Chewing and Mouthing

Chewing and Mouthing

Destructive behavior often begins when a puppy is teething. The puppy searches for something to soothe the pain, so he chews on wood or other inappropriate objects because it feels good. After he is through teething, a dog may chew due to boredom, restlessness, or habit.

It is essential to catch this in the beginning. Make sure lots of chew toys are accessible but don’t make the mistake of giving him an old shoe or sock as a toy. The dog will not understand the difference between an old useless shoe and a new expensive one. Don’t give your dog anything that resembles something you want to keep around.

Keep your house "puppy proofed" by removing temptation when possible. Do not resort to yelling. Reprimanding is the quickest way to develop an owner absent chewing problem. He will learn to wait until you are gone to chew. It is easier to get your puppy to develop a chew toy habit than to punish and correct him when he chews something inappropriate. There are three steps to every correction:

Interrupt the bad behavior.

Say, "leave it," "bad shoe," etc., and immediately offer him something acceptable.

Say here’s your toy, and praise the correct behavior by saying "good dog".

Repeat these steps consistently for a positive end to destructive chewing.

Nicole Roccograndi is a Certified Canine Specialist at Cosmo's Corner

in Virginia Beach