Article: It is possible that your dog is chewing because it is not getting enough calories. If your dog is engaged in unwanted chewing, talk to your vet. Your vet will be able to determine whether your dog's weight and size are appropriate relative to its breed and age. Irregularities in your dog's size and weighty could indicate a caloric deficit. Some unwanted chewing is caused by separation anxiety. If you spend a large amount of time out of the house each day you can talk to a friend or family member about visiting or playing with your dog while you are away, take steps to reinforce good behaviors, talk to a vet about anxiety medication, or try a combination of these and other strategies. If your dog is less than six months old, its unwanted chewing is likely related to its teething process, which can cause mild pain and irritation. Feeding your dog ice cubes in a bowl could help. Alternately, you could wet a washcloth, freeze it, then give it to your dog. It is natural and healthy for dogs to chew. You can help your dog engage in desirable chewing by giving your dog chew toys. There are a wide variety of chew toys. Some have squeakers or other noisemakers, and some have flavors like bacon or cheese. Visit your local pet store and obtain a variety of chew toys for your pooch. Pay attention to the types of chew toys your dog prefers. Provide more of the sorts of chew toys that occupy your dog's attention longest. Keep in mind that you should avoid giving aggressive chewers squeaky toys whose squeakers could be chewed out and swallowed, a potentially deadly situation. In addition to chew toys, you could also offer your dog some edibles to chew on. For instance, many dogs enjoy consuming rawhide, pig ears, and pig skin rolls. Obtain some of these doggie snacks at your local pet store and offer them to your dog. Don't leave clothing, books, papers, or other objects lying about. Doing so only opens the door to the possibility that your dog will engage in unwanted chewing. Keep closet and cupboard doors closed and valuable things out of reach Keep garbage cans covered and inaccessible. Chewing deterrents refers to a wide class of sprays and applicable scents that discourage dogs from chewing. If your dog tends to chew a certain chair or pillow repeatedly, you can use chewing deterrents to ward your dog off. When you obtain a new chewing deterrent, place a few drops of it on a piece of wool. Place the wool bit gently in your dog's mouth. Your dog will spit the wool out and retch, shake its head, or cough. This experience will help your dog remember not to chew anything that has the scent of the deterrent next time it encounters it. Reapply the deterrent daily for two to four weeks. Consult manufacturer directions for more information about how to apply your chewing deterrent. If your dog is confined, it cannot engage in unwanted chewing. You could keep your dog in a closed room or in a crate. However, do not use the crate as a substitute for careful monitoring. If you are home, your dog should generally not be crated unless it has engaged in an unwanted behavior. Ensure that your dog does not spend excessive time in its crate. Excessive confinement can lead to stress and actually increase the frequency of unwanted chewing. An appropriately-sized crate will be large enough for your dog to stand up and turn around.
What is a summary of what this article is about?
Feed your dog more. Spend more time with your dog. Help your dog through the teething process. Provide acceptable chewing opportunities. Keep items you don't want your dog chewing on out of your dog's reach. Utilize chewing deterrents. Confine your dog.