Dogs are perfectly capable of learning not to chew your stuff – you just
have to put in a little effort first, that's all.
1. Take
control of the situation: manage your own possessions. Your first step should
be to dog-proof your home. Dog-proofing your home means taking whatever you
don't want to end up in his mouth, and making it unavailable. Common targets in
the home include books, eyewear, clothing, shoes, garbage, and small crunchy
appliances like cameras, cell phones, and remote controls.
2. Don't
set him up for failure by blurring the boundaries between his stuff (OK to
chew) and your stuff (not OK to chew). Don't offer your dog old clothes, shoes,
or towels to chew and play with: realistically, you can't possibly expect him
to be able to tell the difference between your current shoes and the one he's got
in his mouth that you gave him five minutes ago.
3. Provide
him with lots of tasty alternatives to your stuff. Most dogs need to chew; if he's
an adolescent (under three years) or a puppy (under one year), his needs will
be even more pronounced. Go to a pet shop, then give him two or three to play
with at a time. Rotating the available toys every few days will keep things
novel and interesting for him.
4. When
you catch him chewing something inappropriate, interrupt him by making a loud
noise: clap your hands or make an "Ah-ah-aaaah!" noise. Then, immediately hand
him a tasty and dog-appropriate alternative (a rawhide bone or other chew toy);
as soon as his jaws close around it, praise her lavishly. There is no better
way to get your dog to understand that chewing "his" toys equals praise from
you, but everything else equals trouble.
5. Exercise
your dog as much as you can. Ideally one hour a day or more which will
considerably reduce his need to chew.
Above all, remember to keep your expectations
realistic. You're not perfect, and neither is your dog. Remember to give your
dog time to learn the rules, and plenty of ‘you-time' to help him learn faster
– and don't forget to take precautions and keep things out of reach until he's
got the hang of the chewing rules!
Visit www.dog-training-secrets.org for more Dog Training
Tips. I give you a no-cost subscription to my "Top Dog Training Tips Newsletter"
($67 value).
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