As most of us know, when you introduce a small puppy into your home the first thing he starts to do is run around getting more and more excited, and then he/she will start to chew everything in sight.
The reasons are many. Initially it’s probably to ease the discomfort of teething, but a puppy also plays by biting it’s siblings and at the same time by doing so is gradually establishing itself among the pack. A puppy will also bite because it’s hungry, or out of sheer boredom.
The teething problem will gradually pass, but once you let a puppy get away with biting you or your family, you will have a problem on your hands. If you watch a female dog with her litter she will tolerate so much, and then she nudges the small bundle hard with her nose to let it know it’s gone too far.
Never take on a puppy until it’s about ten weeks old, as it’s during this time with it’s mother and other siblings that it’ll learn that biting too hard is not acceptable. Once it’s taken away and brought to your home you will then be able to continue with the discipline by showing it that biting or chewing will not be tolerated.
Start Training Your Puppy from Early Age
It’s absolutely essential you start training your puppy from the moment it enters your home. Puppies are adorable, and it’s difficult to be cross with them, but if you want your dog to grow up to be a good companion and a friend to your children, he must learn from an early age that chewing your home is not acceptable. Dogs are pack animals and he must learn that you are the pack leader and he must obey the rules.
A bored puppy will automatically chew everything he can get his paws on. Exercise him every day to make sure he uses up as much of his energy as possible and give him a place of his own within the home where he can have his own chewable things.
If his teeth hurt a puppy will try to ease the pain by chewing. He will also chew things when he’s playing, getting over excited and out of control. If a short “NO” or a gentle nudge doesn’t work, then it’s a good idea to take him away from the object and give him something of his own to chew.
Generally puppy chewing and biting is not normally aggressive behaviour, but it can become so if not controlled at an early stage. Supervision of your puppy is essential, and if he’s left alone then he should be placed in a contained area with plenty of his own toys to keep him occupied.
If you’re leaving your puppy alone make sure he’s got something which has your smell on it and that way he wont feel as though he’s been deserted. Once alone he will automatically turn to chewing out of frustration and boredom and this is perfectly natural behaviour.
All puppies chew, but it’s up to you to take control from the beginning. These are not the only problems you will have with your puppy. Why not check out this great resource we highly recommend that will help your puppy grow up to be a great, worry free pet!
How to Stop a Puppy from Chewing
Your beloved sofa is showing signs of wear and tear, but what really gets at you is the chew marks at the posts and feet caused by no other than your beloved little puppy. You wonder how such a small thing can cause so much damage. Well, fret no more as here’s how to stop a puppy from chewing so that you’ll be able to preserve the sofa in good condition and teach your puppy some discipline.
While chewing is normal behavior among puppies and dogs, when done in the wrong place, it is unacceptable and may even endanger your puppy’s health should it chew on something he cannot digest. It is also a puppy’s way of exploring the surroundings and relieving stress and boredom.
Choosing a proper breed plays an important part in how to stop a puppy from chewing, as its breed can help determine its chewing habits. For example, a very energetic puppy may be unable to adapt to a household whose members are too easy-going or too easily annoyed at all the excited barking.
The same goes for a shy, quiet pup who may not adapt easily to a household with active individuals or small children that intimidate such a puppy, causing it to be stressed out. Stress can really aggravate a dog’s chewing activity. It also helps to puppy-proof your home and to remove things that the puppy may be tempted to chew on, such as rug fringes, plants, trash cans and soft paper products like tissue or toilet papers. You can also tape down or cover visible electrical wires.
Also an important thing to remember in how to stop a puppy from chewing is to avoid putting your hands or feet within easy biting or chewing distance. Puppies, especially those that aren’t raised in a pack, have a tendency to nip, thinking this is okay. When this happens, give a firm, loud command for the puppy to stop and then move away. Isolate the puppy for a few seconds or minutes, and then come back with a chew toy it can play with.
This is usually enough to let the puppy know that its biting behavior is unacceptable. Contrary to popular belief, a puppy can have too many chew toys, so make sure that only an acceptable amount is left for him to play with. Otherwise, he can get confused about which toys he can chew on and which ones he can’t.
And if you have wide spaces in your house and will for example be unable to safely supervise your puppy’s playtime, you can put him in a suitably-sized crate or behind a wire puppy gate to prevent him from roaming about on a destructive chewing mission. Make sure though to use this as positive reinforcement and never use the crate as a punishment. Gentleness is an important factor in how to stop a puppy from chewing. Being strict and harsh may not bring the desired results.
As a last resort, if the chewing continues at alarming levels, consult a professional dog trainer to determine how best to solve the problem.