Why Is Your Dog Chewing? What It Means and How to Stop the Behavior

Wondering why your dog keeps chewing blankets, bedding, or household items? Certified Dog Trainer Abigail Schulte explains what causes destructive chewing in dogs and shares practical tips to help stop the behavior and redirect it in a healthy way.

TRANSCRIPT

Do you have a dog who likes to chew on everything? Well, let's talk about how to fix that behavior so that you can save your piece of mind and your stuff. I'm Abby. This is Leia. Let's get into it. First things first, let's talk about why your dog might be chewing a hole through everything you own. The reality is that dogs are instinctive chewers. They explore the world with their mouths. For pups, chewing can relieve stress and anxiety. It can help them keep their teeth clean and provide mental stimulation. It's also important to consider age here. If you have a puppy who likes to chew, they might be doing it to relieve the pain and irritation caused from teething. If you want to prevent your pup from chewing on everything, you'll have to make sure they're getting the perks of chewing from other places. A lot of dogs chew or get destructive when they're bored. One simple fix is more exercise. Try adding extra walks or play time to help burn off the excess energy. If you're already giving your dog plenty of exercise, they might need more mental stimulation. That's where puzzle toys come in. These are interactive toys designed to stimulate their mind that challenge them to solve problems in exchange for treats. Puzzle toys are great for tuckering a dog out, hopefully making them too tired to chew on things out of boredom. Some dogs just really love to chew, so it's important to give them an outlet to do that. Invest in some durable, tough toys that are specifically designed to be chewed. Whenever you spot them chewing on one of them, remember to use positive reinforcement to remind them that they're doing the right thing. If you have a puppy and they're between the ages of 3 to 7 months old, excessive chewing could be because of teething. So, it may just be a phase. But even so, it's a good idea to train them to understand that there's certain things they can chew on and certain things they can't. If there's an item your dog really won't stop chewing, you can try spraying bitter spray on it. These sprays are typically made with ingredients that are safe if ingested, but taste unpleasant to dogs, deterring them without causing harm. Curbing your dog's destructive chewing habit will be a process. So, try out all of these tips and figure out what works best for your pup. With time and patience, it is possible to save your stuff. Thanks so much for watching and we'll see you next time.