The destructive ability of pet dogs is a typical behavior for them. Usually this behavior is characteristic of puppies, but in some cases is also observed in adult animals. Often, the owners don’t care that their ward chews on an old rag or old slipper, but when he begins to show indifference to the doors, tables, chairs and other furniture in the house, this becomes a real problem. Tips on how to wean a dog from chewing furniture are provided in the article.
Why do puppies bite everyone?
Puppies of any breed of dogs tend to bite everything. This behavior is absolutely normal and necessary for their proper development. It is also important that at an early age the dogs learn to bite “gently”, that is, without harming the object of the bite, as they retain this ability in adulthood.
You should not forbid a puppy to bite various objects, because thanks to this behavior he explores the world around him. In addition, through bites, the puppy trains its sense of touch. It is necessary to take into account the enormous energy of a small pet, which through "biting" behavior consumes it and satisfies its curiosity.
It is also necessary to take into account the fact that puppies have milk teeth, which during their growth will be replaced by permanent ones. Until this happens, they experience constant inconvenience and anxiety and try to solve this problem with the help of bites.
The puppy is nibbling everything: is this normal?
When considering how to wean a dog from gnawing furniture, it is important to emphasize that up to 3 weeks of life a puppy should be allowed to gnaw at anything he wants. This does not mean that he needs to provide expensive items, the pet must have special toys for dogs. You should also let him bite the hosts, so he explores and recognizes them. If the owners leave the house, and the puppy is left alone, unattended, it is necessary to place him in a special cage or close it in a room where there are no valuable things that the prankster could find and bite.
No need to worry if the puppy walks around the house all day and nibbles, this behavior is as necessary for him as a dream. However, if the pet begins to aggressively bite a family member or other pet, then this is the first call to the owners to pay attention. As the puppy grows, the owners should teach him to understand the difference in his bites.
Many people try to pick a breed of dogs that do not gnaw furniture, but there are none. Whatever breed the puppy is, biting and nibbling for him is a normal natural line of behavior.
Small Pet Training
So that the owners do not ask themselves in the future about how to wean a dog from biting furniture, it is necessary to control the development of a pet from early childhood. To do this, adhere to the following recommendations:
- Given that the puppy constantly bites everything, it is recommended to buy him the appropriate toys. Whenever a pet nibbles them, you need to praise him that he is doing the right thing.
- Starting from the age of three weeks, if the puppy bites the owners, you should make a gentle whistle and move away from the pet, ignoring it for one minute. This behavior of the owners will gradually teach the puppy to understand that this should not be done.
- It is necessary to try not to tease the pet strongly while playing with him, as this can lead to strong and uncontrolled bites.
- In the process of training a puppy, for each correct deed, he needs to be praised, given tasty food and ironed.
- If the child plays with the animal, then you must do this using dog toys so that the pet bites them, not the child.
What to do if the puppy constantly bites the owners?
Different breeds of dogs develop in different ways: one takes only a few weeks to understand what the owners want from them, while the training time for others can be much longer. The main thing is that the owner constantly educates his pet, and then he will achieve the desired result.
If the puppy bites various parts of the body of its owners, and this behavior of the pet begins to bother family members, then you need to adhere to the following rules:
- Pretending to be a bite is very painful. This method is effective if the puppy is not yet 3 months old. The owner, when the pet bites him, must make loud noises, indicating that he is in pain. After this, the owner should move away from the puppy and not pay attention to him. Over time, the pet will understand that it is doing badly.
- If the puppy is older than 3 months, then you must do the following: when the pet bites the owner during the game, the latter needs to turn around and leave. After a few minutes, return and continue the game, and if the puppy bites again, then leave immediately. This behavior of the owner will make it clear to the pet that each bite means the end of the game.
Reasons an Adult Dog Nibbles Furniture
To understand how to wean a dog from biting furniture, you first need to find out why it does it. It should also be noted that an adult dog gnawing furniture is its abnormal behavior, to which there is a logical explanation. Why does a dog chew on furniture? The following is a list of the most likely causes:
- Disappointment due to parting. The dog is bored and starts to nibble everything when the owners leave the house. The pet can also go to the toilet in inappropriate places and howl. In this case, it is very difficult to wean a dog from chewing things, therefore it is recommended to consult an appropriate specialist, as well as purchase dog toys that can keep a pet company for a long time.
- Hyperactivity. It manifests itself when the pet does not stop for a second and bites everything in a row, even in the presence of the owners. In this case, you should buy "intellectual" toys for your pet, do not provoke or tease him, give enough time for training.
- Stress. Like humans, animals can also experience stress, which manifests itself in the form of apathy, fear, or, conversely, the pet begins to gnaw everything that catches his eye. In order for the dog not to gnaw furniture in this case, it is necessary to analyze whether all the needs of the pet are satisfied, and if he lacks something, then this problem must be solved.
- Lack of physical activity. Being constantly at home and not receiving the necessary minimum level of physical activity, the dog not only starts to get fat, but also experiences psychological disorders that can manifest themselves in destructive behavior. If a dog chews on furniture, what should I do? To solve this problem is quite simple, you just need to walk the dog every day.
Thus, there are various reasons why an adult dog chews on furniture. What to do in this case, the owners are described further in the article.
Pet training
When wondering how to wean a dog from gnawing furniture, you should first of all devote enough time to training your pet, starting from his early age. Puppies at birth do not know how to behave properly, what can be done and what actions will spoil the owner's mood. Therefore, if the puppy began to gnaw at furniture and other valuables, you must clearly and clearly tell him: "Fu, you can’t!" It must be understood that such a command should be given to the pet if it behaves inappropriately in front of the owner. Also, veterinarians advise not to resort to physical punishment.
Pet Furniture Alternative
As mentioned above, little puppies always chew on everything. Adult dogs can have a playful mood, and they often want to bite something. One of the great ways to stop a dog from biting furniture is to offer the pet an alternative to the pet so that it satisfies its natural need. Toys for dogs are such an alternative. There are a great many of them currently on sale. For example, balls of fabric, rubber balls, soft and hard bones, Kong for dogs and others.
Regular exercise
Knowing which dogs gnaw furniture and why they do it, as well as taking into account the natural energy of these pets, you should provide them every day with the opportunity to splash their energy. To do this, you need to walk with them. Daily physical training is the basis for the correct physical and psychological development of the pet, and if it lacks physical activity, it begins to direct its huge energy to the destruction of home furniture.
There are several ways to physically load a dog:
- long walks with a pet;
- active games with a dog in the fresh air;
- a dog game with other pets.
If the owner does not have the constant opportunity to spend enough time with his pet, then the veterinarians recommend taking his attention with various toys that will develop not only the physical qualities of the pet, but also its mental abilities.
Furniture protection
Solving the problem when the pet spoils the furniture may take some time. Therefore, many veterinarians advise protecting it in one way or another. Firstly, you can use special protective covers or bedspreads for furniture, which are easy to replace if the dog damages them. Secondly, you can use special natural substances that are not toxic, but at the same time scare away the animal.
A dog chewing on furniture, what to process? For this purpose, lemon juice or red pepper is suitable. You can also buy a special dog-repellent spray, which should handle furniture and other items of value.
Restricting the dog’s access to certain places in the house
If the owner has tried various methods of how to wean the dog to gnaw furniture, but his pet continues to do so, then there remains a 100% way to prevent such unwanted behavior - do not let the dog go to certain places in the house, for example, always close the doors to the room where the furniture is . If the owner has resorted to this method of solving the problem, it is necessary to know that leaving the dog alone closed for a long time in a small room is not recommended, as this will provoke a feeling of sadness or increase stress in the pet, which will further exacerbate the problem.
What else can be done so that the pet does not gnaw things: recommendations from dog owners
If you can’t stop the dog from biting things by the methods listed above or the problem is partially solved, then it is recommended to seek the advice of specialists, for example people who train dogs, or veterinarians. You can also talk about your problem with pet lovers who will tell you what to do in this situation.
Many dog owners say that problems with the destructive behavior of their pets begin when two or more dogs live in the house, and different ages of pets can only worsen the situation. For example, an adult dog begins to play actively with a puppy, and their games are accompanied by disabling furniture. Owners advise in such cases to pay great attention to the training of pets, as well as isolate them from each other when the owners leave the house and leave the dogs alone.