One of the most frustrating things for any dog owner is when you’re your dog won’t stop chewing on everything. It’s not uncommon for a dog to chew toys, furniture, clothing, and even walls! If you don’t get it under control, your dog can cause considerable damage. However, it can be difficult to stop your dog from chewing if you are a new owner, especially if you don’t understand what brought on this behavior.
Keep reading while we look at a list of reasons your dog might be chewing and what you can do to get it to stop.
The 6 Reasons Why Dogs Chew Everything
1. They Are Bored
The primary reason most dogs misbehave and chew things is that they are bored. They are not getting enough stimulation, either mentally or physically, and are letting you know about it in a way you can’t ignore. You can try to curb this behavior by setting aside more time each day for exercise. Games of fetch and frisbee can be great ways to burn off excess energy and prevent your dog from chewing things in your home. If your dog is a water dog, swimming can be great exercise as are long hikes in the woods.
If your dog needs mental stimulation, you can try to teach it a new trick. In many cases, your dog will enjoy pleasing you and will like learning new tricks, which might help stop them from chewing on things they shouldn’t.
2. They Are Upset
Many dog breeds do not like to be left alone very long. They panic and get upset if you get held up at the office and aren’t home when you should be. Once fear sets in, your dog might begin chewing things because it doesn’t know what else to do. You might try calling a friend or family member to check in on your dog if you get stuck at work. A friend stopping over can distract the dog from noticing you are late and could buy you some time.
3. They Are Experiencing Anxiety
Dogs have a lot of heightened senses. If your dog detects something is in your yard, it might want to go out and chase it, growing more frustrated as time passes until it starts to chew. Many things can bother your dog’s sensitive senses, and some can even cause it to become aggressive. Road construction, sanitation workers, mail carriers, screaming children, and arguing families can all cause your dog to experience extreme anxiety, which might make it chew everything it can find. The best way to get your pet to stop chewing if it’s experiencing anxiety is to locate the source of the problem and eliminate it if you can. If some noise is bothering your dog, you can turn the television on to a music station and attempt to drown out the noise, giving your pet some relief.
If you have any concerns about your dog or their health, we recommend you contact your vet directly.
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4. They Are Hungry
Some dogs can become destructive when they are hungry and often tear up the home looking for food. Toys that recently held treats will be the first to go, but your dog will get less picky as time passes. Make sure you don’t keep any food or potentially edible items within reach of your dog’s keen nose.
5. They Are Seeking Attention
Many dogs will misbehave to get attention if they feel neglected. They often prefer being sternly spoken to over a night where no one is speaking to it at all. If you feel your dog is merely seeking attention, you need to be careful. Your dog might keep using the chewing technique to get what it wants. If you think your dog is becoming spoiled, it can be helpful to seek out help from a puppy school. These schools can be expensive, but the teachers will often train the dog and teach you how to train it, so you will be able to use your knowledge with other dogs.
6. They Don’t Know Better
Unfortunately, we are all a little guilty of letting our new puppy get away with things it shouldn’t. in many cases, a dog’s chewing behavior is traceable to a time when it was a puppy and was allowed to chew things it’s not allowed to chew now. The best way to curb this behavior is to be vigilant about not allowing your dog to do it as a pup. If your dog is already in the habit, you might need to seek professional training assistance.
Tips
- Keep things your dog likes to chew out of reach.
- Don’t chase a chewing dog because it will make the dog think it’s playtime.
- You can try spraying toys and surfaces with a bitter spray to prevent your dog from chewing them.
- Purchase durable chew toys for your dog and encourage your dog to take out its chewing instincts on the right toys.
Conclusion
Most dogs chew because they are bored or because they were allowed to do it as a puppy. If your dog is bored, you will need to set aside a few more minutes a day to be more active with your pet. Once your dog is getting a little more stimulation, it will often stop chewing up your house. If you allowed your puppy to chew things but are now starting to realize you shouldn’t have done it, you might get the best help from a professional trainer who will have experience with your situation.
We hope you have enjoyed reading and found the answers you needed. If we have helped you get your dog to behave, please share this guide to why your dog is chewing and what to do on your social media.
Featured image credit: Christine Bird, Shutterstock
