How to stop a dog from chewing on furniture?

Age

The first thing to consider is the age of the dog. It’s one thing if a puppy tries everything on the tooth, and quite another when an adult dog behaves in such an inappropriate way.

Procedure

Puppies, like small children, taste everything. Your task is not to miss this moment and correct the behavior of the dog.

1. Toys

   The puppy should have things that he can safely chew on. These can be bones, dried pig ears, squeaky toys, hard textured toys, or both. These things should distract the dog from the furniture. In a playful way, let the animal know that they can be bitten and ruffled.

2. Punishment

   Yes, in this case it is appropriate. A flick on the nose or a slap on the rump will suffice. The main thing is that the dog was unpleasant and she clearly associated the punishment with her actions.

With an adult dog, the situation is somewhat more complicated. Most likely, the misbehavior of the dog is the omission of the owner, who did not spend the necessary time on his pet.

If you got an adult dog with bad habits (for example, if you adopted a dog from a shelter), you can deal with them.

• Stock up on patience, you will need it;
• Start simple: get the dog to obey unquestioningly and perform basic commands (“fu”, “next”, “lie down”, “sit”, “come”);
• Use toys to distract your dog. As soon as she tries to chew on something forbidden, immediately throw her one of her toys;
• Punish bad behavior. But know the measure. Excessive use of force is dangerous, as you can harm the animal – physically maim or, even worse, inflict mental injury. In the latter case, the dog’s behavior may become unpredictable and it may begin to show aggression.

When getting a dog, you should be prepared for the fact that she will need to devote a lot of time. And not just on weekends. This animal can become your best friend, or it can turn your life into a nightmare by destroying everything you can beforehand, including shoes and carpets.

11 2017 June

Updated: 14 May 2022