Dogs that are Destructive
08 Jun 2009
The act of chewing seems to be a matter of individual preference among dogs: some have an innate desire to chew as a pleasurable activity in itself, and some seem to have no need to chew whatsoever unless they’re driven to it out of sheer boredom.
The phrase “destructive chewing” may sound redundant, because – by its very nature! – all chewing is destructive. With a mouthfull of sharp, pointy teeth: just about everything will show the effects of her chewing. To be clear when I use the phrase “destructive chewing” I am referring to chewing your possessions and house items instead of hers.
The three main reasons why dogs chew:
- Most dogs have a natural desire to chew. It’s fun, it passes the time, and it’s a self-rewarding, self-reinforcing activity (for example, if she’s chewing on something that tastes good.)
- Chewing provides a nervous, bored, or lonely dog with an outlet for her emotions. To a dog the repetitive act of chewing is soothing just like we eat comfort food.
If dogs are not exercised to burn up their excess energy they often turn to chewing to give themselves something to do.
- How to prevent bad chewing -
Dogs are perfectly capable of learning not to chew although it may take a little work at first.
1. Take control and manage your own possessions. Your first step should be to dog-proof your home. Even if she is well-behaved there is no reason to test her self-control - after all dogs explore the world with their mouth.
Dog-proofing your home means taking whatever you don’t want to end up in her mouth, and making it unavailable. Consider her size and agility when deciding whether something’s out of reach: can she jump? Can she climb, or leap onto something else to reach the desired object? How tall is she when standing on her back legs?
Small crunchy appliances such as cell phones, cameras and remote controls and eyewear, shoes and garbage are often targets in the home.
It should go without saying that all food needs to be put securely away: don’t leave snacks on low tables (or even countertops – you’d be surprised how acrobatic she can be when there’s food at stake!), put all food away. Rinse your dirty plates clean of any food scraps before leaving them by the sink.
2. Don’t let her learn the joys of illegal chewing. The more times she gets to have forbidden substances such as a pilow, shoes and carpet runners the more readily she will grab them in the future. If you can prevent her from chewing your stuff in the first place, it’s a lot easier for her to understand what you expect of her. Practically speaking, this means confining her in a dog-proofed area until you’re confident of her understanding of the house rules.
3. Don’t set her up for failure by blurring the boundaries between her stuff (OK to chew) and your stuff (not OK to chew). If she has gotten caught with household articles then don’t give her similiar castoffs to play with, there is no way she would know the difference.
4. Provide her with lots of tasty alternatives to your stuff. If she doesn’t have anything to play with, you can hardly blame her for targeting your possessions. Remember, most dogs need to chew; if she’s an adolescent (under three years) or a puppy (under one year), her needs will be even more pronounced. Pick up several toys and chews and give her more than one at a time. Rotate her toys and make it interesting.
5. Spend a lot of time in one on one supervision. Yes it is easier to keep her penned in her crate but horrible for her, and hardley any fun for you either?) She can not learn all that you expect of her if you keep her all boxed up in a dog-proof zone: she needs to be able to explore and have challengies so that she can understand what is appropriate and what is not.
6. Make a loud noise like clapping your hand or make an “Ah-ah-aaaah” when you catch her chewing something you don’t want her to chew!” noise. Then, immediately hand her a tasty and dog-appropriate alternative (a rawhide bone or other chew toy); as soon as her jaws close around it, praise her lavishly. The best way is to get your dog to understand that chewing “her” toys is good and everything else is bad.
- Maintain a productive attitude -
If nothing else, keep your expectation realistic. Neither you or your dog are perfect and there will be a good chance she will tear up something you cherishe.
Particularly in the early stages of your relationship, she’s still learning the ropes: it’ll take awhile before she’s completely reliable (and even then, if she’s left by herself for too long or feels neglected, she may choose your stuff over hers to occupy her time and jaws with.) Remember to give her time to learn the rules, and plenty of ‘you-time’ to help her learn faster – and don’t forget to take precautions and keep things out of reach until she’s got the hang of the chewing rules!
For more information on dog training techniques and how to deal with problem dog behavior (like chewing), check out Secrets to Dog Training. A complete manual to fast-track your dog’s learning.
