It can be extremley frustrating if your dog has a consistent habbit of chewing everything it can lay its paws on, whether it be sofas, clothing, shoes or remote controls, training your dog to stop chewing your belongings can be a difficult task.

To understand how to prevent your dog from chewing your possesions, first you need to understand why they chew in the first place. Chewing is a natural behaviour for dogs. In some cases a dog will chew objects due to boredom. It will consider the act to be playful and entertaining. A dog may be hungry, lonely or just curious and decide to chew anything it can get hold of. Also a poorly exercised dog will feel the need to chew in order to release energy and keep itself busy.

Methods to prevent your dog from chewing can be very simple. If your dog is chewing out of boredom, make sure you take your dog for plenty of walks. Public parks will be a perfect place for your dog to blow of steam with an exciting game of 'Throw and go fetch'.

Dog chew toys will also be a great way of providing your dog alternative objects to chew. If you treat or reward your dog everytime he uses dog chew toys and show disapproval when they chew things they shouldn't, over time your dog will understand chewing the dog toys is acceptable and leave other items alone.

Dog proofing your home is another important task you must perform. Any items you want to prevent being chewed should be placed out of reach from your dog. Simply placing objects on top of tables or kitchen counters may not be sufficient. Your dog would still be able to climb or stretch up and reach objects. Shoes for example should be kept away in closets rather than thrown on the floor near the front door, clothing should be kept off the floor and left well out of reach, and food should be kept in containers if left out on kitchen counters, otherwise your dog will have no problem treating itself to a tasty snack.

If your dog is only a puppy, training it to learn the correct behaviour is vital during the early stages of your dogs development. Regular supervision and guidance will allow your dog to know what is acceptable behaviour and what is inappropriate. Clapping sharply and making noises when your dog is doing something it shouldn't will eventually teach your dog to stop chewing items or furniture in your home.

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