Training Tips For Dogs That Chew

Two primary ways dogs have for getting to know the world around them are through their noses
and their mouths. This is why we so often see puppies smelling or chewing on just about
everything they encounter. A puppy’s urge to chew usually peaks around teething time because
gnawing on stuff soothes the discomfort caused by new teeth coming in.

Like many other behaviors, most owners do not mind if their dogs chew appropriate chew toys
such as bones, rawhide, or hard rubber toys. It is inappropriate chewing of furniture, shoes, rugs, and
other non-toy items that causes problems. Dogs may chew when they are lonely or bored.

They may also chew when they are anxious and under stress. If this chewing relieves the
condition it will most likely be repeated again and again because it is self-reinforcing. Until your
dog has learned appropriate chewing behaviors, confine him when you are not able to supervise
his actions. Make sure he gets plenty of exercise and attention.

Before trying some of the training tips and tricks, there are some preventative things dog owners
can do to try and alleviate a chewing problem. First, puppy owners need to accept the fact that
young dogs will chew on things. Breeds like Retrievers are especially known for this and may
be avid chewers all their lives. It can take up to two years before they can be trusted not to chew
on non-toy items. But accepting doesn’t mean that you have to allow your dog to destroy your
house and possessions.

Start by puppy proofing your home, even if your dog is past the teething stage. Puppy proofing includes:

picking up any throw rugs
putting shoes, clothing, papers and plants away or out of reach
covering or hiding electrical wires
closing doors or using gates to keep dogs in their space and out of off limits areas

Unfortunately, the joint chewing escapades of Lucy and Riley added additional reinforcement for
both dogs’ chewing habits. Not only is it fun, but now another dog is doing it too, which makes
Riley think it must be okay. Consequently, Victoria has two dogs that need to learn that chewing
is not acceptable.

The most important thing in teaching dogs appropriate chewing behavior is to supervise them so
that you can react immediately when they grab something that is not allowed. If you try to
correct the behavior after the fact, the dog will not make the connection between your displeasure
and the photo album he chewed up three hours earlier. And you will be a lot less
angry or frustrated if you can catch the dog before it destroys something. Dogs respond much
more quickly and positively to any training activities when they are conducted in a calm, upbeat
manner.

How To Stop a Dog or Puppy From Chewing On Things

1.) USE A STERN VERBAL COMMAND/REDIRECT
When you see the dog grab an item or begin to chew on the chair leg, issue a stern, but not
overly loud, verbal command such as “No!” or “Leave it!” It is helpful to redirect the dog’s
attention to an appropriate chew toy and praise him when he chews on the appropriate object.
This helps him make the connection between chewing and objects that are allowed.
As your dog begins to show signs of appropriate chewing behavior, gradually give him more
unsupervised freedom. Check on him after 5 or 10 minutes and slowly increase the amount of
time he is left alone. If he resumes his destructive chewing, back up.

2.) USE APPROPRIATE METHODS WHEN TAKING ITEMS AWAY FROM THE DOG
If your dog does not drop the item when you give him a verbal command, you need to take the
item away. It’s important that it not become a game. If the dog won’t let go, spray him with a
squirt bottle or pry his mouth open gently with your fingers.
Don’t make the dog bring the item to you. Go to the dog and remove the object from his
mouth. One trainer described a pet owner whose dog began to shy away from playing fetch.
After extensive questioning and a lucky guess, the
trainer realized the problem was with the method
used to correct the dog’s chewing habit.
When the owner caught the dog chewing on
something, she would command the dog to bring the item to her and then proceed to scold the
animal. The dog was being taught that the fetching, not the chewing was the bad behavior, and it
began to avoid fetching even allowable items for fear of being disciplined.

3.) PRACTICE THE “LEAVE IT” COMMAND
Once your dog begins to acknowledge the command to “Leave it”, you can practice this exercise
with other objects including balls, Frisbees, chew toys and other allowable items. When you
want the dog to stop playing with the particular item, tell him to “Leave it” and make him walk
away from the item or pick it up yourself and give the dog a treat when he obeys. This is
different from the command you use when you want the dog to give you the fetch toy to be thrown again.

4.) LIMIT THE NUMBER OF CHEW TOYS
Too many toys to choose from can create confusion about which things are okay to chew. While
it is important to have safe, fun, chew toys, you don’t want to overdo it. Most of our trainers and
pet care providers suggest no more than ten toys out at a time. They also recommend rotating
the dog’s toys to avoid boredom. Dogs are smart enough to figure out that the toy they have
been chewing for months might not be as interesting as the new, smelly, leather shoes you just
bought. See our Products List in the book’s appendix for a list of recommended chew toys.
The use of appropriate chew toys is also important. Giving a dog an old shoe or torn up sock
can confuse matters. Many dogs have trouble understanding that one shoe is old and the other is
new, or that the empty soda bottle is fine to poke teeth holes in, but that chewing the full bottle
will cause problems.

5.) USE A NOISEMAKER TO DISTRACT THE DOG AND PRODUCE A NEGATIVE REINFORCER
This method has been described already in this book as a means of addressing barking and
digging issues. It consists of filling a soda can with pennies or pebbles, or using a loud whistle
or horn to startle the dog and distract him from the unwanted behavior.
This tool is effective for several behavior problems because many dogs do not like the noise,
and they associate it as a negative enforcer. They learn to avoid the behavior because they want
to avoid the noise. It is important to not overdo the use of this method or the dog will become
accustomed to the noise and not associate it as negative.
Victoria has been able to use this method effectively when she sees Riley chewing on
something, but she still needs to find a way to convince him not to chew on inappropriate objects
at all.

6.) USE A CHEWING DETERRENT
Spray Bitter Apple or similar chewing deterrent product on furniture legs, electrical wires, and
other reachable objects in which the dog has shown an interest. The effectiveness of the product
often depends on the individual dog’s response to the active agent in the solution, so try more
than one brand if needed. See our Products List in the book’s appendix for information on these
kinds of pet care items. This is a simple, inexpensive means of training a dog to chew, even
when you can’t be there to supervise. Unfortunately, some dogs seem unaffected by these
products and will require a different method.