How to Fix Destructive Chewing
Ah, chewing. The behavior problem that leaves your belongings in shreds and costs you hours in clean up and hundreds in repair and replacement.
Why is the dog chewing?
Puppy. Puppies chew on things. It’s absolutely normal and absolutely predictable. FYI, “teething” isn’t over until the dog is 6-7 months old.
Stress. Did you know chewing can be a form of stress relief? If the dog is chronically distressed, chewing may increase. Generalized fear, frequent fights/scuffles with other dogs in the home, separation anxiety, separation distress, on-leash reactivity to dogs or people, etc. can all create chronic distress.
Attention Seeking. Dogs aren’t dummies. They learn real quick that humans mostly ignore them when they’re being good, but as soon as they grab something illegal, the humans jump up and chase them around the house. Chewing becomes the dog’s request for playtime.
Boredom. Without appropriate mental and physical outlets, some dogs look to chewing to deal with their excess energy.
The solution to chewing
Regardless of why your dog is chewing, the first part of the solution is the same: remove the temptation. Dogs cannot chew on what they cannot access.
The dog’s space needs to be chew-proofed; there’s no way around this. Keep the clothing, trash, books, papers and electronics out of reach. The more often he chews illegal items, the worse the problem will become.
Keeping the entire house chew-proofed isn’t easy; especially if you live with other people or children. Consider creating a smaller dog area instead. Use baby gates to section off a portion of your home, OR keep all bedroom, bathroom, closet and office doors shut so he only has access to the main living spaces.
Once you’ve removed temptations, provide legal chew alternatives. Think about the textures he seems to prefer, and select some similar toys. It’s also a good idea to rotate toys frequently. Food stuffed toys and intentionally consumable items (like No-Hides or bully sticks) are great options too.
You also want to think about which category above he fits into. If there’s underlying boredom or distress, dealing with those issues appropriately is part of fixing the chewing. If you suspect some sort of separation anxiety, contact Kim Roche, Austin’s only Certified Separation Anxiety Specialist.
Do I have to live like this forever?
Most likely not. However, there are some dogs who find certain temptations simply irresistible, no matter what training you do. Those dogs will need some level of management for life.