Why Your Dog Chews on Everything

Having a puppy at home isn’t always an easy task because they like to taste everything and are always gnawing. Don’t get too mad if your dog chews on everything because it’s normal. And when we say “everything” we mean just that: everything. It isn’t odd for you to get home and find your favorite shoes chewed on or find trash all over the floor.

You might also find the couch’s cushions destroyed or your furniture chewed up. You might have tried everything: cleaning up the mess, closing doors, moving things out of their reach… But none of them haven’t been much help.

The question is still what you should do if your dog chews on everything. It’s important to understand the way your pet thinks. This way you can understand their actions. So in today’s article, you can find out why your dog chews on everything and you some can look at some advice that will help you out with this problem.

Why your dog chews on everything

The way a puppy learns about their surroundings is different than how humans do. For them chewing is a way of understanding the world around them, especially your home.

Your puppy chews on everything because this is the easiest way for them to recognize objects, where they are, and what they are. They don’t do it to bother you or to damage your belongings. They need to do it to get used to their environment.

Sometimes, this behavior can be caused by anxiety because puppies need to get rid of a lot of excess energy. So, they shouldn’t be left home alone for too long so they don’t experience any anxiety, which drives them to destroy and chew on everything.

However, this behavior can become harmful and destructive if it isn’t corrected in time. In fact, your pet should stop destroying things around the house when they reach adulthood. But, sometimes, this doesn’t happen.

If your dog is chewing on things, either as a puppy or an adult, the treatment process is the same. Take a look at these tips that will help you to stop your animal from biting on everything.

What to do with a puppy that gnaws on everything

There are several things you can do at home to keep your dog from gnawing things. You should do these before going to see a professional:

• Keep things out of their reach. If your dog gnaws on certain things, keep them out of their reach, hide them in a different location, or keep it behind closed doors.
• Don’t give them your things to play with. It doesn’t matter if the shirt or shoe you give them is old. Don’t give it to your dog as a toy and throw it away. Your pet won’t be able to tell the difference between different the condition of different objects. If you give them a shoe, they will think that they can gnaw on all of the shoes in the house.

Author: Jorge Fco. Arana

• Avoid punishing them. A punishment won’t change their behavior. It won’t teach them anything. They will keep doing what they’ve been doing. Nothing will change them.
• Don’t pay attention to your dog. Sometimes, this behavior is produced by your pet’s need for attention. If you pay attention to them, for better or for worse, the animal will know that when they gnaw on something, they will get what they wants.
• Encourage your pet to stay calm. When your animal is calm, pay attention to them. Cuddle, pamper and hug them. This way they will see that they can get your love all the time. And, they won’t need to destroy anything.
• Exercise. Most of the time, this destructive behavior is caused by stress or anxiety. A good way to minimize this is by maintaining a good exercise regime with your dog. Exercise will help them get rid of stress and adrenaline. And, this will tire them out. As a result, they won’t want to chew on things.
• Their own toys. Choose toys that are appropriate for them. Buy them something they would that would be good to chew on. Keep trying them out until you find ones that your dog like. When they’re entertained with them, they won’t look for anything else.

If your dog chews on everything, follow this advice to get rid of the problem. If they continue gnawing on things, then you should take them to a professional animal behaviorist.