Hey Dog Lovers,
Today we talk about chewing. As a dog trainer to many young adolescent dogs this is a major problem amongst many dogs. Chewing and Mouthing is common in young dogs and although most owners immediately go to stating their dog is biting in fact they are not they are mouthing/ chewing as their teeth come in, like when a baby teeths.
My best advice when it comes to chewing is taking preventative measures.
Wipe Wintergreen Oil on surfaces you do not want them to chew on. You can also use Bitters spray however I have seen it actually increase the chewing verses detracting it. Do not spray on furniture as it is an oil and will stain. NEVER spray or put anything in your dog’s mouth as punishment. It is cruel and can cause trust issues.
Prior to getting your puppy make sure your puppy proof your house and yard. Remove all things the puppy will want to chew on, including but not limited to picking up shoes/ loose clothing articles in a basket up on a shelf where they cannot reach. Removing nice area rugs they could chew on. Cover dangerous or exposed cables and wires to avoid electrocution and electrical sockets should be covered.
When your puppy goes to chew on things they should not, never scold them as they will learn to hide what they are doing but instead redirect to something they should be chewing such as a toy. Engage with them in play for a few minutes to make sure they are enjoying the new toy and that this is a good behavior. Make sure you use an attention noise or positive interrupter noise to interrupt the behavior and redirect them to the correct thing. Make sure you use the interrupting noise and then redirection together as just saying “No” doesn’t teach the dog what you are asking them to do.
Keeping eyes on your puppy 100% of the time when they are loose in the house is essential. As each time they do something wrong and are not corrected they will not understand why they are. If you cannot watch them 100% of the time use a pen or crate to keep them in a safe place.
Tip: Only have 3-6 toys out in your house at a time. By having too many toys out at a time, the puppy can make the connection that anything on the floor is fair game to be chewed and played with. Rotate toys to make them more interesting.
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