Behaviour

Chewing

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One of the disadvantages of having a puppy is chewing, sometimes it happens with older dogs but mainly pups.

We can, however, turn this into a positive, just like when we are dealing with theft it can teach us to be tidy!!

Now there is nothing more desirable than discarded footwear, to a puppy finding a pair of smelly trainers is like Christmas and Birthdays all in one. Finding a smelly pair of socks with the trainers is like winning the jackpot at bingo and if we can get our silly owners to chase us round the house that’s winning the lottery.

The reasons for chewing are manyfold.

Puppies like to explore this fascinating world of humans and the one thing that humans have are so many textures.

We have wood, metal, plastic, soft furnishings, carpet etc and they all have to be tasted.

Puppies, just like babies also go through the teething stage and need to chew to relieve the discomfort.

Dogs chew from boredom and to strengthen their jaws.

Dogs will also chew if they are stressed, particularly if there is tension in the household and finally if they are being ignored.

So to eliminate chewing let’s consider the options:

For much of this, you need to invest in activity toys and dental chews. If there is tension in the household please keep it away from the dog. To discourage the chewing of specific items may be necessary to purchase a foul-tasting repellent from your local pet store. If this is not possible then a homemade version can be concocted from such items as citrus, cinnamon, apple cider vinegar and eucalyptus oil all can be mixed with water separately or combined in a spray bottle. Never give puppies old shoes and slippers to play with unless you are very tidy as a puppy is unable to differentiate between the pair that he is given and the pair that he has found.

The use of a cage may also be advantageous and finally, it might be helpful to restrict puppies access to certain rooms with baby gates.

Have fun!!!