Determine Why Your Dog is Chewing Before You Punish Him

By Kim L Smith

Dog chewing is a major problem, but in puppies it can be a common occurrence. To figure out why your dog is chewing you have to get to the root of the problem. The first step is to figure out what your dog is chewing on, if it is his bones then no need to worry, but if it is something other than his bones or chew toys then you have another issue to deal with. Okay so now you have determined what your dog is chewing on is something other than his toys or bones then you have to figure out why he is chewing on everything you can think of.

One of the main reasons that a puppy might be chewing on everything is because they could be teething. You probably cannot remember how painful teething is, but you do know that if you had kids you had to buy expensive teething rings for them to chew on. That is because the chewing motion will help soothe the gums and help allow the teeth to come up into the mouth easier. This could be a natural reason for the dog chewing and might mean he either doesn't like the bones or toys any longer or you need to get him more of them.

Another reason that your puppy or older dog could be chewing is because he is bored. If he is bored then he will want to chew on whatever is available for him to chew on. That might mean you need to get him some more bones or toys to help with that as well. If it is not boredom that is causing them to chew up everything that is in their path then you will need to consult with your vet to rule out separation anxiety or some illness.

If after you talk to your vet and rule out some type of illness or separation anxiety then you will probably want to invest in a dog obedience course to help you train your dog to stop chewing. Remember though that the key is to find out the reason why your puppy or dog is chewing in the first place. Once you find out what is causing the chewing to happen then you will be better able to address the problem that your dog is giving you. Another key to helping your dog is praising him when he is chewing on the proper item and not on your expensive items.

I live in Ohio with my wonderful husband and two beautiful children. I have two English Mastiff puppies, a Lab-Retriever, and a Yorkie Poo. I also have two cats who came to us as strays. I love sewing, crocheting, and managing to take care of my zoo at the house. Since I have so many pets I have a strong interest in animal issues. For more great information and training advice check out Kimberly's page at http://howtotrainmydog.weebly.com

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Tags: dog history, Dog Training