How to Handle Destructive Chewing
Destructive chewing is a common problem that many dog owners face. Maybe you’ve come home to find that your favorite pair of shoes, a brand new pillow, or even an entire couch cushion suddenly have teeth marks in them. Whether we like it or not, chewing is a natural behavior for all dogs. These instincts span back to their wild ancestors and are a fact of life for all canines. Dogs use their mouths to investigate the world around them, much like human babies do when they begin to get curious.
Just because chewing is an essential part of life for dogs doesn’t mean that we have to live with mangled objects in our homes. Finding appropriate outlets and addressing the root cause of these destructive behaviors allows us to keep our pets happy, while also salvaging our own sanity.
Why Do Dogs Chew?
While chewing is a normal, healthy behavior for dogs, chewing up beloved household objects doesn’t have to be. Finding and addressing the cause of this behavior can help to determine what the best solution will be. Some of the most common reasons for destructive chewing behaviors include:
Boredom: Many dogs decide to chew out of boredom. If their exercise needs aren’t being met, they’ll find a way to release that pent-up energy. This, unfortunately, can lead them to chew on things that they shouldn’t.
Stress: Dogs can become stressed for a number of reasons. Many experience stress due to a change in their living environment, a new person or animal in the home, or the absence of someone in the home. When they become stressed, they look for a way to self-soothe. Chewing helps to relieve anxiety and has calming properties, so finding them an appropriate object to chew on is key.
Teething: Like human babies, puppies lose their baby teeth when they hit a few months of age. When their adult teeth are forming, they can experience pain, discomfort, swelling, and redness in their gums. To help alleviate some of that discomfort, you might try cooling objects for them to chew on, like frozen toys or treats.
Separation anxiety: For some dogs, alone time can be more scary than exciting. Being alone can cause feelings of anxiety, that then leads to destructive behavior. Finding ways to manage the root of this anxiety is the first step. In the meantime, finding a solution to keep your dog out of harm’s way, such as crate training, can be a beneficial solution.
Entertainment: Chewing is a natural behavior for all dogs. Even if their exercise needs are being met, they can still enjoy chewing simply because it’s fun. Having plenty of safe chew toys on hand can help to prevent them from finding something to chew on their own.
How to Prevent Inappropriate Chewing
Once the cause of the destructive chewing has been addressed, you can begin to think about long-term solutions to the behavior. Not every method is going to work for every dog, so taking the time to try different solutions will lead you to decide what’s going to work best for your pet.
Dog-Proof Your Home: For some dogs, chewing on their toys just isn’t enough. They may instead find household objects to chew on, like pillows, laundry, furniture legs, or trash. Dogs can be creative when deciding what to chew on, so noticing what their favorite things to bite can be helpful. Putting away these items or anything that you don’t want teeth marks in can help to reduce the destructiveness of the behavior.
Stay Active: Physical activity is the most crucial element to a dog’s physical and mental well-being. For many dogs, especially those with more energy, just being let out into the backyard isn’t enough stimulation. Try engaging with them in a game of fetch, tug-of-war, or by taking them for a walk. Taking longer walks dedicated to letting your dog sniff around has proven benefits in diminishing their energy level. Dogs’ main form of mental stimulation comes from exploring their environment with their nose, so a “sniffy walk” never hurts.
Provide Plenty of Chew Toys: Chew toys provide a fun, safe way for dogs to relieve their natural chewing instinct. Additionally, they help owners redirect unwanted chewing behaviors. If you catch your dog gnawing on something unsafe, try encouraging them to chew on their toys instead. There are plenty of chew toy options available, from bones, to Bully sticks, to chew toys made of durable materials, like plastic and rubber. We can’t stop our dogs from wanting to chew, but we can give them a healthy outlet to do so.
Create a Safe Space: Crate training can be a controversial topic, but it can be a helpful solution to keeping your dog safe. If they consistently chew on things that they could choke on, or harmful things like electrical wires, keeping them crated while not supervised can prevent them from getting into things that they shouldn’t. If crate training isn’t an option, you could try to create a “dog-safe room.” These can be created by choosing an area of the house to entirely dog-proof, and then shutting the door or using a barrier like a baby gate. This helps keep your dog safe from potentially harmful objects, as well as saves your things from becoming chew toys.
Create a Soothing Environment: Many dogs excessively chew as a way to relieve anxiety. If this is the case, creating a calm environment is an important first step. You could try adding a plug-in diffuser with calming scents near their crate or safe space. There are many naturally relaxing scents, like lavender, that can help to foster a calm space. If the diffuser alone isn’t enough, you can also add a white noise machine to their space. Blocking out any potential stress-inducing sounds can help to ease a dog’s worry. If a white noise machine isn’t feasible, consider leaving the TV or radio on for them when you leave.
Try an Anti-Chew Spray: For dogs with a habit of chewing on things that they shouldn’t, an anti-chew spray can be beneficial. Many brands sell a dog-safe spray with a bitter flavor. These can be sprayed on furniture, cabinets, or any other problem areas. The bitter flavor decreases a dog’s want of chewing on that particular object.
Items to Keep on Hand
When dealing with a dog that has a habit of putting their mouth on things they shouldn’t, these are a few things to keep on hand for when these behaviors arise:
An anti-chew spray for any problem areas or things that your dog may fixate on chewing frequently.
A baby gate or playpen to block off any areas of the house that aren’t dog-proofed.
A calming diffuser and white noise machine to create a calm, stress-free environment.
Puzzle toys or treat dispensing toys to encourage thinking and mental stimulation, especially while unsupervised.
Tug toys to engage and play with your dog. Actively playing with your dog not only strengthens your bond, but helps them to recognize what is appropriate to chew on.
A slow feeder bowl to create active mental stimulation during mealtimes.
Dealing with destructive chewing behaviors can be frustrating. It’s easy to become overwhelmed and want to scold the behavior. Instead of lashing out and regretting it later, try to understand why your dog might be behaving in an ‘inappropriate’ way. Recognizing their needs will help you to meet them, which leads to a happier dog. Training out this behavior will take time, but consistency and positive reinforcement go a long way. Be patient, and remember that no quirk can be reversed overnight. Finding the right method for you and your pet will lead to a much happier, more successful dynamic in the home.
