Chewing is a normal and important activity for puppies and adult dogs. Lifetime habits form early and puppies need guidance in learning what is theirs to chew and what is not.<\/p>\n
Just as you would for a human toddler, you must safety-proof every room of your home that your puppy has access to until they are fully chew-trained. Remember to remove or safely hide chewable and potentially dangerous household items.<\/p>\n
For example:<\/p>\n
For items you can\u2019t move but want to protect, such as furnishings, pet stores sell bitter tasting sprays that can deter chewing. Anytime you\u2019re not supervising your puppy, place them in their crate or puppy playpen (their puppy-proofed safe area) with appropriate toys and chews.<\/p>\n
Both when confined and when supervised make sure your puppy has access to toys and chewies. Here are some guidelines:<\/p>\n
The keys to reducing unwanted chewing and problem behaviors in your puppy are supervision, enough daily exercise and play, and patient training. When your puppy isn\u2019t in their playpen or crate, you must closely supervise your puppy for their training to be effective:<\/p>\n
Punishment is unfair and unkind. Parents kindly interrupt a toddler about to scribble on a wall with a crayon and redirect them to a coloring book. Puppies require the same level of vigilance on your part in order to learn the house rules.<\/p>\n
Instead, follow these golden rules to get a well chew-trained puppy:<\/p>\n