How To Stop Your Dogs Destructive Chewing
If youre a dog parent, youve probably been there: You come home from work to find a prized possession chewed to bits. Maybe its your favorite pair of new shoes, or the wooden legs of your furniture, or even the walls of your house. Either way, its frustrating, its expensive and it has a name: destructive chewing. So, how do you stop a dog from chewing on your stuff?
Like it or not, chewing comes naturally to your four-legged friend. Wolves, dogs ancestors, chewed on bones, sticks and other materials in the wild, and those instincts remain in their domesticated brethren.
Dogs use their mouths like we use our hands, explains dog trainer and author Victoria Schade.
Theyre an essential tool for exploring and interacting with their world. But that doesnt mean you need to resign yourself to years of mangled footwear and bite-marked hallways.
Whether you want to get your dog to stop chewing on your furniture, your shoes or anything else in your home, its important to appease this natural instinct. Veterinarians and trainers say the first step to solving your dogs destructive chewing is understanding whats driving your dog to chew, then designing a solution to match.
How Do You Get A Dog To Stop Chewing Shoes
you find her chewing on a shoe, resist the urge to yell at her or punish her scolding can seem negative, but its just attention, not punishment scolding may be negative attention, but its still attention, Your job is to take her toy chews and divert her to them instead of taking the shoe.
Should You Punish A Puppy From Chewing On Something
Having your puppy on a leash can make a negative impact on his behavior if it means you need to chastise the puppy. Normally, the actions of chewing things shouldnt be taken by humans, this behavior is all that they should be doing now. I dont recommend grabbing your puppy and getting him into the mess discipline him physically by yelling and pulling him.
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How To Stop Dogs From Chewing Shoes: 10 Simple Tricks
Dogs love to chew. Youve probably seen your dog chewing on everything from the toys you give them to rocks they dug up from the backyard. But one thing you never want to see your dog chewing on is your shoes.
Unfortunately, your shoes are one of the most attractive items to your dog. They smell like you, strongly, and theyre just the right combination of soft and durable to give them a real good chew session.
But you dont want to replace your kicks every week and you definitely dont want to start feeling resentful towards your dog for chewing up your shoes. So, what can you do?
Well, weve found eight solutions for you. Try any or all of these simple tricks and you should be able to get your dog to stop chewing your shoes today. But before we tell you how to stop this behavior, lets discuss why its happening in the first place. Heres why dogs chew shoes and how to stop dogs from chewing shoes.
How Do You Punish A Dog For Chewing Up Something
Dog chewing that poses a safety threat is discouraged If a dog is chewing something that is unpleasant, admonish him by taking it away and hitting it. You can teach your dog that you are watching him chew on an object and by giving him praise afterward he will learn what you are watching him with. Gradually you will be able to teach your dog to distinguish different objects from one another.
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Stop Dog From Chewing My Shoes
My dog loves to eat shoes! How do I get her to stop?
Answer:
Your shoes are a strange combination of everything your dog loves: theyre chewy and they smell like you. One dog told me that her owner should think of her shoe chewing as a compliment!
Most dogs feel guilty after theyve destroyed a shoe. They didnt mean to eat it. They just meant to experience it a little.
To make it stop, you need to remove the three causes of shoe chewing: the temptation, the loneliness and the boredom.
Remove the TemptationShoe chewing is an addictive behavior. You need to put your shoes away. Your dog may try to apply her chewing to other things that smell like you. Make sure you keep your clothes put away too.
To control the cravings, give her an alternative like a nylabone or a kong. Do not give her a rawhide chew. Rawhide chews are cowhide. Theyre a lot like shoes. Lets not confuse her with nuance.
Remove the LonelinessIf shes chewing your shoes because shes missing you, find something fun that the two of you can do together. If shes alone all day by herself, consider getting her a companion or taking her to doggie daycare.
Remove the BoredomEvery dog needs a job. If your dog has something to focus on, besides your shoes, voila, problem is solved. Ask your dog to do something for you. My resident recovered-shoe-chewers job is to keep our house safe. She looks out the window and occasionally lets the neighborhood know that this house is protected by a tough whippet mix.
Chewing The Whys And Hows To Stop A Gnawing Problem
Sooner or later every dog lover returns home to find some unexpected damage inflicted by his or her dog or, more specifically, that dogs teeth. Although dogs make great use of their vision and sense of smell to explore the world, one of their favorite ways to take in new information is to put their mouths to work.
Fortunately, chewing can be directed onto appropriate items so your dog isnt destroying things you value or jeopardizing his own safety. Until hes learned what he can and cant chew, however, its your responsibility to manage the situation as much as possible, so he doesnt have the opportunity to chew on unacceptable objects.
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Is My Dog Mad If Theyre Chewing On Shoes
Your dog is not mad if theyre chewing on shoes. Theyre experiencing anxiety, or just bored. Chewing releases endorphins that soothe them, and they may have chosen your shoes because they also smell like you, which your dog also enjoys.
But it is very unlikely that your dog is chewing on your shoes because theyre mad at you or anything else.
Preventing Your Dog From Chewing Up Everything
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Dogs mouths function much like our hands. Its their preferred tool for exploring surroundings. This means that your dog will frequently examine something interesting by tasting and gnawing it.
With some dogs this chewing becomes a destructive problem, and correcting it is part of providing the best dog care.
Dogs chew for a variety of reasons:
- A puppy may chew because of teething
- It can occur out of boredom or because of instinct
- It may be a result of anxiety if your dog is uncomfortable with the surroundings or because of being left alone
Identify the cause. The key to stopping the behavior is identifying the reason for the chewing:
- Chewing on a wide variety of objects in the house regardless of whether you are home is probably the result of boredom. Your dog probably needs more play, exercise and physical activity to work off some energy. Providing appropriate chew toys will also help kick the chewing habit.
- can be the cause. Dogs may chew or paw to try to escape the area where left or may chew on inappropriate objects as a nervous reaction to your absence. This is a difficult type of chewing to treat because it occurs when youre not present, and it is the dog’s anxiety that needs to be treated. Dog behaviorists will use socialization, desensitization and counter-conditioning techniques to cure separation anxiety. Ask your veterinarian if your dog would benefit from being referred to a veterinary behaviorist.
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Vocalize Disapproval Of Chewing
If you catch your puppy chewing on something he shouldn’t, interrupt the behavior by saying âehhâ or âNoâ. Call him to you, have him sit, and offer him an acceptable chew toy instead. Donât forget to give your puppy plenty of âpeople time.â He can only learn the rules of your house when heâs with you and receiving feedback.
A Word About Deterrents
It’s tempting to tackle destructive behaviors in dogs by making the prohibited items or the prohibited activity less appealing. Many dog owners use taste deterrents like Bitter Apple Spray to accomplish that.
The goal is to make shoes taste bad so that the dog learns to leave them alone. However, taste deterrents often fail in their goal and for a good reason: dogs have their bitter-detecting taste buds located at the rear part of their tongue. When dogs chew, the flavor may not register, or the dog may care less. Actually, anecdotal evidence from reports of dog owners seems to suggest that some dogs even appear to enjoy the taste.
Another common method is to place the shoe on a low table and attach one shoelace to an empty soda can filled with coins. Once the pup grabs the shoe, he will drag the soda can on the ground too. While this booby-trap method may sound brilliant, this will only startle dogs. This is not an ideal approach, especially in noise-sensitive dogs or dogs already anxious or stressed! It also fails to address what you want your dog to do rather than not do.
And leaving shoes around to booby-trap your dog just to scold him or physically correct him only causes your dog to fear and mistrust you. It also risks affecting your dog’s natural predisposition to approach, investigate and pick up objects, which can cause huge hurdles that day you may want to train your dog to pick up objects for you or perform cute tricks.
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Make Sure To Exercise Your Dog
Make sure your puppy is getting adequate physical and mental exercise. A tired dog is a happy dog! It sounds so simple, but itâs probably the most important factor in improving a dogâs behavior. 30-60 minutes each day of walking, running, swimming, or agility training will keep a dog from releasing his energy and frustration at the expense of your belongings. I hate to say it, but just playing a game of fetch isnât going to cut it for most dogs, and just letting your dog outside to roam the yard isnât going to do it either. Keep your dogâs mind and body active during exercise time, and his mind and body will be too tired to raise a ruckus when heâs left unsupervised. Even my âmiddle agedâ dog needs his fast-paced mile walk every night.
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The last thing anyone wants after buying an expensive pair of shoes is for their dog to chew ’em up. But we all know it happens! And if you think your pup is a hopeless case, think again.
What does celebrity dog trainer and author of Lucky Dog Lessons, Brandon McMillan, suggest? Tying a shoe to your dog’s collar.
“It’s reverse psychology,” Brandon explains. “For the first 15 minutes, the dog loves the shoe. 30 minutes later, the dog’s like, ‘Okay, this is getting kind of boring now.’ 45 minutes later, the dog never wants to look at the shoe again.”
So. Smart.
“I’ve given this advice to people all over the world,” he continues. “It stops it in a week or two.”
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Find A Dog Trainer For Him
You think you cant train your dog by yourself? Its all OK.
If you have enough money, you can hire a professional dog trainer to help you train your naughty dog, just go for them! This is the most expensive way to stop your dogs from chewing shoes, if you have failed all the below method, then think about it.
A professional dog trainer knows everything about dogs. Once they get to know with your dog, they will identify what your dog needs and have the specific training, exercise for your pet.
You can have your dog trained with a trainer at the weekend when you can watch them or even join the training.
Bonus: This is the video from Victoria Stilwell a professional dog trainer, she helped this family train their dogs that have mischief and destructiveness from boredom. I think its helpful to you.
How Do I Get My Dog To Stop Chewing Shoes
Whenever your dog chews your shoes instead of his toys, treat him with treats. It is quicker for him to stick to his chew toys and bones if you teach him what to do more quickly. Drop it! With your dog chewing on a shoe, signal Drop it! all the time. Reward your customer with a treat when he signs up.
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Why Does My Dog Chew On Things When I Leave The House
Does this sound familiar? Every time you go to work, you come back to feathery remains of pillows, gnawed table legs or your favorite pair of heels ruined by bite marks. Almost every dog parent has been where you are. And each one of us gave up on being angry as soon we saw their adorable guilty faces, too.
However, having your dog chewing everything while youre away is not just frustrating. It could be a sign of a more serious affliction, such as your dog is suffering from . Dogs who are stressed or agitated when left alone are more likely to chew furniture or shoes as a way of relieving anxiety.
So, how can you help your dog feel better when youre not there and save your valuables from destruction at the same time? Petcube will show you where their problem areas are. It is up to you to follow up on what you find.
Dog Toys And Chews Are Different
Toys are usually designed to be thrown, chased, squeaked, and tugged during play. Most are not designed to be chewed. Some exceptions are Kongs and activity balls which can be referred to as ‘chew toys’, but you will need to always consider the hardness of any toys you give your dog to avoid tooth fractures.
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What To Avoid When Teaching Your Puppy Not To Chew
Disciplining your puppy after the fact will not teach him not to chew. If you discover a chewed item even minutes after heâs chewed it, youâre too late to administer a correction. Animals associate punishment with what theyâre doing at the time theyâre being punished.
A puppy canât reason that, “I tore up those shoes an hour ago and that’s why I’m being scolded now.” Some people believe this is what a puppy is thinking because he runs and hides or because he “looks guilty.” Guilty looks are canine submissive postures that dogs show when theyâre threatened. When youâre angry and upset, the puppy feels threatened by your tone of voice, body postures and/or facial expressions, so he may hide or show submissive postures.
Why Does My Dog Chew My Shoes Only
For entertainment, dogs can consume shoes, however some engage in destructive behaviors when provoked by anxiety or stress because they dont understand the meaning of the words. To remove the shoes from easy access as a result of chewing by your dog, take care. The anxiety your dog may feel when he cant fall out of bed can be quite severe.
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Why Do Dogs Only Chew One Persons Shoes
Is it possible for my dog to chew fore one persons things? Most peoples dogs use a chew pillow to relieve separation anxiety, although dogs that chew should only do so when alone or as a direct consequence of being left alone. Moreover, as well as chewing up the floor and barking, pacing, restlessness, urination, and pooping.
Catching Your Dog In The Act
What should you do if you catch your dog in the act, that is, chewing or about to chew your shoes? Keep your cool, and don’t start madly chasing your dog around the house.
Instead, keep a ready assortment of legitimate chews handy, and whenever you see this happening, calmly walk up to your dog with an appropriate edible chewing item as those described above. Show your dog the item and swap it for the shoe. Do this very calmly and nonchalantly. If your dog is prone to resource guarding, play it safe and consult with a dog behavior professional, using humane behavior modification.
To put leaving a shoe alone and dropping it on cue, learn how to train your dog the leave it and drop it cue. These will come in handy in many life scenarios and have saved oodles of dogs from chewing on or even ingesting things that can do harm and even lead to scary outcomes and expensive surgeries.
This article is accurate and true to the best of the authors knowledge. It is not meant to substitute for diagnosis, prognosis, treatment, prescription, or formal and individualized advice from a veterinary medical professional. Animals exhibiting signs and symptoms of distress should be seen by a veterinarian immediately.
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Do Not Give Your Dog An Old Shoe Or Old Socks To Chew On
You are unintentionally teaching him that it is acceptable to chew on shoes and socks, and there will come a day when one of your very favorite or very expensive shoes ends up as a dog chew toy.
Your dog cannot be expected to distinguish which chewable items are off limits and which ones are meant for him.
