Put away anything that a dog can chew on.
You must put away all of the things your dog can get into his mouth. Even things that appear to be out of reach may be reached by a diligent dog.
This includes shoes, children’s toys (especially small toys that your puppy can choke on), articles of clothing (particularly socks and undergarments), plastic bags, trash bins, containers of medicine, wallets and purses, supplements, plants—just about everything.
Do not ever allow a dog to go into the bathroom unsupervised, since there are a lot of hazardous things he could get into, like cleaning products. There are also objects there that you do not want to have chewed and scattered through the house. This includes items commonly found in the wastebasket, but also rolls of toilet paper.
You must also take care to store valuable objects such as jewelry in a safe place that a dog cannot reach; a closed closet, dresser drawer or cabinet is best.
Only buy dog chew toys that have been designed with a dogs safety in mind.
Many dog plush toys have pieces that can fall off or be chewed off and become a choking hazard. A dog can easily chew open many squeaker toys and swallow the squeaker, which will require a trip to the emergency vet.
Nylon bones are great because they are durable, safe and non-damaging to the teeth.
For rubber toys, make sure they cannot be shredded into pieces that your dog can swallow. These can become choking hazards or cause intestinal upset.
Make sure that you choose an age-appropriate and durable toy for your enthusiastic chewer. And you should always replace a toy once it begins to fall apart or reaches a size where it can be swallowed.
When you do find your dog chewing on an inappropriate object, interrupt him and then divert his attention to an object that is appropriate for him to chew on. Praise your dog for chewing on the appropriate object.
Puppies understand the world around them by putting things into their mouth. Biting and mouthing are normal puppy behavior and aren’t generally a cause for alarm or concern, and it certainly doesn’t mean your puppy is aggressive. Some puppies (and breeds) are naturally mouthier than others, but all puppies should be taught not to bite or mouth people, and in general to be gentle with their mouth, also known as bite inhibition.
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A common complaint among new puppy owners is that their puppies are constantly biting their hands. Although this behavior can be alarming or overwhelming, it’s extremely natural.
If your puppy starts to mouth or chew at you while you’re playing with or petting them, make a squealing noise or say “ouch!” in a calm but loud and high-pitched voice and remove your hand from their mouth. At this point, stop playtime for a few seconds, so the puppy makes the association that when they bite at your hand, the game they like stops.
Sometimes, you’ll need to leave the room to give your dog time out if the “ouch” technique doesn’t work. In addition, make sure your puppy is getting plenty of exercise.
2- Train: Puppies need to be mentally stimulated by training with tricks, games and obedience cues such as SIT, STAY, DOWN, COME, right from the start. The minute you bring your puppy home at 8 wks of age, teaching begins. A dog left alone in your home or in a backyard unsupervised, can wreak havoc by digging, destroying furniture, pulling up drip lines, etc. If they are bored mentally and physically and have no guidance or choices for stimulation, they can become destructive. So, offering enrichment activities and exposure to the world, leaves a puppy satisfied and tired. During the first four months of life, puppies should meet 100 faces in 100 days. That is people and animals of all sizes and ages. Veterinarians now agree that it is critical for puppies to be socialized early, before they are 4 months of age and yes, before they are fully vaccinated. You can socialize your puppy with family and friends, friendly dogs in your home or theirs but don’t go to public dog parks, where the possibility of contracting disease or unfriendly dogs, exists. Proper socialization is critical and should be part of your training program.
What is the difference in the puppy’s mind between a tree limb and a wooden table leg? Why does your puppy drag your socks or under garments to their bed and sleep on them? Is she being destructive or trying to have your scent as close as possible, akin to sleeping next to mom or in a puppy pile? When they bring you a stick from the forest for you play chase or fetch or your shoe; are they trying to be destructive, dominant or invite you to a game of chase? If you can try to see it from a puppy’s point of view, you’ll be in a lot better shape to raise and train your puppy to choose appropriate toys, ensuring a destructive free puppyhood.
About the author: Jill Breitner, is a professional dog trainer and dog body language expert loving and living her life on the west coast of the USA. She is the author of Dog Decoder, a smartphone app about dog body language recommended and used by veterinarians, shelters, trainers, educators and guardians worldwide and available in iTunes and Google play. Jill has been teaching gentle handling/basic husbandry skills to clients and their dogs for 40 years, to be your pets advocate for a happier and stress free life. Join Jill on her Dog Decoder Facebook page
The key to a joyful puppyhood is pretty simple. You only need to follow these three simple steps. Supply appropriate toys, exercise and a training program. Meeting your puppy’s needs with physical and mental stimulation and tons of toys, you won’t ever need to replace a shoe, a remote control or your socks… again!
Destructive behavior in puppies is not necessarily part of puppyhood. I am always surprised to hear puppy guardians say that they can’t wait to get out of the puppy destruction phase. If you set your puppy up to win, you will never have to succumb to this myth about puppies and you will enjoy your puppy, that much more.
My Dog Still BITES at 6 Months – Dog Training Advice Video – ask me anything
A common complaint among new puppy owners is that their puppies are constantly biting their hands. Although this behavior can be alarming or overwhelming, it’s extremely natural.
Puppies understand the world around them by putting things into their mouth. Biting and mouthing are normal puppy behavior and aren’t generally a cause for alarm or concern, and it certainly doesn’t mean your puppy is aggressive. Some puppies (and breeds) are naturally mouthier than others, but all puppies should be taught not to bite or mouth people, and in general to be gentle with their mouth, also known as bite inhibition.
A common reason that puppies will chew on you is because they are teething. Just like teething is frustrating and overwhelming for human children, the same is true for puppies. When teething, puppies may feel uncomfortable and irritable, and most are looking for ways to try to soothe the discomfort in their mouths. Puppies have 28 baby teeth and, by the time they are adults, they will have 42 teeth. It can take up to six months for puppies to finish teething, during which time puppies can be extra mouthy. To support a teething puppy, make sure they have access to safe chews and toys and redirect them to those toys when they start biting you.
Mouthing, chewing, and biting are part of natural play behavior for puppies and dogs. If you were able to visit your puppy at your breeder, you likely saw your puppy mouthing as part of play with littermates or even with their mom. Although this play is completely natural for puppies when playing with one another, it’s less fun when your puppy uses the same playing style with your hand. An easy way to prevent your puppy from getting into the habit of biting your hand is to avoid using your hands to play with them and instead use a toy. By keeping a toy between you and your puppy, you will help your puppy make the association that playing means toys before they ever build a habit of mouthing your hand in play.
Most puppies learn bite inhibition when their mother gets upset if they nurse too roughly, or if their littermates cry and don’t want to play with them because they’ve bitten too hard. Bite inhibition means that puppies learn to be gentle or “soft” with their mouth when engaging with others. This is an important skill for dogs to develop. That said, some mothers won’t correct their puppies, and puppies without littermates tend to have more issues with mouthiness.
If your puppy starts to mouth or chew at you while you’re playing with or petting them, make a squealing noise or say “ouch!” in a calm but loud and high-pitched voice and remove your hand from their mouth. At this point, stop playtime for a few seconds, so the puppy makes the association that when they bite at your hand, the game they like stops.
When you are ready to play again, re-engage your puppy in play with a toy instead of your hand. Don’t ever yell at your puppy, hit them, smack their nose, or otherwise punish them for biting your hand. Remember, this behavior is natural for your puppy, so they just need to gently learn when and where mouthing is appropriate. By crying out when your puppy bites or mouths at your hand, they should quickly realize that playing roughly by mouthing or biting you ends the game. Our puppies want to play with us and so they will quickly adapt their playing style to be more gentle.
Sometimes, you’ll need to leave the room to give your dog time out if the “ouch” technique doesn’t work. In addition, make sure your puppy is getting plenty of exercise.
A key to decreasing the frequency of your puppy chewing on your hand, clothes, and shoes is to make sure that they have plenty of puppy-safe chews and toys accessible at all times. Giving your puppy opportunities to keep their mouth busy and occupied will deter them from biting your hands and other things.
If you’re ever concerned about your puppy’s behavior, it’s always appropriate to ask your vet for support, and to work with a positive reinforcement trainer in your area. Signing up for puppy kindergarten or an AKC STAR Puppy course is a great way to get professional support with your puppy’s hand chewing, and connect with other puppy owners who are struggling with the same natural puppy behaviors.
AKC is a participant in affiliate advertising programs designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to akc.org. If you purchase a product through this article, we may receive a portion of the sale.