Remedy for a Dog Chewing the Couch

Your dog needs an outlet for its energy before it completely chews up your sofa. Chewing anything besides food and toys is a big no-no, and you must curb this behavior before your furniture is ruined. The easiest remedy for a dog chewing the couch is to separate the dog from the furniture, but if you cannot do that you must train the dog not to chew.

  1. Chew

    • Dogs chew things out of boredom, separation anxiety or because they were not taught properly as puppies. Puppies explore with their mouths, and they also suffer from teething pains, when they need to chew to help their gums feel better. Your dog also may be afraid of being alone or is chewing the furniture to get your attention. It doesn't help to discipline your dog after you come home and find the destruction. The best solution is to train your dog with positive reinforcement and correcting behavior.

    Exercise

    • All dogs benefit from plenty of exercise. Based on the breed and age, give your dog at least one long daily walk. If your dog is tired, it is less likely to be acting out of boredom. Physical exercise and mental exercise is important. Play with your dog, and give it your time. The dog will not learn the right behavior if it is left outside all day. Offer toys that have treats inside and do not look like items you don't want chewed. Rotate the toys so they seem new to the dog.

    Observe

    • Take the time to observe your dog. Every time it starts to chew the sofa, say "no." Offer a dog toy instead of chewing the sofa. If your puppy is teething, offer a cold or frozen washcloth. Separate your dog from the sofa, and train it to chew on appropriate toys. Slowly allow the dog more space to roam in the house. Spray bitter apple on the couch as a deterrent, but supervise your dog. The spray will not work unless you are there to reinforce the message.

    Positive Reinforcement

    • During training, you should not make a big deal about leaving. Say "goodbye" quickly, and leave. For the first few times, return after a few minutes to show your dog that you are coming back. This will help ease separation anxiety. Tell your dog it is good, and give it positive reinforcement. You may place the dog in a crate in the beginning while you leave, and if someone is home, let the dog out while you are gone. Be realistic during the transition that it may still chew.