Almost every dog owner has had some form of unpleasant experience with their dog especially when the dog has to satisfy the urge to chew. Coming home from work can be a tense moment since you never know the unexpected damage inflicted by your dog’s teeth. While dogs use their great sense of smell and vision to explore their surrounding, putting their mouths to work is also one of their sources of entertainment. Chewing is a stress reliever for dogs which also facilitates teething as well as making sore gums feel better hence you do not want to squash this behavior completely. All you need is to direct the chewing onto appropriate channels. Here are some easy tactics you can use to stop the destruction.
1. Prevent the chewing from happening
The best way to stop your chewing dog from destroying stuff is simply by preventing him from chewing up your personal stuff. This involves supervising and managing untrained dogs to restrict their access to valuable items. Puppies just like infants and toddlers are notorious for putting objects in their mouths thus they should be under close watch or better yet keep items such as kids toys, wires, shoes and other items away from them. Other ways of managing dog chewing include keeping your dog on a leash or using Bitter Apple spray on immovable items.
2. Keep your dog active
A bored dog is a destructive dog. Always ensure that your dog is active by giving him plenty of physical exercise such as walks, hikes, flirt poles, tug-of-war as well as brain work. Some training games like obedience training, trick training, free style canine disc, backyard agility and manners classes are also good.
3. Use food-dispensing puzzle toys instead of a food bowl
Replace your dog’s food bowl with a food-dispensing puzzle toy as it is a good way to exercise the dog’s brain and keep him occupied. The dog will have more time to eat which means that he will have less time to chew up your stuff.
4. Get your dog long-lasting snacks and solid puppy chew toys
These include a rubber treat-dispenser or a dog-safe hollow beef bone. Dogs also like dried animal parts such as hooves and pigs ears and the smellier they are the better.
5. Reward your dog’s good behavior
Dogs are fast learners and anytime they make good choices, they should be rewarded. Tell your dog how good he has become and give him or her a treat like taking him out for a walk or a play game to let him know that good behavior is always appreciated.
Prevention is an important part of helping your chewing dog abandon his or her destructive chewing habits. Always supervise, manage and dog-proof and remember that you are the only one who can prevent dog destruction from happening. Chewing can cause destruction of valuable items in your home and may also jeopardize your dog’s safety. It is therefore every dog owner’s responsibility to manage their dog’s chewing habits until they have learned what they can or cannot chew.
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