Chewing is a natural behavior for all dogs from puppies to senior pets. But arriving home to chewed-up furniture, shoes, and more is never fun. In fact, it can be very frustrating and even expensive depending on what your pet has decided to focus his energy on. For some inexperienced owners, it can even cause them to consider getting rid of their pets. There’s no reason to go that far though, with a little knowledge and a few tips you’ll easily be able to keep your things safe.
Natural For Pets Of All Ages
Young pups up to around six months of age will chew when they are teething because it helps to relieve their pain and discomfort. When adults chew it is a way to relieve stress and get rid of extra energy while maintaining jaw strength and keeping their teeth clean.
And of course dogs unlike humans don’t have hands so they explore new items in the home with their mouths which can easily lead to whatever it is being chewed a little too long. Even with all of these benefits, however, chewing is not always appropriate. So here are some tips that anyone can apply to make sure their belongings are safe:
Find Another Outlet For That Energy
Adding extra time to your daily walk or jog with your pet can go a long way toward making them more relaxed and less likely to chew. You may also want to increase the number of times per day you exercise your pet. Daily play sessions are a help too and can be used in combination with exercise to really keep your pooch as mellow as possible.
Toys And Chews
Because chewing is natural providing your dog with items of their own that they can chew and bite is very important. It allows them an outlet to chew, play, and just be a dog without getting into trouble.
You’ll want to praise your pet when they use these items so that they recognize them instead of your possessions as okay to chew. Rawhide and natural dog chews along with extra tough toys like the well-known Kong are great for this.
Dog-Proof Your Home
Be sure to take a look at your home and think like a dog. You’ll want to go room by room and make sure there is nothing at their height level (or which they could reach) that they can easily get into or be tempted by. If there is it could easily end up in your pet’s mouth.
Confine
A solution that always works is to simply confine your dog when you are not at home since they can’t chew what they don’t have access to. A dog kennel or crate is ideal but make sure you have the right size and leave your pet with toys, chews, and water when you’re away. Dog gates can also be used to keep your pooch in a certain room or area of the home.
Spray Repellents
You could also use a spray repellent on the items you want your dog to stay away from. These have a bitter taste that dogs don’t like such as bitter apple. Many can even be sprayed on your pet itself to keep it from licking or biting certain areas of the body.
All dogs are different. But by experimenting with which of these ideas works for your canine you’ll almost always be able to solve your pet’s chewing problem without having to consult a professional. And this will leave both of you less stressed and much happier!
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