Q: Our dog - a 14 month old puggle - chews EVERYTHING (shoes, furniture, garbage, toilet paper, me)! We are at our wit's end, and my husband is seriously threatening to get rid of the dog if we can't stop this behaviour. Is there any way to train a dog not to chew things other than his toys? We learned the "Leave it" command in puppy kindergarten but he chooses when and if to obey it. I'd appreciate any suggestions you could give us.
Thanks.
A: Hi Adrienne,
You are not alone! It is likely that your dog is going through a second teething phase so be patient. Your dog is a teenager now, not a puppy. I tell you this so that you have a better understanding of how she needs to be dealt with. This is a typical time for owners to loosen up on rules and restriction with the thought the puppyhood is over and the dog can be trusted. In fact during this period of time restriction must be heavily reinforced and consistent. Any parent of a teenage will confirm this.
As far as the persistent chewing is concerned, it is likely that you have given her too much unearned freedom for her to be getting in to so much trouble. You have to use a combination of training and management in order to 'nip this behaviour in the butt'. That means supervision and a controlled environment. Make sure never to engage in a game of keep away with your dog (chasing after her for the object), they love it and it only makes the object they have even more valuable to them. Instead, pick up one of her toys and give it a few squeaks, pay lots of attention to it (without paying any attention to her). She will likely realize that what you have is better and leave the other object behind. Continue to interrupt the chewing and redirect her to the appropriate object, once she moves away from the inappropriate object, reward her for doing so with some freeze dried liver.
If you need further advice on this topic please feel free to contact me or set up a telephone consultation. Good luck and keep me posted.
