If you would like to know why your dog is chewing, and how you can fix the problem quickly and easily, then this post will show you how. In particular, we are going to talk about why your dog chews, how you can give him something more suitable to chew (to redirect his attention), and why you should never punish your dog for chewing. By the time you have read this guide, you’ll have a better understanding of how you can stop your dog chewing.
Before you can stop dog chewing problems, you need to know why your dog has the desire to chew things. The first thing to realize is that chewing is a natural behavior which all dogs will have an urge to do. However, some types of dog are more inclined to develop a chewing habit.
One of the typical reasons why your dog will have an inclination to chew your things is because he is feeling seperation anxiety, and he’s feeling lonely. Similar to how us humans eat food for comfort, your dog will use compulsive behaviors like chewing. Simply put: Your dog finds it comforting.
Another common reason why dogs develop chewing problems is due to a lack of exercise. Compulsive behaviors like chewing are usually caused by a lack of exercise.
So what is the cure for a chewing problem? The quickest solution is to give him something more suitable to chew. If the biggest problem is that your dog is chewing your shoes, clothes, or even furniture, you can simply buy him a new dog chew toy. If your dog doesn’t have a large collection of fun toys to chew, then it’s a good idea to purchase a few different kinds of toy, to find out which ones your dog enjoys playing with the most.
When you have found a fun toy for your dog to play with, offer it to him to take his attention away from chewing. You can also make a game of it and play with him for 15 minutes or so, to have some extra fun.
The important thing to remember is to give him some attention so he doesn’t feel bored or lonely. Try to give your dog regular exercise to burn off his excess energy, and cut down on the compulsive urge to start chewing or digging.
Finally, it’s critical for you to understand that you should never punish or yell at your dog for chewing. Remember, it is a perfectly natural behavior for a dog to have. Chewing is what dogs do! Instead, you need to focus on redirecting his attention so he doesn’t form a destructive and compulsive habit like chewing, digging or howling.
Primarily, make sure your dog is getting enough exercise, and that he isn’t left alone for long periods of time during the day. Just like us humans, it really doesn’t take very long at all for your dog to start feeling bored or lonely with regular contact with other dogs or people.