Dog/Puppy Chewing Furniture

Puppy’s need to chew and will continue to do so for a least a year and often well into adulthood and if not given an outlet for this behaviour they will often take it out on your furniture and many other items you more than likely do not want to see chewed!

There are numerous anti chew sprays on the market and these work well for many dogs, but I can hear many a ‘’sigh’’ as I write this as people think, ‘’those sprays don’t work!’’. The sprays are nothing special, they are usually a simple mix of bitter unpleasant substances that dogs usually don’t like and therefore will not chew, however that being said many dog’s don’t care if it tastes bad they simply need to chew anyway and some dog’s even seem to like the sprays!!

So, if you’ve tried the spray and it has worked hands down lucky you, simply provide your clever pooch with something he is allowed to chew and be glad your furnishings are being left alone.

You can find sprays here if you want to give them a try: Anti Chew

For the less fortunate owners like me whose dogs could care less if I use, bitter spray, lemons, mustard or any of the other suggested substances on skirting boards furniture etc we must think outside the box a little until we find something that works.

So what I’ve found works best is to do several things if possible. First, when you are not able to supervise your dog ensure they are kept somewhere that has been dog proofed, then provide them with plenty of chewable material or things they can investigate while you are away.

Things to try include but are not limited to:

• Kong toys filled with healthy treats and kibbles or a healthy high meat wet food that has been frozen inside Kong Dog Toys (look for the fillable kongs, the kong regular toys are good and durable but you cant put anything in them)
• Calcium bones filled with good quality dog meats and frozen Calcium Bone
• Dog popsicles (for hot days) simply take a small plastic container and add some water or dog gravy and add some fun items like dried fish, dog biscuits and chunks of carrot and freeze for a cooling chew treat, great for sore gums for puppies Dog Freeze Pops
• Treat balls with kibbles inside instead of feeding from a bowl, great for dogs that inhale their food as well Dog Treat Ball
• Carboard boxes make for great fun tearing apart and chewing on, cereal boxes work well especially if you put a couple of kibbles inside to get them started, they will make a mess but its an easy mess to clean up
• Age appropriate dog bones are great for older dogs, cow’s knuckles are popular, they are large and last a while and really satiate the need to chew, the calcium is good for your pooch and having to naw for a long time is great for the teeth

Try to avoid treats like dental sticks as these last mere minutes and are better served as a bed time treat.

If you are supervising your dog’s play and they are meandering over to the couch cushions for a chew then correct him with a firm ‘’No’’ and then give him something he can chew, once he is chewing on the correct item praise him. Dogs are smart and with consistent repetition they will learn what is allowed and what is not. It will take them time however so persistence and repetition on your part is very important.