Young animals and animals in general love exploring things in their environment with their mouths. Even human babies and infants love putting things in their mouths. This is especially so when teething begins. When puppies start shedding their milk teeth and their permanent teeth start developing, they need to chew to relieve the discomfort associated with the teething process.
During this time, it is important to provide your puppy with items that are acceptable to chew. Left to his own devices your puppy will chew everything in his reach and this is why it is important to offer him things to chew and to remove your valuables out of his reach. It is up to you to teach your puppy what is acceptable behavior and what isn't as he won't know the difference between your shoe and an old rag.
If your puppy is teething, you should try offering him a frozen washcloth to help relieve teething pain and discomfort, just as you would give a pacifier to a child, dog' need to be able to chew on something to help permanent teeth erupt.
Chewing, especially destructive chewing can sometimes be the result of boredom or stress, and while some behavioral problems can be easily fixed, others require the services of a trained professional dog behaviorist.
If you suspect your dog is chewing out of boredom there are toys that can help keep your dog occupied. Kong toys are ideal for this, you can stuff a Kong toy with your dog's favorite treat and it will keep him busy for hours as he tries to get at the food in the toy. Other entertaining toys are designed to be filled with small treats and the dog has to roll them around to get treats dispensed. These types of toys are ideal for keeping your dog entertained when you're away at work.
If your dog is chewing the furniture you can help prevent this by using products that are specially formulated for this purpose. Bitter tasting sprays found at most pet shops can be sprayed on furniture to repel the dog and protect the furniture.
If you catch your dog chewing something he shouldn't be chewing, make a loud noise such as a clap to catch his attention and tell him "No!" in a firm tone. Take the object away from him and give him something acceptable to chew and praise him. He will eventually learn to avoid chewing things he shouldn't be chewing. For this method to work you should be persistent and consistent; you will have to keep a constant eye on your dog tin order to catch him in the act immediately.
The most important thing you can do to prevent destructive chewing is to give your dog a lot of attention. Dogs are social animals that enjoy interacting with others. As a dog owner you become your dog's pack and it is your job to prevent your dog from becoming stressed, frustrated or bored. Daily walks and playtime with your dog will help prevent many unwanted behavior patterns from developing in your dog.
During this time, it is important to provide your puppy with items that are acceptable to chew. Left to his own devices your puppy will chew everything in his reach and this is why it is important to offer him things to chew and to remove your valuables out of his reach. It is up to you to teach your puppy what is acceptable behavior and what isn't as he won't know the difference between your shoe and an old rag.
If your puppy is teething, you should try offering him a frozen washcloth to help relieve teething pain and discomfort, just as you would give a pacifier to a child, dog' need to be able to chew on something to help permanent teeth erupt.
Chewing, especially destructive chewing can sometimes be the result of boredom or stress, and while some behavioral problems can be easily fixed, others require the services of a trained professional dog behaviorist.
If you suspect your dog is chewing out of boredom there are toys that can help keep your dog occupied. Kong toys are ideal for this, you can stuff a Kong toy with your dog's favorite treat and it will keep him busy for hours as he tries to get at the food in the toy. Other entertaining toys are designed to be filled with small treats and the dog has to roll them around to get treats dispensed. These types of toys are ideal for keeping your dog entertained when you're away at work.
If your dog is chewing the furniture you can help prevent this by using products that are specially formulated for this purpose. Bitter tasting sprays found at most pet shops can be sprayed on furniture to repel the dog and protect the furniture.
If you catch your dog chewing something he shouldn't be chewing, make a loud noise such as a clap to catch his attention and tell him "No!" in a firm tone. Take the object away from him and give him something acceptable to chew and praise him. He will eventually learn to avoid chewing things he shouldn't be chewing. For this method to work you should be persistent and consistent; you will have to keep a constant eye on your dog tin order to catch him in the act immediately.
The most important thing you can do to prevent destructive chewing is to give your dog a lot of attention. Dogs are social animals that enjoy interacting with others. As a dog owner you become your dog's pack and it is your job to prevent your dog from becoming stressed, frustrated or bored. Daily walks and playtime with your dog will help prevent many unwanted behavior patterns from developing in your dog.
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