How Do I Stop My Pet From Chewing?

So, you want to stop your pet from chewing, especially puppies. Animals are great but that gnawing is driving you crazy. So what can you do to stop it?

The first instinct you might have is to chase the pet away from what they’re chewing on, yell, or grab the item out of their mouth. This might work at that moment but for sure they go right back at it when you turn your back.

The reality of the situation is the seriousness of the damage which can cost you a ton of money to repair or fix and the fact it drains you of your sanity. You quickly forget the fact of how cute and adorable they are and why you have them in your home to begin with.

You should first determine if the pet is sick or not. Small puppies can have a condition called Pica. Technically speaking this is a term used to describe the craving and ingestion of nonfood items. If the vet let’s you know they are ok, then it’s time to move on with more civilized approaches.

Put yourself in your pet’s surroundings. By understanding what they see, smell and hear you’ll realize that using their nose, eyes mouth and ears are nothing more than naturally exploring their "turf". When it’s "in their reach" they feel it’s fair game and chewing is something to do. Puppies especially find this appealing. When they do it, it is of the utmost importance to give them a stern "NO" while taking away the object.

It might really sound simple, but if you keep at it, your pet will ultimately get the idea. A pup is nothing more than a new born baby that needs to be taught. That stern voice and the accompanying "NO" will immediately stop them in their tracks. Afterwards, get the item away from the pet without playing cat and mouse or tug of war. This only adds to the confusion for the animal and they’ll think it’s another game. This will only make matters worse.

Also it’s important to exercise caution. If the animal feels that threatened by your actions and becomes aggressive it may also be time for some free professional training. A free 6 day training course and video might just do the trick. This is especially true with a young adopted pet. You never know how they were treated and may be the root cause for their behavior.

If you can’t change the habits of your pet using these steps, it’s time to roll out the next plan. Being unresponsive isn’t a sign to give in but that a stronger deterrent may be necessary. This is where chewing repellents may be necessary. They are harmless to the pets and are nothing more than an annoyance to the animal. Ultimately the smell or taste of the product will be a keen reminder to stay away. It becomes associated with something bad or uncomfortable for the pet. Nothing more than a bad taste like burned food let’s say or a bad smell like a skunk we have to deal with.

As you train your pet to stop them from chewing on items, you need to replace those temptations with more appropriate items. Get them chew toys. They come in all shapes sizes and flavors and there’s never a shortage of what they might like.

Time may pass and you notice that your pet goes beyond the infant stages of chewing. You’re thinking, hey they’re older now so why aren’t they stopping? Like us they have a lot of common reasons. How about the fact that pets get stressed or they don’t have much to do and get bored. They could get lonely if you’re out all day or the simple fact is they may just like it.

Try not to leave them alone and unattended if at all possible. They’re just like a little kid and need to be looked after. May sure you do all the things we talked about, don’t leave items around and make them fair play. Make sure they have plenty of their favorite toys available. Also, don’t keep them in places where there’s lots of stuff to get their mouth on. Maybe a cordoned off area with gates limiting there access to non-essential items. If you get them to exercise more than a walk to go to the bathroom, they are less likely to get bored and use that as a reason to chew.

Occupying your dog’s time with things to do will keep them out of mischief. We get bored too but can find things to fill our time. Fortunately stores have plenty of solutions available to keep them going for hours.

Remember, there is no one right or wrong answer. You need to spend time to determine what remedy is right for your pet. The most important thing for you is consistency and patience. Pets are great. Don’t let the little things stop you from enjoying their company. You’ll be glad you did and so will they!

Thanks For Reading!