Whether you have a new puppy or dog, chewing can be very damaging. First, why do dogs and puppies chew? Teething, boredom, lack of mental and physical stimulation, normal activity for dogs--and a healthy one, and to get our attention. Now, you may ask yourself, but I always yell at the dog for chewing my slippers, how is that giving him attention? If you yell and chase puppy, then your yelling may seem like a play growl and a bluff, and puppy says "game on," and the chase begins. That is giving him attention. Same goes for the older dog. So, what can you do? First, when your puppy or dog is chewing on something that he shouldn't have, exchange it for something appropriate. Never, ever just grab things out of the pup's/dog's mouth, unless absolutely necessary. We will get into that next week. Always exchange what he shouldn't be chewing on with something appropriate, such as raw hides, bully sticks, and hooves. Second, play chase with appropriate toys. He will be more likely to continue to grab appropriate things, rather than your shoes, when he sees what gets him your attention.
To relieve boredom, because most of us need to work, provide him with good chewing stuff. Kongs are wonderful. So are the sterilized hollow bones that you can find at your local pet stores. I like to fill the kongs or the bones with either peanut butter, cheese whiz, or moist dog food and place them in a plastic bag in the freezer. In a few hours, you have a hard tasty treat that keeps your dog occupied while your gone and gives them an activity to do that is healthy for their gums...chewing!
Last but not least, make sure your dog is getting enough physical and mental stimulation. Yes, mental stimulation is important too. Have you tried learning something new that was hard and felt exhausted? Guess what, same thing happens to our furry companions. Teaching them something new and reviewing things that they already know on a daily basis helps tire them out. Physical exercise is also important. Brisk, long walks, not leisurely ones, and several rounds of fetch will help. When the puppy/dog is tired, they are less likely to get into trouble. One final note for this week, always secure the things of value and make sure that the puppy and dog do not have access to them; also meaning--don't leave them unsupervised!!!. You wouldn't leave a pill bottle out for a child to grab, so think of your new furry friend the same way. Your dog is like a child, they don't know the house rules, and they don't speak the language, so puppy/dog proof your house!!! Until they learn, don't give them the opportunity. Until next week, "In order to really enjoy a dog, one doesn't merely try to train him to be semi human. The point of it is to open oneself to the possibility of becoming partly a dog."- Edward Hoagland
