How To Train Your Dog To Stop Chewing

Chewing is a very natural dog behavior that often starts in puppyhood when a dog starts to teethe. However, without the proper discipline and training, the behavior can become a problem when your dog gets older. Training your dog to stop chewing can save you a lot of time, money, and frustration as your dog grows up.

Whether you have a puppy or a grown dog, you can train your dog to stop chewing. It is usually easier to build new habits when a dog is young and impressionable, but it is not impossible to train the adult dog to stop the habit of chewing on inappropriate items.

Still, it is important for you to understand that chewing is natural. Yes, it was said before, but it bears repetition, because you will be embracing the normal behavior and just changing the object of desire. So, if you think any chewing is inappropriate, then you probably want to reconsider having a dog. Dogs chew out of frustration, loneliness, boredom, and anxiety, so addressing those issues and changing your dog's focus will help stop the destruction of your household items.

The idea of redirection is important, because it also involves no punishment. Punishing your dog will not stop the behavior, it will just stop the dog from chewing when you are around. Punishment interferes with your relationship, and it only creates a dog that is afraid of you. It is more important to address the underlying issues for the chewing behavior so that your dog starts behaving appropriately. Your praise and appreciation for good behavior will go a long way with your dog.

Redirection is the best way to train your dog to stop chewing. When you see your dog knawing on something that he or she should not be touching, that is the time to turn his or her attention away from that item and toward an appropriate chew toy. There are great tools out there like Kongs you can fill with tasty treats, bones, Greenies, rawhide, and more that dogs really like. When your dog is chewing on the right toy, make sure you give him or her a lot of praise.

If your dog is chewing on things when you are not around, it can be frustrating to come home to the destruction. You can begin to train your dog to stop chewing by keeping a lot of chewable items around. Having several of these toys will often keep your dog busy enough that he or she will forget the inappropriate items. Also, use active toys like puzzle games that require them to move the toy around to get food. Stimulating toys will keep your dog from getting bored.

However, if your dog is still chewing, you can then try another form of redirection. As your dog greets you at the door, hold off on your greeting until your dog finds the appropriate toy. At first you can help him or her to find the toy, but after a while, do not give your dog a greeting until that toy is there in his or her mouth. If you are consistent, your dog will learn to search out the toy to greet you at the door and the chewing will stop.

It will take time and effort to train your dog to stop chewing, but if you are patient and consistent, you will find that your things will not be chewed up making both you and your dog happier.