Natural Home Remedies for Dog Chewing

It is natural for dogs to chew, even if the behavior is distressing to humans. Chewing provides relief for puppies when they are are teething, and it is also a pleasurable activity in itself. It is important that a dog be taught which things are appropriate for chewing and which are not. There are several natural methods that can help a dog figure out what it can chew on.

  1. Exercise

    • Especially in older dogs, destructive chewing can be a sign of boredom or of too much restrained energy. If your dog starts chewing on things, try taking it for an extra walk or run. You may also devote more time to playing with the dog. Extra exercise and attention can relieve a dog's need to chew.

    Provide Chew Toys

    • Chewing is natural behavior for dogs, and it can also be beneficial in that it helps remove plaque from their teeth. Give a dog a hard toy that is intended to be chewed. When the dog is chewing on something inappropriate, say "no" in a loud voice and give it the chew toy instead. Praise the dog when it is chewing on its chew toy, and make sure that it has several toys available.

    Mitigate the Dog's Anxiety

    • Some dogs chew because they get agitated that their owner has gone. To help prevent separation anxiety, do not interact with your dog for a half hour before you leave the house. Ignore it and leave quietly. When you return, behave the same way and wait half an hour before you react to the dog or anything that it does. This helps the dog stay calm, and it will prevent the dog from associating your comings and goings with excitement or stress.

    Use Natural Sprays

    • Natural sprays can be used to prevent a dog from chewing on a piece of furniture. These sprays, though they are not harmful, will make the object taste bad to the dog. Two examples of natural sprays that are intended for this purpose include bitter apple and eucalyptus, and you can purchase them at most pet stores.