Whether you bought a dog as a puppy or rescued one as an adult, there’s a good chance they’ll have a bit of a chewing problem. A dog’s desire to destroy your household items is like the great equalizer of the canine breed. No matter what breed of dog you have, how old it is, or where it came from, it seems like they all have a chewing problem.
While some dogs have an easier time cutting the habit than others, it’s a nuisance nonetheless. You may even find it difficult to leave the house with your dog home alone for fear of what they’ll destroy next. If you’re at your wits end and want to know how to stop a dog from chewing on household items, you’ve come to the right place. This article will go over some of the best tips and tricks to put this obnoxious and destructive habit to an end.
Why Do Dogs Chew Household Items?
One of the keys to getting your dog to stop chewing household items is to understand why they’re doing it in the first place. While there are exceptions, there are typically four main reasons why a dog is chewing your house to shreds.
They're Bored
One of the top reasons puppies and adult dogs chew on household items is because they're bored. Dogs MUST have exercise, stimulation, and attention from their owners, or they’ll find ways to entertain themselves. If you don't take your dog on regular walks, provide them with chew toys, and give them the attention they crave, they’ll create their own fun and act out by chewing on furniture, shoes, and anything else they can get their teeth on.
They're in the Puppy Teething Stage
When dogs are in the puppy stage, from one to eight months (give or take a few months), they seem to chew everything in sight. Chewing is especially bad when your dog is teething because as their teeth are forming, your dog's gums will be extremely sensitive and painful. Chewing is one of the only ways for them to find relief, which means they'll chew on anything that feels good.
During this stage, you must have chew toys that will provide your dog with pain relief.
They’re Playing
Dogs are some of the most playful and interactive animals on the planet. One of the ways that they will try to get you to play with them is by chewing something in the hopes that you join their game of tug-of-war. While this is usually a cute, fun experience, it can become a nuisance when the object they latch onto is a shoe, shirt, blanket, or another household item.
They're Stressed or Anxious
Finally, the last common reason dogs chew household items is that they’re stressed or anxious. A good way to tell if this is the reason is to pay attention to your dogs behavior. Are they acting out in other ways? Are they behaving abnormally? Did your home recently undergo a change that your dog seems uncomfortable with? Chewing is a natural stress reliever for dogs, but they’re more likely to chew household items than their toys if they’re stressed or anxious.
How to Stop Your Dog From Chewing Everything
Now that you have a better idea of why dogs chew everything in sight let’s look at how to stop them from destroying your home.
Determine Why They’re Chewing Everything
As we stated above, there are four main reasons why dogs chew household items they’re not supposed to. Until you determine which of the four reasons for your dog’s chewing, you probably won’t have much success in stopping them. If your dog seems to be chewing on everything for no apparent reason, it may need professional training.
Limit Your Dog While You’re Away
If your dog seems to do most of their chewing while you’re out of the house, their chewing problem is likely stress or anxiety related. The best way to deal with this issue is to keep your dog contained to a restricted area while you’re out of the house. This could mean kennel-training them or simply restricting them to a single room. By simply keeping your dog away from problematic chew areas, you will eliminate the problem until they’re over their anxiety.
Clean Up After Yourself
One of the easiest ways to eliminate your dog's chewing problem is simply to take away anything they like to chew on. This is also a good way to build the healthy habit of cleaning up before leaving home. If your dog doesn’t have anything bad to chew on, there’s a good chance they’ll break the habit naturally.
Provide Your Dog With PROPER Toys
One of the first solutions most people think of when their dog has a chewing problem is to give them toys. While this is a great option, providing them with PROPER chewing toys is important. For instance, if you have a teething puppy, there are specific types of chew toys you should provide them with.
It's also a terrible idea to give your dog household items and old clothing to chew on if you don’t want to spend money on chew toys. This is a bad idea because it will instill in your dog's mind that chewing socks, shoes, shirts, pants, blankets, and similar items are ok. They won’t know how to distinguish between old and new and will assume that everything you own is fair game.
Distract Your Dog
Distraction is the best option if your dog is in the middle of a chewing barrage and you need to get something away from them. Chasing your dog around and yelling at them will make them think you're playing a game, and the chewing will persist. Instead, try using a treat or alternative chew toy to distract them until you get whatever they're chewing away from them.
Exercise Your Dog
Finally, the best way to wean your dog off of any bad habit, including chewing household items, is to tire them out. A tired, well-exercised dog is far less likely to have a chewing problem than a wound-up, high-energy dog. By taking your dog on two or three walks per day, to a dog park, or somewhere they can expend energy, you'll be shocked at how well-behaved they become.
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