Alternatively a new confinement area may have to be chosen. Dogs that are destructive to escape confinement must learn to become comfortable and secure with the cage or room where they are to be confined. Dogs that are garbage raiding or food stealing need to be treated by supervision, prevention and booby traps, since the behaviour itself is self-rewarding. If the dog is a puppy this behaviour may decrease in time, provided you direct the chewing to proper outlets. Inattention or disruption devices may be useful for these dogs.

You must ensure that you are not inadvertently rewarding the behaviour. Directing the chewing into appealing alternatives, sufficient play and exercise, and prevention of inappropriate chewing are needed for the exploratory dog. Determining the cause and motivation for chewing is therefore essential in developing a treatment strategy. Some dogs are attempting to escape confinement while in others chewing may be an outlet for anxiety. Dogs that raid garbage and steal food off counters are obviously motivated by the presence and odour of food. If the dog is a puppy or young adult dog that is chewing at a variety of objects in the household, it is likely that play and investigation (and perhaps teething) is the motive. How can chewing be treated?įirst, determine why the dog is chewing. Dogs that are in a state of conflict, arousal or anxiety, such as separation anxiety, may turn to chewing and other forms of destructiveness as an outlet. Dogs that are confined in areas where they are insecure may dig and chew in an attempt to escape. Chewing and destructive behaviours may also be a response to anxiety.

My dog chewed my library book