Chewing is a natural and essential behavior for dogs, serving various purposes from teething relief in puppies to maintaining jaw strength and dental hygiene in adult dogs. It’s also a vital outlet for combating boredom and alleviating mild anxiety or frustration. However, when this natural instinct is directed towards inappropriate items, it becomes a concern for pet owners. This article delves into the common causes of destructive chewing and provides practical strategies for managing and redirecting this behavior, ensuring a harmonious life for both you and your canine companion.
Ruling Out Underlying Issues
Before implementing management strategies, it’s crucial to rule out specific behavioral or medical conditions that can manifest as destructive chewing.
Separation Anxiety
Dogs suffering from separation anxiety often exhibit chewing as a coping mechanism when left alone. This behavior is typically accompanied by other distress signals such as whining, barking, pacing, restlessness, and house-soiling. If you suspect separation anxiety, consult specialized resources for effective treatment.
Fabric Sucking
Some dogs develop a habit of licking, sucking, and chewing on fabrics. This behavior might stem from being weaned too early. If the fabric-sucking is persistent and difficult to interrupt, it could indicate a compulsive disorder. Seeking professional help from a Certified Applied Animal Behaviorist (CAAB), a board-certified veterinary behaviorist, or a Certified Professional Dog Trainer (CPDT) with expertise in compulsive behaviors is recommended in such cases.
Hunger
Nutritional deficiencies or a calorie-restricted diet can lead dogs to chew on objects in search of additional food sources. This type of chewing is often directed at items that smell or appear to be food-related.
Strategies for Managing Destructive Chewing
Understanding the root cause of chewing is the first step. For common scenarios like teething and normal chewing, specific management techniques can be employed.
Puppy Teething
Puppies explore the world through their mouths, and the discomfort of incoming teeth intensifies their urge to chew. This phase, characterized by significant chewing, typically subsides by six months of age. Offering frozen toys, ice cubes, or damp, frozen washcloths can provide relief. It’s essential to gently guide puppies to chew only appropriate items, such as their designated toys.
Normal Chewing Behavior
Chewing is a healthy and normal activity for dogs of all ages, contributing to strong jaws and clean teeth. While dogs naturally enjoy chewing on various items, including bones and sticks, they sometimes target inappropriate household objects. Providing a variety of appealing chew toys and teaching dogs what is acceptable to chew is crucial.
Useful Tips for Managing Chewing
- “Dog-proof” your home: Secure valuable items, shoes, clothing, and books to prevent access. Make it easy for your dog to succeed by removing temptation.
- Provide ample chew toys: Offer a diverse selection of engaging chew toys and rotate them regularly to maintain your dog’s interest. Natural bones sold for chewing can be beneficial, but supervise to prevent splintering or dental damage. Learn more about appropriate chew toys for your dog.
- Offer edible chews: Bully sticks, pig ears, and rawhide bones can satisfy chewing needs. However, supervise closely to prevent choking hazards, especially if your dog tends to swallow large pieces.
- Utilize puzzle toys: Fill puzzle toys with treats or a portion of your dog’s daily food ration to provide mental stimulation and redirect chewing.
- Use deterrent sprays: Apply taste deterrents to discourage chewing on unwanted items. Consistent application over several weeks can help create an aversion. However, deterrents are most effective when combined with teaching appropriate chewing alternatives.
- Supervise and redirect: Actively supervise your dog and intervene when you catch them chewing inappropriately. Gently remove the item and immediately offer an appropriate chew toy, praising them when they engage with it. If your dog exhibits aggressive tendencies when items are removed, seek professional guidance.
- Crate training for absence: When you cannot supervise, confine your dog to a safe, chew-proof area like a crate or a small room. Provide engaging chew toys to prevent boredom and destructive chewing. Ensure adequate exercise and interaction time when the dog is out of confinement.
- Exercise and mental stimulation: Sufficient physical activity and mental engagement are key to preventing boredom-driven chewing. Daily walks, playtime, training sessions, and puzzle feeders can significantly reduce the likelihood of destructive chewing.
- Consistency is key: Avoid offering inappropriate items, such as old shoes or clothing, as chew toys. This can confuse your dog and make it harder for them to distinguish between acceptable and unacceptable items.
- Address specific problem items: For issues like chewing dirty underwear or raiding the garbage, secure storage is the most effective solution. Most puppies outgrow these behaviors as they mature.
Lack of Exercise or Mental Stimulation
A common cause of destructive chewing is insufficient physical and mental stimulation. Bored dogs will seek ways to entertain themselves, and chewing is a prime candidate. Engaging your dog in daily walks, interactive play, training classes, and puzzle toys provides essential outlets for their energy and intellect.
Stress and Frustration
External stressors can trigger chewing. Situations like being crated near an unfamiliar animal, being teased by children, or confinement in a car can cause anxiety and lead to chewing. Avoiding exposure to such triggers is paramount. Furthermore, dogs prevented from engaging in exciting activities may redirect their energy into destructive chewing. For example, dogs watching other animals or people through a fence might chew at the barrier. Providing an appropriate toy for them to redirect their excitement and frustration can be highly effective.
What NOT to Do
Certain methods of discouraging chewing are counterproductive, inhumane, and potentially dangerous.
- Avoid post-incident punishment: Punishing your dog for damage done hours or even minutes ago is ineffective, as they cannot connect the punishment to the past behavior.
- Do not use inhumane methods: Methods like taping a dog’s mouth shut or tying a damaged object to them are cruel, teach nothing, and can be fatal.
- Limit crate time: Extended crate confinement (over six hours) is not a recommended solution for chewing and can lead to other behavioral issues.
- Avoid muzzling for chewing: Muzzles are designed for safety during specific situations and should not be used as a tool to prevent chewing. Learn more about managing leash biting.
By understanding the reasons behind destructive chewing and implementing positive, consistent training methods, you can successfully redirect your dog’s natural chewing instincts towards appropriate outlets, fostering a well-behaved and happy pet.
