Puppies often chew or bite on household objects when they go through a teething phase. Unfortunately, your puppy can do real and expensive damage to furniture if this behavior is not nipped in the bud. It is important to train your puppy while he is young not to bite the furniture.
Things You'll Need
- Crate
- Chew toys
- Apple cider vinegar or Bitter Apple
Instructions
Supervise your puppy when he is in a room with furniture he can chew. Puppies often chew on items out of boredom, and a puppy becomes easily bored if left alone in a room. If you cannot watch your puppy, or if you are going out, put him in a crate. If you do not have a crate, put him in the laundry room, bathroom or another area where he can't cause damage.
Correct your puppy when he attempts to bite the furniture. Immediately and firmly say "No!" You don't need to yell, but you do need to let your puppy know that his actions are unacceptable. Another option is to roll up newspaper and firmly hit the floor when he begins chewing. The noise will startle him, and you can then follow up by removing him from the area or diverting his attention.
Substitute something else for the furniture. Young dogs like to chew, not unlike human babies. Give him something appropriate to chew on: a rawhide bone, a squeaky toy or a hard rubber ball.
Use a spray bottle half filled with apple cider vinegar and half filled with water to discourage chewing on wood furniture. You can spray the wooden legs of tables and chairs with the mixture, which tastes terrible to puppies. This will deter the puppy at first bite. Alternately, you can purchase a product called Bitter Apple, which smells better than vinegar and will produce the same effect.