Holly’s Den
Fostering Peaceful Packs for Humans & Dogs
Dog Training - Chewing Solutions
SOLUTIONS for destructive chewing involve good management and active supervision to:
1) Prevent/interrupt the dog from chewing undesirable objects
2) Redirect the dog to appropriate chew toys and give the dog positive reinforcement for chewing his own toys.
3) Provide your dog with adequate exercise: “Tired dogs are good dogs.”
§ Delayed or harsh punishment will increase the dog’s stress and anxiety and make the chewing problems worse; if the owner comes home and punishes the dog for chewing or making a mess, the dog will begin to anticipate the owner’s return with anxiety and chew even more.
Your job: Encourage Appropriate Chewing:
§ Find safe chew toys that the dog likes: If necessary, try out a variety of toys.
§ When the dog seems to like a certain type of toy best, get more of that type.
§ Smear the toy with a bit of cheese or meat that will encourage the dog to start chewing that toy.
§ Praise the dog for chewing his toy—every time (catch him doing something right and reinforce that).
Prevent unacceptable chewing with management and supervision:
§ Until your dog is reliably trained, s/he should be under your watchful eye or confined in the crate or safe space; crate training will keep your dog out of trouble and your possessions safe when you are too unable to watch him.
§ Don’t allow access to places and objects where your dog may do destructive chewing; put away shoes and socks, close closet doors, etc.
§ If your dog picks up or begins to chew the wrong thing, give an instructive reprimand by saying “No--Drop It,” then offer one of his chew toys in exchange and say “Here, chew your toy.”
§ To train dog to avoid specific objects--Set the dog up with a booby trap: Put everything away except one item that you will use as “bait.” Make the bait item taste bad by smearing it with bitter apple which you can purchase at pet stores, oil of citronella, or with a solution Vaseline sprinkled with red pepper. Next spray some vinegar, cheap cologne or air freshener around the object. When dog sniffs or licks, he will get an unpleasant taste— when the dog spits the object out, praise and then redirect him to chew a toy flavored with cheese or meat. Now keep the perfume or vinegar sprayed on that item and others for awhile—the dog will associate that smell with the bad taste and leave object alone. Each day move the bait item to a different place or room in the house until the dog learns to avoid it. Meanwhile be sure that appropriate chew toys are also always available for the dog.
Chew toys and bones--Some good chew items include:
Nylabone and Kong toys stuffed with anything your dog likes—you can mix some kibble or pieces of dog biscuit or Cheerios in with peanut butter, cream cheese or cheese whiz, pieces of cooked meat or chicken, etc. Kongs can be washed in the dishwasher. Smoked and sterilized stuffed marrow bones are also generally safe. Soft cloth or plastic toys with squeakers should only be played with when you can keep an eye on your dog. Check with your vet about the safest type of rawhide chews since some types can break off and become lodged in the dog’s intestines. Dogs chew more when they are bored and under stimulated physically and mentally. In addition to the above chews, providing interactive toys can give the dog something interesting to do. Putting some toys away and alternating them (Mon. toys, Tues. toys, etc.) will help keep your dog interested in them. These include things like Buster cubes (put some of the dog’s regular meal of kibble in the cube and let dog work to get it out). For outdoor play, get your dog a kiddy pool and make a digging pit.
Yard Behavior
To teach the dog to behave appropriately in the yard, you have to spend time outside in the yard with dog. Take a book and a lawn chair or whatever out with you. Use the same techniques you used in house—give instructive reprimands when necessary and praise and reinforce good behavior.
Devote a weekend to trouble shooting yard problems: For digging under fence, fasten a 1 to 2 ft. strip of chicken wire to the bottom of fence and bury it so that it slopes downward and inward.
Home alone training:
Make it very gradual. At first leave the dog only for a few minutes and gradually lengthen time alone from five minutes to ten, to fifteen to twenty to 30 min. to 45 and to an hour.
Clicker Training Game-by Michelle Weese http://www.lockeyebc.com/puppies.html
In addition to puppy-proofing your home, you will need to teach the pup what it can and can't play with and chew on.
A good way to do this is to make it a clicker game. Put out a toy and a shoe. Have the two items several feet apart.
When your pup goes to the toy, click and treat the pup above the toy. When you are training an animal, where you deliver the treat at does make an impression on it. They gravitate to where you feed!
If the pup goes to the shoe, don't click or treat, simply walk over to the toy and stand until the pup goes near the toy again.
If your pup tries to pick up the shoe, place your foot onto the shoe and hold it in place, taking away some of the fun of the taboo item. Face away from the shoe and towards the toy. Removing the shoe strings before you start will help it not become a tug toy. Do not speak to or correct the puppy in any way. Remember, this is a clicker training game.
You can add another toy that the pup is allowed to play with to the training area, but don't add another shoe or other "taboo" item until the pup has zero interest in the shoe.
Make sure you have the BEST treats available for this game! You will be competing with a stinky ole shoe! Every pup’s favorite thing!
You will want to use a shoe that isn't one you are going to stress over if the pup mouths it some.
.jpg)
Click on Holly to follow her Home
Holly's
Den
Dog and Puppy Training
Houston / Sugar Land TX
contact via email
Proud Member
Association of Pet Dog Trainers
APDT member #6125