Puppies chew. It's a fact of life anyone who wants to get a puppy will need to deal with. As their teeth are coming in, the process can hurt. Gnawing on shoes, telephone cords, toys and even your feet will seem like normal behavior to the puppy, but to you, it is likely quite unacceptable.
Puppies continue to teeth well into their sixth month and even beyond, so owners need to really get used to this desire. When chewing gets out of control, however, there are ways to direct the dog's behavior toward something more acceptable.
Tackling chewing will require time and some real creativity and even a whole lot of responsibility taking, too. Remember, puppies are babies and the teething process hurts them as much as it does a little human, and maybe even more.
The first thing owners can do to help minimize chewing issues is to take responsibility for their own stuff. This means keeping shoes and socks out of a puppy's reach, closing off garbage cans, ensuring remotes, children's toys and other items cannot be had. The less temptation left lying around unattended, the better.
If you manage to catch your dog in the act of chewing, correct him. This means making a loud noise to disrupt the behavior or even treating items with a dog repellent. If this doesn't work, consider using baby gates to close dogs off from what they shouldn't have.
Do remember it is important to allow the puppy to chew on something. To avoid mistakes down the road, take care in picking out acceptable chewing toys. If you don't want Max eating your shoes, don't give him an old one to play with. Stuffed animal chew toys are almost never a great idea in a home with children who collect stuffed animals. Pick out logical toys.
Other options for curbing puppy chewing include making sure your puppy gets plenty of attention, is provided with acceptable toys for teething on and rewarding him or her for chewing on what is allowed.
Chewing is a behavior that is normal for pretty much all puppies and young dogs. The damage that can be done during this phase can be extensive, so it is a very good idea to curb undesired chewing as soon as possible.
Remember, it's never a good idea to encourage chewing on an object that resembles something that is off limits. It is also wise to provide plenty of options when it comes to toys.
Do not resort to violence to correct a dog from chewing. Instead, use other form of discipline to make a point.
