A Gnawing Problem
By Jaime Van Wye, CMDT
The worst case of chewing on which I ever consulted involved a Pit Bull named Sally, a fun-loving, exuberant adolescent dog whose guardians left her bored in the house while they each left and worked 10-hour shifts. They came home one day to find that she had chewed her way through the bedroom wall in order to dismantle the motor of the Jacuzzi tub in the adjacent bathroom. It was truly an amazing feat of destruction.
Destructive chewing varies from “taste nibbles” you may not notice to complete decimation of your cabinetry, furniture or wardrobe. Chewing is a natural behavior, particularly for puppies and young dogs, who chew to satisfy curiosity, curb boredom and satiate oral cravings. Retrievers, in particular, love to have “stuff” in their mouths.
Chewing becomes problematic when the dog isn’t able to distinguish between what’s okay to chew and what’s off limits. Many dogs get re-homed or sent to the shelter because of this issue. A voracious chewer can cause thousands of dollars worth of damage in a very short amount of time. Chewing on objects like electrical cords and poisonous plants can even be deadly.
So, what can you do? Rather than trying to curb the behavior, you need to provide appropriate outlets. Don’t just provide chew toys (a common protest from dog owners is, “But he HAS toys!”) but actively encourage and teach him how to use them. Provide chew toys even when you are home, and make chewing a fun game by incorporating chew toys into a fetch routine. Some dogs will ignore chew toys when you’re gone unless they’re constantly enjoying them when you’re home too.
Rather than offering a huge array of toys, rotate them and offer new ones periodically. If he has a toy chest to rival FAO Schwartz and still insists on chewing your laundry, remove any object within reach that has potential chew factor. This includes shoes, kids’ toys, books, DVDs and houseplants. If you catch him in the act of chewing something inappropriate, startle him with a loud “AHH!” and immediately offer an appropriate option. If you come home to a chewed house, don’t punish him. Although he may act “guilty,” dogs can’t go backwards in time. All he knows is that chewed object plus owner equals bad things. Dogs lack the capability to think, “If I hadn’t eaten her Manolos, she wouldn’t be angry.”
Instead, consider thoughtful confinement while you’re away, either outdoors or in a chew-proof room or crate. Don’t allow access to the persistent “chew spots,” like the dining room table legs. Every time your dog chews something, he is reinforced because it feels and tastes good. Topical anti-chew products discourage chewing with a bitter or sour taste. Depending on your dog’s palate, they may discourage chewing, but you’ll have to test them out. Some dogs actually like them! A better bet is to get him on an active anti-chew program by offering an interesting daily assortment of chew choices.
Chew toys can be made more desirable by stuffing hollow toys with delectable items that he has to “work at” to eat. Although the Kong remains the number one choice for most trainers, try a different shape or textured toy if your dog isn’t digging it. Make sure that whatever you’re using to stuff the toys is different and interesting, like bacon bits, wet food, jerky treats, peanut butter, string cheese, Cheese Whiz, or even the horribly textured (but apparently delicious) aerosol liver paste marketed by Kong itself.
Natural, meaty bones for your dog, either from the butcher or the pet store, are excellent choices for chewers. There is, after all, a reason why dogs used to be given bones. Natural bones from beef or pork, not poultry, will provide just the right amount of hardness to encourage chewing. Make sure that you are carefully monitoring bones for splintering and remove any that develop sharp edges. You may also want to only allow this kind of chewing outside, on a mat or an easily cleaned floor — it can get messy. Avoid rawhide unless it’s compressed, which means that many layers have been formed together usually in the shape of a bone. Compression usually prevents the dog from chewing it into the doughy, soft mass that veterinarians worry dogs will ingest.
Finally, make sure he is getting enough aerobic exercise. If he tends to chew while you’re at work, getting him out for a morning run may help him settle down when you’re away. Dog daycares or a vigorous midday walk from a local walker are other good choices for an otherwise stay-at-home dog.
Realize that management, not cure, is the goal for a serious chewer. Part of owning a dog means providing outlets for enrichment, just like you have in the form of reading the news, playing video games, or surfing the web. Many dogs also decrease their voracious chewing with age, so you may not have to put up with it forever. In the meantime, go stock up on aerosol cheese.
Jaime Van Wye is the owner and founder of the Zoom Room, a dog training franchise specializing in obedience and agility based out of Los Angeles. She is also the Dog Daycare chair for the Pet Care Services Association. Visit www.zoomroomonline.com.
