STOP CHEWING SOMETIMES ANXIOUS DOGS CHEW TO RELIEVE THEIR ANXIETY, AND IT’S OFTEN SATISFYING FOR THEM TO CHEW UP YOUR THINGS RATHER THAN THEIRS. IT’S CRITICAL TO GET TO THE ROOT OF THE DOG’S ANXIETY IN ORDER TO QUELL THE CHEWING. WHAT IS SHE ANXIOUS ABOUT? DOES SHE CHEW WHEN YOU LEAVE THE HOUSE? WHEN THERE’S A THUNDERSTORM? WHEN GUESTS COME OVER? IF YOU CAN START TO CONDITION HER TO THE THINGS THAT MAKE HER ANXIOUS, YOU MAY BE ABLE TO RELIEVE SOME OF HER CHEWING BEHAVIORS. IF YOU CATCH YOUR DOG IN THE ACT OF CHEWING SOMETHING THAT ISN’T HERS, DON’T MAKE A HUGE DEAL OUT OF IT. SIMPLY TAKE THE OBJECT AWAY AND REPLACE IT WITH SOMETHING THAT’S OK FOR HER TO CHEW, PREFERABLY SOMETHING BETTER, LIKE A TOY STUFFED WITH FOOD. IF YOU PUNISH HER FOR CHEWING THE INAPPROPRIATE OBJECT RATHER THAN TEACH HER THAT THE OBJECT ISN’T HERS TO CHEW, SHE MIGHT THINK THAT YOU’RE PUNISHING HER FOR THE ACT OF CHEWING. IN HER MIND, CHEWING WHEN YOU’RE GONE IS FINE. SHE HAS LEARNED THE WRONG LESSON! REMEMBER: YOUR DOG LOVE YOUR ATTENTION, SO IF YOU GIVE HER ATTENTION EVERY TINE SHE’S CHEWING SOMETHING OF YOURS, SHE’S GOING TO CONTINUE TO DO IT. THAT’S WHY IT’S BETTER TO PRAISE HARDILY FOR GOOD BEHAVIOR AND TREAT BAD BEHAVIOR WITH AS LITTLE EMOTION AS POSSIBLE. A PUPPY WHO’S CHEWING FURNITURE MIGHT BE DISSUADED BY SPRAYING A BITTER-TASTING CHEWING REPELLENT ONTO THE OBJECTS SHE FREQUENTS. THIS SPRAY, WHICH IS AVAILABLE AT PET-SUPPLY STORES, DOESN’T HARM FURNITURE, BUT IT ALSO WON’T DISSUADE EVERY DOG. YOU CAN ALSO TRY RUBBING LEMON JUICE, VINEGAR OR CAYENNE PEPPER ONTO THE ITEM TO DISCOURAGE CHEWING. PLAY WITH YOUR DOG AND HER TOYS A LOT -- TOSS THEM TO HER, ROLL THEM AROUND, GET HER TO UNDERSTAND WHICH THINGS ARE HERS AND WHICH ARE YOURS. IF SHE ASSOCIATES YOU PLAYING WITH THE TOYS, SHE’S MORE LIKELY TO PLAY WITH THEM WHILE YOU’RE AWAY. FINALLY, IF YOUR DOG CONTINUES TO CHEW NO MATTER WHAT YOU TRY, CONSIDER THAT SHE MIGHT HAVE A DENTAL PROBLEM AND MAY NEED VETERINARY CARE FOR HER TEETH AND GUMS. SHE ALSO MAY BE HUNGRY, SO BE SURE TO KEEP HER ON A REGULAR FEEDING SCHEDULE.
TEETHING PUPPIES CHEW THINGS; IT’S INEVITABLE. THE IMPORTANT THING
IS TO GET THEM TO CHEW THINGS THAT ARE THEIR OWN APPROPRIATE CHEWIES, AND NOT YOUR CHEWIES. (WHICH YOU MAY CALL, SHOES, COUCHES, TABLE LEGS) IF YOUR DOG CHEWS SOMETHING SHE SHOULDN’T, IT’S 99 PERCENT YOUR FAULT AND I PERCENT HER FAULT. WHEN YOU KNOW THAT YOUR PUP IS IN A CHEWING PHASE, WHICH SHE MAY BE IN FOR A LONG TIME, SHE SHOULDN’T BE ALLOWED UNSUPERVISED WITH OBJECTS THAT AREN’T HERS TO CHEW. THIS CAN BE DIFFICULT, BUT IT’S IMPORTANT. IF SHE ONLY CHEWS HER OWN THINGS, SHE WON’T LEARN TO CHEW YOURS.