Part 1 Puppy chewing
Dogs of any breed, gender and age will chew up things. There is always a reason behind this chewing obsession, let’s look at the most common reasons.
As we all know puppies have a strong urge to mouth/chew everything and anything, sometimes that behavior becomes obsessive and continues on to adult hood. Young dogs learn about their environment and the make up everything by mouthing/chewing. It’s their way of learning.
Puppies love to chew
At a certain age puppies will go through the teething stage and the chewing helps cope with that. By giving the puppy the right chew toys it can help curb the puppy from gnawing on furniture, shoes and more. When buying any chew toys for teething puppies make sure when they chew their teeth can somewhat penetrate or feel like its penetrating the toy. Example a knotted rope when the puppy bites into it the teeth penetrate and it comforts the teething process. If a tooth is ready to fall off the knotted rope will help extract the tooth. Make sure when giving a knotted rope that you don’t have any oriental carpets. Reason for that is the puppy will not be able to distinguish the difference between the frills of the knotted rope and the frills of your oriental carpet. If possible remove the oriental carpet or only allow your puppy to chew in an area without anything resembling.
Other things you can use to help cope with the teething are to use several face clothes. The process is easy and very effective, actually better then the knotted rope. Take a few face clothes and wet it completely then squeeze 95 % of the water and roll the face cloth so it looks like a roll. Place them in the freezer, and give the puppy one to gnaw on. The coldness helps and they can easily bite into it for relief. Same as with babies pacifier that are frozen and given for the relief.
When a puppy is outdoors be very vigilant in insuring that they don’t pick up stuff off the ground that can be dangerous to them. Yes they will still grab stuff they are quick, do the best you can to prevent it.
If they eat soil or chew on rock don’t worry, it’s normal. Still try to prevent it. Worst case they will throw up, or swallow it. They will pass it by the next day. If your puppy after chewing swallowed something like a bottle cap, give your puppy a Vaseline sandwich (bread with vaseline on it), that will help grab what’s inside and help it exit on the next elimination.
Many puppies love to gnaw or bite your hand, a quick correction with a firm NO should be applied. By yelling or saying ouch will not correct the dog all it will do is getting them to do it more. The reason is when puppies play together and one bites the other they yelp and that triggers play. Also it activates their prey instinct, just like when they catch a prey the animal will yelp and that activates their natural instincts. The same rule applies to us when we yelp in the puppies mind.
Best way to correct that behavior is simply grab the collar and firmly say No, show you will not tolerate that. The mother in nature would do the same, in our situation after the reprimand show or give a toy to chew on. Make sure you don’t just push and say no and give a toy, they will understand something completely different. They will associate a bite will get me a toy.
Dogs and puppies love to chew on wood, reason being they can sink their teeth into it. So your furniture that has wooden legs will be the next target.
Best thing is let your dog do all the chewing outdoors; it will be easier and controlled. If your puppy has lots of toys or chew toys remove several of them and alternate by putting the ones that have been out with the ones you have put away. This will give the puppy more reasons to chew the new items. Always alter them weekly, plus they won’t get board.
There are more reasons and solutions, each puppy is different and the variables are to.
Have a woof woof of a month.
Harry Kalajian
M.D.T. With over 32 years experience
All Aspect of training, Behaviorist, Ethologist & Psychologist
Executive Dog Training Inc.
941-447-8234
www.executivedogtraining.com
