Destructive Chewing: Chew on This!
Destructive chewing is a very common problem among owners of new dogs, and especially those with growing puppies. All dogs, from 6 wks old through adulthood, have a natural desire and need to chew. Some dogs were specifically bred to be more “mouthy” than others, or just tend toward that in their personality. In order to deal with what we see as a problem, we need to begin by understanding that, to a dog, everything is a potential chew toy. Puppies, especially, explore everything in their new world with their mouths. It is our responsibility to teach our dogs what we consider off limits and what we consider chewable in a clear and fair manner.
To deal with destructive chewing, you need to:
1. Prevent the dog/puppy from practicing the inappropriate chewing by using a crate or other management tool when you aren’t around, physically blocking off previously chewed areas, or using a bitter apple spray to create a taste deterrent, and keeping a close eye on the dog/puppy when they are out.
2. Interrupt the dog any time they are chewing on something inappropriate (I use a loud clap and “Hey!”) and replace it with an acceptable toy. Praise your dog any time you catch them chewing on a dog toy.
3. Teach your dog what you want them to chew on by providing desirable chew toys/kibble dispensing toys regularly.
A good chew toy should keep your dog’s mind and mouth busy for at least 10-40 minutes. Every dog has different preferences, so you will have to explore to find what your dog loves the most. Here are some of my favorite chew toys: Kong, Twist n’ Treat, Squirrel Dude, Tug a Jug, Kibble Nibble, Buster Cube, and The Leonardo. You can get most of these chew toys on amazon.com or sitstay.com if you can’t find them at a local pet boutique.In general, these interactive toys are safer than rawhides, but some dogs do quite well with Bully Sticks (ligaments instead of hide) or Nylabones (plastic bones). Stay away from treat “bones” that are made of gluten or corn that your dog can eat entirely in 5-10 minutes. These can upset your dog’s digestion and aren’t very healthy.
The Kong is by far the easiest to find in pet stores, and very easy to stuff and use. There are many “recipes” available on the Internet on how to stuff a Kong. Just make sure to start out by making these toys very easy so your dog has a lot of success when they are learning how to unstuff any of them. You can make it harder when they get the idea. I recommend to feed at least all meals and some treats divided into several small portions in a kibble dispensing toy like these until the chewing habit on appropriate toys is well ingrained (3 weeks with no inappropriate chewing). The stuffed toys can be given during mealtimes, when you leave your dog in it’s crate, or just when you are busy and can’t keep an eye on them.
Not only will the chew toys prevent the destruction when you can’t watch them every minute, but they will also help drain their chewing energy into an appropriate outlet, lower stress levels and give them some healthy dental exercise! It is a great habit to instill early on.