The topic of destructive chewing causes me to remember a situation my neighbor had a few months back. She had a stressed dog that needed to be medicated for stress. As long as the dog was medicated for hyperactivity, he was fine to be in the house alone. However, the emotional trauma the dog suffered from its first owner led it to have many issues.
One of those issues was destructive chewing. My neighbor had to repair over 10,000 dollars worth of damage done by a water pipe chewed through by her dog. Even though there is a reason for this destructive behavior, it is up to the owner to train these habits out at an early age.
You need to understand what chewing is a result of. What is your puppy or dog chewing at? Is your puppy getting their teeth? Most of the time, chewing is an oral fixation. It feels good to their gums, so they will chew on any soft object to make them feel better. There is a list of different factors that could have your dog chewing through your home. We have listed them below.
- Puppy chewers
- Spiteful chewers
- Jealousy chewers
- Boredom chewers
Of the reasons listed above, there are two main reasons. First, they are trying to explore their world through oral means, and second, they are trying to soothe their gums. If your dog tends to chew, the first thing you should do is check its gums. They may have teeth coming in if they are puppies. If they are older dogs, they may have an injured tooth causing infection or even cancer related to the gums.
Boredom is another huge factor for dogs, especially puppies and adolescents. A bored puppy will chew on anything they can find. You must offer your canine the proper attention throughout the day.
For older dogs, energy can be a deciding factor in chewing. Most older dogs, especially in the adolescent stage, have a great deal of energy that will no longer be a factor when they reach adulthood. If they are not allowed to get rid of the energy, they will chew. It is best to train to chew from boredom out of your puppy before reaching the older stages. In some cases, the puppy gets more attention than the older dog, so they behave outwardly for any attention, even bad attention.
Jealousy is another factor. Adult dogs tend to get jealous when a new pet is brought home, or their owners have children taking time away from them. Looking at what the dog chooses to chew on can lead you to the factor for chewing. A book that you read could be the issue, or if they chew on a favorite pair of shoes, it could be because you wear them more often and leave them lying around. Frustration on the side of your pet can lead him to have bad behaviors. You can correct your attitude towards the animal as well as train them not to chew.
Meet the Dr. Sehaj Grewal & Team of The Melrose Vet in Los Angeles! The Melrose Vet is a complete full-service veterinary hospital aimed at providing all of your pet’s needs.
