floor chewing

Question
i have a boxer/pit breed thats about 8 months old..and she wont stop chewing up my linoleum flooring.is there a way to stop this because she stops chewing on it b4 i get in the room.i have tried giving her toys but she prefers the floor.i have even tried spraying her with water and getting onto her but nothing works and since she is not doing it by the time in get in there she seems to not know why she is getting into trouble..PLEASE HELP ME..i just put down a 700 dollar laminate floor and cant afford to have her chew it up too..ty

Answer

Hi Jess,

Punishing your dog after the fact is quite useless, you are correct, she has no idea why she's being punished, so you can just stop it. Your anger and the punishment can cause other behavioral problems.

Using up more of your puppy's boundless energy is something simple to do, which can help a great deal. Before you leave your home for the day, give your puppy a really good run, or a long leashed walk. Letting her out in a fenced in yard will not achieve the level of exercise your puppy requires. You should leave behind a panting, heaving, utterly exhausted dog as you set off. With enough exercise, your puppy will do more sleeping than floor chewing.

Your puppy should not have the run of the house if she's destroying things. If she's not crate trained, an indoor pet pen or a couple of child gates should be used to contain her to one area. You can protect the floor of that area by laying down an inexpensive area rug. This paired with the increased exercise should really help.

Best of luck,

Patti