help your dog make the connection by taking the correct measures to curb this habit.

Here are some basics steps that you can take to correct inappropriate dog chewing behavior:

Rule Out Medical Problems:

The first and foremost step is the check with your veterinarian to see that there is not any nutritional deficiencies or intestinal parasites.  Inappropriate chewing seen in the form of pica can mask these underlying medical problems.  Destructive chewing can be a way that dogs cope with these health issues so make sure to visit your dog’s veterinarian to find out if these may be the root of your dog’s chewing problems.

Dog Proofing Your Home:

Look through your home and take a note of the potential dangers such as cleaning supplies, chemicals, toxic plants, uncovered electrical cords.  Remove or cover those items properly to prevent your dog from coming in contact with those items.  If appropriate, remove items that would be curious to your dog, and place them in inaccessible high places – out of reach of your dog.  This may include shoes, stuffed animals, and similar things.

Discourage the Bad Chewing Behavior:

If you find your dog chewing on inappropriate items, take the object away, scold him or her, and direct your dog to the proper chew toy.  Praise your dog when he/she chews on the correct toys.  Have patience and your dog will gradually what to chew and what not to chew.  However, if the above method does not work and the inappropriate chewing pattern is deeply rooted, taste deterrents can be used to discourage bad chewing behavior.  One such deterrent is Bitter Apple® which makes the taste of the object noxious when placed on furniture and other places.  The unappealing taste will deter your puppy from forming bad chewing behavior.

Another commonly used deterrent is ammonia.  Spray ammonia on the appropriate surfaces indicated by the instruction manual.  Take care not spray too close to your dog as it may cause harm to his/her eyes and olfactory system.  The deterrents may need to be reapplied when it wears away.  Some dogs may even chew on items with deterrents on them in the beginning of training.  At the same, supply your dog with a bounty of chewable items such as dog toys, rawhides, and knuckle bones.  Praise the dog when he/she chews the appropriate chew toy and reprimand him/her to chewing the inappropriate items.  Over time, this facilitates the proper chewing behavior.

Encourage Good Chewing Behavior:

Research and anecdotal evidence shows that a specific behavior becomes more established when there is also positive reinforcement.  Every dog has a preference to his/her favorite toy to chew.  Scrutinize the chew toy to ascertain that the size of the dog toys are appropriate especially with kongs and balls.  Choose the right size for your particular dog.  Your dog should be able to easily maneuver it and it should be sufficiently heavy that it would not be swallowed accidentally.  Another thing to keep in mind is that you must make sure your dog kong type toys’ hole small enough that your dog’s jaw will not get stuck in it.  There are many emergency cases of this type.  With rawhides and beef bones, there is a risk that your dog may over-enthusiastically chew until they become small pieces and become lodged in your dog’s esophagus or small intestine.  Chicken bone pieces may fracture and become smaller sharp pieces and cause harm to the gastrointestinal tract.  With so many risky chew toys, what are some examples of the best chewable items for dogs?  Greenies, nylabones, and dental chewsticks are less risky chew toys and they also help prevent dog dental issues.

Supervise Your Dog Until They Are House Trained:

When you just begin training your dog in the home, keep them on leash so that they are in your line of sight all the time.  Confining them to a crate when you’re unable to monitor them for a short time is wise.  Provide only chewable dog toys when they are in the house.  Do not give them similar household items as they can easily mistake them for chewable dog toys.

Engage Your Dog in Physical and Mental Exercise:

Not only do you need to encourage your dog to use the proper chew toys, you must also encourage your dog to exercise and play outdoors.  Exercising and spending the time to play with your dog supports your connection with your dog, and also give them an outlet for the high energy.  Your dog will soon get tired and will be less likely to expend their energy chewing household or personal belongings.  The amount of physical activity should be limited by their health status, breed, and age.

Regarding Punishments:

Have you ever thought that your dog “looked guilty” after they chewed your favorite shoe or furniture?  Well, I have news for you.  Dogs do not reason the same way humans do.  They do not think about the guilt after they have already chewed an item.  They only associate their behavior with punishment when it’s simultaneously doled out.  Even if you punished or reprimanded your dog minutes after the incident, your dog will not be able to reason that the scolding was associated with his/her behavior minutes ago.

So the next time your dog pulls that “guilty look,” keep in mind that they are not displaying a human characteristic.  In fact, this look is a canine submissive posture that dogs display when they feel threatened possibly by your tone of voice or body language when reprimanding them.  Punishment in general may work for dogs and they may invoke other misbehaviors.

FINALLY, BE REALISTIC AND PATIENT!

No matter how well you eventually train your dog in the proper chewing behavior, there will always be a time when your dog chews up your favorite shoe or prized possession.  Changing a chewing behavior takes time, patience, and work so just keep those households out of their reach.  Lastly, be realistic with your dog’s progress and your dog will thank you for it.