Did you adopt Lassie or the Tasmanian Devil? While a new puppy is cute and cuddly, things can go crazy fast! Before you know it, you can have a mini-tornado on your hands; a whirling dervish of chewing and biting and furniture stuffing flying and shoes left in tatters. For new pet owners, stopping puppies from chewing things can be a challenge.
Puppies love to bite and chew whatever they can find. It’s no wonder, since from birth it’s a major part of their lifestyle and communication. A new puppy will play around biting other puppies and their parents all day long. It’s how they have fun, it’s how they learn what’s what, and it’s how they learn their limits. It’s not surprising, then, that your little puppy wants to chew on your things, and you, too.
There are a number of things you can do stop puppies from chewing and to encourage them to curb this behavior without deterring the puppy’s playful nature, or the need to chew. When your puppy is trying to chew or bite on things, just remember this training tip – R.E.S.T.
Replace
Instead of furniture, shoes, and you, allow your puppy to chew on toys you’ve bought for such a purpose. There are rawhide bones, plastic bones, ropes and other toys and treats made for chewing. Make sure puppy knows where to find them and that they are always available when the urge to chew hits. Just saying ‘no’ to chewing doesn’t work; puppy needs a replacement. Be sure to not use children’s toys. Dog toys are designed to take the abuse that a puppy can deal out. Also children’s toys can actually be dangerous to puppies. Especially toys that have eyes. Sporting dogs especially will try to rip the eyes out of toy animals and they can be a choking hazard.
Energize
Is puppy trying to bite you to play? Instead of constantly scolding him, you need to energize puppy with some playful games. Wrestle around, chase around, or throw a ball to fetch. He’s got energy and he wants to use it. Have fun while playing around with puppy so he’s distracted, happy, and forgets he even wanted to bite. The bonus is all that playing around burns energy and the little darling may even take a nap.
Settle
Sometimes, when puppies gets overexcited, they start to nip and bite. You will know when your playful puppy goes from fun to frantic when he or she starts nipping again, and perhaps panting. Calm down your puppy by gently holding and petting rhythmically, keeping the puppy in one position, preferably down on his or her side. Don’t push your puppy away as this will only translate into another game, inciting the puppy’s instinct to play. Lower your voice, calm your motions, and wait until your puppy settles before you play again.
Trap
If you let a young puppy have free-run of your home, you are apt to find it difficult to control the chewing. It’s a better idea to designate an area and gate it off so that you can keep only puppy-friendly materials in there. This will prevent you from going crazy chasing after puppy trying to stop the chewing. It will also eliminate stress on the puppy, constantly being reprimanded for chewing when that’s all a puppy wants to do. Fill your puppy-friendly place with lots of dog friendly chew toys so you both can relax. When you are looking for dog toys, try to make sure it is appropriate for your breed. Some toys can easily be destroyed and swallowed by certain breeds.
Go for the antlers
While toys might be entertaining for humans, the best chewing option we have found for all the breeds we have worked with are elk antler pieces. Pet stores don’t usually have them, but you can find them at dog shows or online. Also if you know someone who is a hunter, just get them to cut up some antlers into 3-4 inch pieces. They last a really long time, are non toxic, apparently taste good, and dogs would generally prefer chewing on these than other things. Given a choice between a chair leg, a show, or an antler piece, the antler usually wins.
It’s hard for a puppy to give up chewing and biting just for you and your sanity. It’s up to you to teach your puppy that this is not acceptable to do on certain things. It may take some time, but your puppy will learn what can and cannot be chewed. With these four simple tips – Replace, Energize, Settle, Trap – you and your puppy will come to an understanding and enjoy a long, wonderful friendship.