What to Do When Your Puppy Dog Is Chewing Everything In Sight
A puppy wanting to chew makes you want to scream! Doremember that, like children who search their new worldwith their hands, so do puppies search with their mouths.While there is a difference between exploratory chewing andproblem chewing, the problem chewing is sometimes relatedto their need for attention, food or tension release. However,most of the time, puppies tend to chew because they areteething. Expect them to do so until they're about sixmonths old. The best thing to do is not only puppy proof your house (i.e.remove trash cans and electric cords out of the way) but toprovide monitored playtime. If a puppy is left unattended,he could chew on anything from your furniture to yourplants. And, forget about blaming (or hitting or scolding) yourpuppy for his chewy deeds. Expecting a puppy not to chewis like telling a teething baby to stop crying because you saidso. It's just not going to happen. If you make chew toysavailable and take away items that should not be chewed,you can get through this phase with minimal damage andmost of your hair intact. There is a need to stop your puppy from chewing on yourpossessions, but not to stop him from chewing all together. Ifyou haven't taught him that chewing on certain items arebad, then he could habitually chew on those items later, notknowing what's ok to chew on and what's not.Indoors, be sure to pick up anything that the puppy couldbelieve is a toy. Be sure that remote controls, socks andshoes are out of the way. If your puppy does chew onanything, especially furniture, then give him a play toy tochew as a substitute. Then, tell him "good boy," so that youare constantly reinforcing the habit. There are someproducts you can buy at pet stores that can be safely appliedto furniture that make the taste unappealing. You may want to avoid giving your dog old socks or shoesto chew on. Later, even as a dog, don't be surprised if hesearches out these items to chew upon while playing orlaying indoors. Also, you may think twice about giving yourpuppy toys that resemble your children's for these samereasons. As stated, a certain amount of teething is normal, butpuppies may chew because they're bored. Be sure to giveyour puppy plenty of physical and mental activities eachday. When inside, rotate your puppy or dog's toys so that hedoesn't become bored with the same old thing. Otherexperts suggest that buying a play ball and stuffing it withsome tasty goodies might keep him busy chewing for hours!Another idea is to soak a clean washcloth in clean water.Then, ring it out and put it in the freezer. Once frozen, yourpuppy will love to chew on it as it comforts their raw gums. If your puppy continues to teeth on items that you're tryingto keep him from, then you may consider contacting a vet,especially if it's after his first six months of age. The vet may look at his gums and/or may even be able to recommend apuppy or dog behaviorist to help explain what's causing hischewing anxiety. Perhaps there is something else (internal orexternal) that's bothering your pup or dog. About the Author:
Tina Spriggs is an expert dog lover whose lifelong interest in canines provides the motivation for her site. To learn more about dogs or to find gifts and toys for them visit her site at Dog Gifts and Toys for Dog Lovers.
Copyright 2005. All rights reserved.
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