Chewing is a natural and necessary part of life for a dog. It keeps gums, jaws and teeth healthy. It relieves boredom and anxiety. And for puppies, it relieves the inflammation and irritation associated with teething.
Although we find it undesirable that our canine companions destroy our possessions with their chewing habits, we must keep in mind that we cannot stop our dogs from chewing. We can only redirect chewing to appropriate objects such as chew toys.
Instructions
Purchase a wide variety of durable chew toys for your dog. Chew toys will need to be replaced as they are destroyed. It might get expensive, but it's more affordable than reupholstering a couch. Sterilized bones and treat-dispensing toys made of durable rubber are good chew toys.
Stuff chew toys with dry kibble to entice your dog to chew them. You can moisten the dry kibble and put the toy in the freezer for a few hours; the kibble will thaw and fall out as your dog plays with the toy, which will encourage your dog to continue chewing the toy.
Avoid feeding your dog from its dog bowl until your dog is fully trained to chew its toys. Instead, feed your dog through its chew toys or with hand-fed rewards for chewing the toys.
Keep your dog in a single room or in its crate when you're not home. If you're keeping your dog in a room, pick up and put away anything you think it might be tempted to chew.
Supply your dog with a variety of chew toys stuffed with dry kibble and freeze-dried liver treats before you leave. Have your dog fetch the toys when you return, remove any remaining treats from the toys and give the treats to your dog while praising it.
Keep your dog in its crate for an hour or two while you're home and unable to keep an eye on it. Make sure you give your dog a stuffed chew toy or two. This will prevent your dog from chewing inappropriate objects and encourage it to develop a habit of chewing its toys.
Play games with your dog involving its chew toys, such as fetch, search and tug-of-war. Praise your dog for playing with its chew toys. Play games at regular intervals if you're keeping your dog in its crate to get your dog to develop a habit of chewing its toys.