Dog chewing is a destructive and sometimes costly behavior. You need to stop it before you continue losing your valuables to an animal that you love. But, how do you prevent a dog that has had this habit for long? Of course, getting rid of the pet is not an option. At the same time, you can’t opt to punish the dog too severely. Here are some tricks that you can use to stop your dog chewing:
Before you start focusing on changing the dog, start by changing your home. If the canine is used to chewing items in the house, simply dog-proof it. You don’t need tons of sophisticated items to achieve this task.
The first step is to simply hide things that the dog is likely to chew. Some of these items include remotes, pillows, books, and clothes.
When you do this, not only will your dog be able to roam the house without finding anything meaningful to chew. It will also be unable to destroy the products that you buy for it.
The second step is to get heavy duty gear that your dog can’t destroy. If they destroy their crate, then get something indestructible like the ones seen here bestdogcrates.net/escape-proof-cages.
This is another method that can work well for those problem dogs, especially if you are not always around to monitor your dog’s movements and behavior. All you need is to put them in a dog crate or an empty room.
You should always ensure that the crate is comfortable for the dog. Choose the right size of cage and make sure that it is well-ventilated.
Don’t just sit back and watch your dog embarks on a chewing spree. Be reactive if you see it chewing something other than food. The easiest way is to make some noise that will distract it.
However, you should not be extremely loud to the extent of scaring it. Just let the dog know the message that you are trying to pass across. You can say something like “Stop!” This approach can be considered as a form of dog training, because doing this consistently, will make the dog understand that you are not happy with the chewing habit.
Sometimes dog chewing can be a deep-rooted habit and may be quite difficult for your dog to stop doing it. However, rather than chewing your items, you can give the dog alternatives-chew toys. These are very enticing, and your dog will easily get attracted to them.
You can even make the toy fun by rotating them and stuffing some food items in them, such as peanut butter. Apart from being tasty, the dog will have some fun with the rotating toy and will keep chewing for a long time. In doing so, you will be able to save your other items from any sort of destruction for quite some time.
In most cases, dogs opt to chew items because they are utterly bored to the core. In such a situation, chewing seems the best way of passing the time.
The best remedy for this problem is to take the dog out for exercise. Some of the activities that you can engage in include jogging, running, Frisbee and even long walks. The aim here is to keep the dog productive in a healthy way.
This is another effective way of stopping your furry friend from chewing everything that comes in its way. Buy a commercial deterrent.
With such a product, you need to spray it on different items that the dog is likely to chew. A single bite on the item will be enough to send a strong message to the dog, and it won’t make any further attempts to chew the item.
If the dog chewing habit is due to a compulsive disorder, you should consider getting help from a professional dog behaviorist. Do not surrender to the destructive dog chewing behavior. The little steps that you take can make a difference. The above are the most recommended solutions that can stop the chewing habit.
Guest Blog post courtesy of Annie Moore Photo courtesy of Petfinder
7 Reasons Why Every Family Needs a Dog
There are many pleasures that we may enjoy life but one that most of us would never live without is having a dog by our side. Not only are they a loyal companion, they provide more love to us than we could ever hope to give back to them. These are the most obvious benefits of having a dog but there are many more reasons why you should have a dog as part of your family. Here are 7 reasons why every family needs a dog in their life:
Dogs Are Always Happy to See You – When you or any member of your family walks through the door, the dog is always going to be the most excited individual in the room. There is nothing quite like coming home after a difficult day and being greeted like you are the best person in the world! After all, you are the best person in their world.
They Protect Your Children (from Allergies) – Most people will automatically assume that dog-related allergies will be a problem in their household. In reality, the opposite may actually be true. According to a study by the Department of Pediatrics at the University Of Wisconsin, children who lived in a home with a dog as newborns were less likely to experience wheezing and eczema by the time they were three years old. Early exposure seems to be a factor and it is thought to be associated with how quickly the immune system develops in a child shortly after birth.
Play Time Is Anytime – It doesn’t matter what you might be going through in your life, you can always count on the fact that you can take a moment out of your day and enjoy some playtime with your dog. This is also something that you will come to love about having a dog around your children as well. There is nothing quite like sitting on the floor with your kids and having some fun time with the dog.
You Will Be Healthier – Dogs provide many benefits to our health, including reducing the risk for heart disease. According to the American Heart Association, dogs provide many benefits to their owners, including engaging in physical activity. In addition, people who had a heart attack were more likely to survive when they own a dog. You can’t argue with the numbers.
You Will Understand “Dog People” – There is a measurable phenomenon that occurs when people own a dog. Suddenly, they become dog people and it seems as if their entire life is surrounded by that beloved pet. Some people may tend to look at them as if they were a bit unusual but once you are a dog person, you will understand.
You Bond with Your Dog over Everything – It doesn’t matter if you are curled up on the sofa with your dog watching TV or if you are taking them to obedience training classes, the bond between the two of you will just continue to grow stronger. Dogs are naturally eager to please but as the bond grows, you will find that it runs in both directions.
Dogs Keep You Safe – There are certain dog breeds that are well known for providing security to the family but regardless of the dog that you have as a family member, they will add to your safety. In part, it is due to the fact that they will hear and see things that might escape your notice. Additionally, dogs keep you safe by providing you with companionship and when you have a dog around, you will never be alone.
For additional information and tips, please check out this website http://www.lovealldogs.com
Tails Untold is very happy to have this great Guest Blog from Tim Shank. Please consider adopting from a Shelter/Rescue first. We want every dog, cat and all pets to find loving and forever homes.
So your favorite pooch looks lonely, or you love them so much that you want to get them a friend, or you come across a stray at a shelter and have got to give them a forever home. Any one of these scenarios, and many more, may make your household go from a one dog home to a two dog home.
This is not necessarily a bad thing, and no one will ever complain about a shelter dog finding a place to call home, but there are some things to consider. Firstly, you may think that as pack animals, dogs would just naturally get along. After all, you are just bringing home a member of the pack, so all should be good, right? Secondly, even in packs out in the wild, there are rules and regulations that apply to all of the dogs that are banded together, and if these rules are not tolerated by single members of the pack, they will be expelled. So, keeping all of this in mind, here are some tips to make sure that you’ll have an easy time managing two dogs in the house.
You are the Alpha of the Pack
Every dog pack or clan has an alpha female or male that lays the groundwork and the rules. In your home clan, you are the alpha dog and what you say goes. You should not play favorites and treat each dog as equals. A stern “NO” will keep either of the two dogs in place, and fighting between dogs is absolutely not allowed. (Of course, play fighting doesn’t count.)
You rule, and you enforce the rules, and if you have to when one misbehaves, send them to the crate or their bed for a few minutes to teach them that what they did is not acceptable.
Feeding Time
A lot of fights and bad manners happen around feeding time, so keeping them separate during feeding is a very wise choice. Always feed the calmest member of the two first, and make sure you keep the other dog’s attention away from the first dogs food.
Fair is Fair
Make sure you divide your time equally between the two dogs, Fair is fair and neither one should feel neglected by you for the other. If one begs for more attention, make sure you reciprocate in kind to the other dog so they both see there are no favorites.
My Space, Your Space, Everyone’s Space
Unless there are dedicated bedding spaces for each dog, or dedicated crates, then all the space around the house should be shared equally. If one dog lays on the bed the other should be allowed that luxury too. If one likes to sleep on the couch, then let the other one sleep there as well. Obviously, if they have
their own beds that’s something else, but then just make sure they each have their own bed. If you can make them feel equal, you won’t have to worry about one or the other trying to take control.
Play Time
Playful dog fighting is common, and biting necks, tails, jumping and mouthing each other is all a part of the game. But make sure to watch them for the first several times they play together. If one tries to assert dominance and turn a play into genuine rough housing, you have got to be able to nip that behavior in the bud. If you don’t, you’ll have all kinds of trouble down the road.
Treats
Dogs love treats and you probably love to give them treats as much as they like getting them. But never tease one or the other and never ever show a preference for one getting a treat while the other just watches and gets nothing. If one gets a treat they both get a treat, and that way there will never be any animosity towards each other
Twice as Nice
If you use the tips above, both of your dogs will become great friends, they will respect you as a leader, and they will both do their best to please you any which way they can. That’s twice as nice for everyone.
About Author
A special thanks to Mary Nielsen who is a passionate dog lover, blogger, and part-time music teacher. She started MySweetPuppy to share her ups and downs of being a pet parent to a bunch of adorable mutts. When she is not playing with them or teaching, you can find her experimenting in the kitchen. Here is the link to Mary’s website website: http://mysweetpuppy.net
| Name: | Weezie |
| Nickname(s): | The Boss |
| Gender: | female |
| Characteristics: | One eye, white face, very large pointy ears |
| Personality: | stealthy, determined, quiet, funny |
