Chewing - why do dogs love to do it? What should you do to prevent it? You may have just added your new Standard Poodle to your family and have found that your poodle seems to love to munch on almost everything and anything! Even if you haven’t yet found anything chewed up, you most likely will at some point. Dogs have good eyesight and use that to get around. However, they really like to explore things with their mouths, too.
The good news is that you can train your dog not to gnaw on your belongings and home, and only on dog toys. This will take time, effort and patience. You need to take responsibility for the situation, as you are the dog’s owner. You will need to be the one to be there to manage your dog and let him know when it is all right to chew on something and when it is not okay.
Destructive chewing can destroy your belongings and even have you fixing up door frames and furniture. It can become quite costly. It can also be dangerous if your dog is likely to suddenly bite people from instinct. Dogs have it already built in them to bite as a defense mechanism. If your dog feels that he is in danger his instinct is to bite. The same goes if your dog thinks that you or another family member may be in danger. They can bite or nibble just because they are interested in something as well. To avoid having a friend or stranger bit you need to manage your dog and teach them that it is okay to chew on their toys, but not anything else – certainly not people.
Steps to Stopping the Destructive Behavior
Get your belongings out of the way of your dog. Most immediately, move shoes, socks, trash, clothing, books, remotes, etc.
Do not let your dog munch on your old belongings. He will get confused and think a sock or shoe is his toy. Your dog’s toy must be completely different than anything else in your house.
You will not be able to watch your dog all of the time, so until he is trained to not destructively chomp on things your dog needs or be confined until he learns the rules.
Allow your dog to play with people so he can learn how to behave around people.
When you catch your dog nibbling on something he should not be, stop your dog with a loud noise and offer your dog the toy. When he takes the toy, praise him greatly.
A dog’s natural instinct to explore a new location (your home) is with his mouth. Keep your expectations realistic for your dog as he learns the new rules of only gnawing on a toy and not things in the house or people. You can also try to figure out why your dog is doing it. Is he nervous? Does your dog feel sad? Does your dog feel defensive? Is your dog simply curious?
Here's an excellent video by Melanie McLeroy of Taurus Training Dog Facility showing how to prevent your puppy from chewing.
Here are some situations where your dog will be more likely to chew than others:
When a dog is left alone for long periods of time
When your dog is left in an environment that is boring with no toys
When your dog is under three years old and is not getting out enough energy through play and walks
What You Need To Provide Your Dog With To Prevent Destructive Chewing
Generous playtime outside in a fenced in yard
Go for walks to release your dog’s energy
Teach your dog daily on commands and maybe some tricks
Give your dog a lot of toys to play with
Keep some toys away so you can rotate them and your dog won’t get bored with them
Try dog toys that you can put food in so your dog will be more likely to be interested in it
Try an bad tasting product from your local pet store to put on things your dog loves to munch on
If your dog still has lots of energy try a center where your dog can go to get more energy out like a dog park.
In no time you will have a loyal and obedient dog that will not tear up everything in your home. Stick to the rules so your dog knows you are serious about it, and eventually your dog will obey you.
