Tips to Stop Your Young Puppy From Chewing Furniture

Dogs are prone to a wide range of good and bad behaviors. One of these bad behaviors is chewing on furniture. Your dog's chewing can ruin your furniture, and it can be dangerous to the dog. Small splinters of wood can be ingested by your dog while it chews on your furniture, causing a risk of intestinal puncture. Your dog can also injure its teeth and gums. Correct your dog's chewing behavior so that you can protect your furniture.

  1. Make Toys More Appealing

    • A dog's mouth is its equivalent to our hands. It uses its mouth to discover new things and pick them up. Give your dog a certain toy only at special times to make it more appealing. At dinner time, give the dog its toy to connect the two experiences. Add a treat to a toy that makes the dog work at getting it out. Give the dog play toys that are easily discernible from typical items laying around the house, such as shoes, to avoid it making the connection that those items are alright to tear up.

    Make Furniture Less Appealing

    • Add foul-tasting substances to furniture legs such as cayenne pepper or store-bought sprays with a bitter taste. Apply double-sided tape to loose fabric, such as hems, bed skirts and around furniture edges, to dissuade your dog from chewing these items.

    Discipline Your Dog in the Act

    • If you catch your dog in the act of chewing your furniture, scold it with a firm "bad dog," or loudly interrupt it with a shaker can. Most dogs will catch on after being caught a few times and will stop the behavior. Afterward, give your dog a favorite toy. When the dog takes the toy in its mouth, lavish it with praise so it understands chewing on the toy is acceptable. Never discipline a dog after the fact, as this serves only to confuse the dog and cause it to react to your anger.

    Relieve Separation Anxiety

    • If chewing behavior occurs when you are out for the day, chances are that your dog is frustrated with being alone or bored. Get outside with your dog as much as you can to relieve stress and tire your dog out. This bonding makes it easier for your dog to cope with being left alone for hours at a time.

    Crate Train Your Dog

    • You can avoid the possibility of ruined furniture completely if your dog is crate trained. Make sure that the crate is in a safe area with drinking water and toys that are acceptable to chew on. When you leave for the day, put your dog into the crate and secure it so that your dog can't get out. When you get back home, praise your dog and let it out for some fresh air, or take it for a walk.