A dog wanting to chew is an absolutely natural thing for them to want to

do. I would like to take this moment to define "destructive chewing". Your

dog(s) chomping on your shoes and household goods, such as sofa skirts or

legs on furniture pieces, is not only destructive it is also quite irritating.

There Are Three Reasons Why a Dog will CHEW

1. The majority of dogs have an innate need to chew. It's fun, it passes

the time, and it's a self-rewarding(it tastes good), self-reinforcing activity.

2. It is an outlet for their emotions. Chewing provides an anxious,

uninterested, or forlorn dog a way to vent these feelings in their way of

thinking. The repetitive act of chewing is reassuring - it's the canine

equivalent ofcomfort food.

3. Channel for burning up energy and providing themselves with a task to

do, especially prevalent in under exercised dogs.

Stop your Dog from Chewing

Preventing Your Dog From Chewing

1. Control the environment: manage your own belongings. Step one

should be to dog-proof your residence. Even with the best-behaved dog on

the planet, there is no rationale to test their self-control, remember, dogs

investigate the planet with their mouths. Managing your own belongings

means taking whatever you don't want them to have in their mouth, and

putting it in an unavailable place to them. Consider size and dexterity when

deciding what is out of reach. Can your dog jump onto something else to

reach the desired object? How tall are they when standing on their back

legs?General chew items in the home consist of trash, shoes, books,

clothing, and small plastic appliances (cameras, cell phones, and remote

controls).All food needs to be put securely away. Do not leave snacks on

low tables or even counter tops it is amazing how determined a dog can be

with food to be had. Put these temptations into containers or the pantry.

2. Keep your dog from discovering the giddiness of illegal chewing. The

more times they manage to procure a mouthful of a prohibited chew item

(chair-leg, slipper) the more readily your pet will go for these items in

future. If possible keep them from chewing your things in the first place; it

will be a lot easier for doggie to understand what you expect of them. This

may mean confining them in a dog-proofed area until you are positive they

possess an understanding of the house rules.

3. Don't set your pet up for failure by clouding the lines between their

things(OK to chew) and yours (not OK to chew). Never give your dog your

old clothes, shoes, or towels etc. to chew and play with. You can't feasibly

expect them to be able to differentiate between your present shoes and the

old one given to them five minutes ago.

4. When you catch your pet chewing something they are not supposed to,

stop them by producing a loud sound. Clap your hands or make an "aaat-

aaat-aaat" vocalization. Immediately give the dog an appetizing and dog-

appropriate alternative (a rawhide bone or other chew toy).The instant

your dog takes it in their jaws praise them lavishly. This is the best way to

get your dog to realize that chewing "their" toys means praise from you,

but anything else means problem.