Puppies are natural chewing machines. Whatever within their reach is fair game: your shoes, couches, kid's toys, electrical cords, sticks, Tv remotes; if it is loose and accessible, it can be demolished.
Since it is a natural instinct for your puppy to chew, it is your job to direct the puppy to what can be chewed and what cannot be chewed. So your first job is to puppy proof your home by retention the puppy confined in a crate when you are not home and limiting his free range to the puppy proof areas when you are home.
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I learned the hard way when my daughter left her bedroom door ajar and my Golden Retriever commenced to chew my antique doll house and hand made furniture to toothpicks. It seriously looked like a bomb had been dropped on the dollhouse with bits and pieces of my furniture scattered all over the floor. Crayons and telephone books were also Chris's favorite items to chew on and my Labrador, Jake, beloved books and magazines.
When you do witness that something has been destroyed by your dog, your first response is to punish the dog. Unfortunately, the dog has no idea what you are punishing him for,even if you are waving the treasured artifact in your hand, after all, any thing loose is fair game and their memory is very short. You simply have to ignore the dog and clean up the mess.
Puppies need to chew because they are teething. Chewing on objects gives them some relief to their tender gums and dislodges their baby teeth so their adult teeth can come in. Once their teeth are in, then they chew because they are bored, playing or seeking attentiveness from you.
Provide your dog with fullness of safe chew toys, such as Kong Toys, dental chews, Greenies, and digestible rawhides. Never give your dog real bones to chew on. The can fracture their teeth, or splinter when swallowed. A collection of chew toys keeps the dog interested. When giving your puppy a new chew toy, watch him to make sure it cannot be shredded and swallowed, especially latex chew toys or stuffed toys with squeakers. Air Kong squeakers are Jake's favorite chew toy and they tend to stand up to his chewing great that any other toy we have tried.
Keep all objects picked up off the floor and out of reach from your dog, together with books, magazines, remotes, telephone books and Harry Potter books, (these are just a few items that have been lost to my dogs).
For larger items, such as couches, recliners and tables, try using non-toxic bitter sprays that can be sprayed on the larger items.
If you catch your dog chewing on something he shouldn't, say "No" or "Leave It", and then replace the object with a chew toy. You must be vigilant when watching your puppy so that you can direct him to what can be chewed and what is off limits.
Give your dog his own "toy box". This can be a small box or basket to put his toys in. My dog thinks it is a great game when I vacuum the floor and put all his toys away in the basket. He then he commences to pull all his toys out and plays with them one by one as soon as the vacuuming is finished.
Some dogs chew due to disunion anxiety. This field is covered more in depth in a detach article. Your veterinarian can also help with some medication to help calm the dog while you are re-training him to be left alone. Crate training your puppy when they are younger can help forestall disunion anxiety from developing when they are older.
Remember, chewing accidents are your fault for not watching your puppy intimately or allowing free roaming when you are away. Give your puppy fullness of his own toys to chew on so he will leave other items alone. Praise him when he is chewing on his toys and do not scold or yell at him if you witness a prized item chewed on while you were not looking. He has no memory after the fact to communicate the chewed item to your yelling and can cause more harm than good.
As far as my dollhouse furniture, I was able to saving a few pieces, and I bought someone else Harry Potter book to replace the one that was chewed up. We also learned to keep the bedroom doors closed, and we moved all the books to a "no dogs allowed" room. I recommend you look at your house from the eyes of the dog and take off tempting objects from their reach. Puppies can be taught what can be chewed and what is off limits, if the puppy parent is there to guide them.
Tips to Teach Your Puppy to Chew on Their Toys and Not the Whole House
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