Dog behavior can be puzzling to both new and experienced dog owners. Dogs do not operate with the same motivations as people, so their actions don’t always make sense to us.
To follow is a short series on 10 of the most common dog behavior issues and how to resolve them in your own home. First in the series ....
Chewing
Puppies love to chew, especially while they are teething. It feels good on raw gums, and very young puppies use their mouths to explore their world, tasting as they go.
This is both natural and unavoidable, so prevention is the best cure for chewing.
Dog-proof your home by moving harmful items like wires, power cords, cleaning supplies, and other small objects out of your dog’s reach.
Have plenty of acceptable chew toys on hand.
For teething puppies, freeze a baby’s teething ring or even a knotted rag for quick, inexpensive relief.
So long as your dog has sufficient acceptable toys to chew, he will not chew on unacceptable items, like your dress shoes. Whenever the dog is in his crate or in a room, there should always be chew toys for him. If you see your dog chewing on something he shouldn’t, correct him by saying “No,” and give him one of its toys instead.
To follow is a short series on 10 of the most common dog behavior issues and how to resolve them in your own home. First in the series ....
Chewing and Biting
Chewing
Puppies love to chew, especially while they are teething. It feels good on raw gums, and very young puppies use their mouths to explore their world, tasting as they go.
This is both natural and unavoidable, so prevention is the best cure for chewing.
Dog-proof your home by moving harmful items like wires, power cords, cleaning supplies, and other small objects out of your dog’s reach.
Have plenty of acceptable chew toys on hand.
For teething puppies, freeze a baby’s teething ring or even a knotted rag for quick, inexpensive relief.
So long as your dog has sufficient acceptable toys to chew, he will not chew on unacceptable items, like your dress shoes. Whenever the dog is in his crate or in a room, there should always be chew toys for him. If you see your dog chewing on something he shouldn’t, correct him by saying “No,” and give him one of its toys instead.
There are commercial products available to spray on items you don’t want your dog to chew; these sprays will make anything taste unpleasant. If you choose to use these sprays, test a small corner of the item first to avoid ruining it. While this method can be effective, it should only be used to supplement the addition of acceptable chew toys. Spraying your personal items with bitter spray alone won’t teach your dog to chew on only his toys.
Biting
Biting is a natural part of healthy, friendly puppy play between animals. It is not, however, a healthy part of puppy play with her owner. Puppies learn when and how hard to bite by playing with their littermates; mimic this play by whining pitifully if your puppy bites you, then replacing your hand with a chew toy. Lavish praise on your puppy when she chews the toy. If your puppy keeps biting you, stand up and stop playing with her.
For a puppy, it’s no fun unless someone’s playing, and she will learn to stop chewing almost immediately.
For an older dog, correct her by saying “No,” and withdraw your hand. Never put up with a puppy biting you. When a biting puppy becomes an adult, her behavioral problems will only become more severe.
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