Today I would like to talk about your dog’s chewing habits. Dogs chew for a variety of reasons. Usually it is a developmental phase that puppies pass through to relieve the itch and pain of cutting new teeth. However in older dogs chewing can be a form of attention grabbing or a way to relieve stress or boredom.
We must remember though that chewing is part of being a dog. Chewing is good for teeth and gums and can help reduce tartar and freshen breath.
It is interesting to note that larger dogs mature slowly so we can expect them to take longer to go through the puppy stages of chewing.
It’s important that we train our dogs to chew on appropriate toys and not our furniture, shoes etc. Not only can it be frustrating, but it can also be dangerous for our dogs.
So how do we do this?
Make sure your dog has toys that will stand up to his chewing. Have you ever bought that cute stuffed toy with the squeak in it and brought it home and your dog has demolished it within minutes?
We have Dobermans so their jaws are pretty strong. We find kongs are great. They haven’t managed to destroy one yet. To keep them interested in them we’ve stuffed them with their favourite treats.
They just love cookies(dog cookies that is) with peanut butter on them.
Another one of their favourites is those treat balls. You put the treat inside and they have to roll it around to get it out.
A good strong sturdy bone is also good. Watch them though as they chew them down and cut off any sharp edges.
When you see your dog chewing something that they shouldn’t be, reprimand him and then redirect him to an appropriate toy. Don’t forget to praise this action.
Never give your dog one of your old shoes to chew. He can’t tell the difference between your old shoe and your brand new one. Always use dog friendly toys. Also try and keep their toys in one spot. We have a small basket that we keep all their toys in.
Of course all this time you have been teaching your dog basic obedience so it won’t take him long to figure out what is acceptable behaviour.
Remember ”The single greatest cause of death in dogs under one year of age is not Parvo, it’s not Distemper, it is lack of obedience training and 93% of training and behaviour problems can be solved using a series of simple dog training techniques.”
Don’t let your dog be one of these statistics!
Remember the three important steps of training – Time, Patience and Praise.
Until next time.
Maureen Brownell
