Dog Chewing Furniture? Some Helpful Hints

Is your dog chewing furniture? Unfortunately for us, no matter how much we love them, this is one of the least pleasant sides of owning a dog. Some dogs just seem to chew everything in site. It doesn’t matter what it is: they want to get their teeth round it. Here are a few tips to getting it under control.

To help stop a dog chewing furniture, you can start by crate training. Not all people like to use a crate, but if you do it could help to keep your dog away from the things that he likes to chew.

Next, you’ll need to show him what he is allowed to chew. It’s natural for your dog to chew things, so make sure he chews things he’s allowed. There are many toys and chews available for this. Try not to give him an old sock, as he might come to think that this means all socks are allowed – you need to set firm boundaries in his mind.

Positive or Negative Reinforcement

There are both positive and negative ways to reinforce good and bad behaviour in your dog. When your dog is chewing on things that he is allowed to chew on, you can pet him and tell him that he’s a good boy. If he chews something you don’t want him to chew, tell him no and take the item away. Follow this with something positive like giving him a chew toy and telling him he’s good.

Remember, when your dog is teething he’s going to need to chew, so you must make sure you give him alternatives. Dog chewing furniture doesn’t have to be something you live with. For more tips, I recommend you take a look at the “Secrets to Dog Training” guide.