Puppy chewing on furniture
The arrival of a new dog home makes our current life to change, to a greater or lesser extent. A lot depends on, whether our new family member is a quiet pooch or rather a little rascal. A common problem that appears, when taking care of a pet is the fact dogs tend to chew on things.
How can you deal with this?
Not every puppy will do it. Moreover, this is not a behavior that can only happen to young dogs. However, when it comes to puppies, it is caused by different emotions and feelings, than when it comes to adult dogs.
Why my puppy chew on furniture?
I think you surely would like to know the answer to the question why the young pooch bites the furniture at all. There are several reasons for this behavior. I will tell you about the most common ones and briefly explain their source.
– the need resulting from age
Very young dogs show a great need to bite. Especially, within a period up to the tenth month of their life. This is largely due to the fact that dogs lose their milk teeth at that time. Hence, they develop a chewing need, which in some way gives them relief.
If your puppy does not have toys that are intended to be chewed, it is very likely that it will be looking for something else that will do the job. At that point, the choice of your pooch may fall on furniture.
– boredom of your pooch
Dogs, in most of the cases, don’t like boredom. If, after a walk and an afternoon nap, they have no other options of spending time in an interesting way, they will look for things to keep themselves entertained.
Simply speaking, your pooch chews on furniture because he’s just bored. This way it tries to give itself some fun. Without searching for an appropriate amount of daily entertainment for your dog, you have to reckon with the fact that your pet will be looking for it on it’s own.
– desire to attract attention of his guardian
A pooch chewing on furniture, as well as other things, can be a symptom of your neglect. Of course, I do not mean not providing the dog with basic life needs. It’s about not giving your pet as much attention as it needs.
For dogs, the relationship with their beloved human is very important. I think that I can confidently say that you are the most important person in your pooch’s life. You are your dog’s best friend, so it wants to spend as much time with you as possible.
If you don’t care about your relationship with your dog and don’t give it as much attention as it needs, it will try to get your attention in some other way. You can’t deny that destroying things, including furniture, certainly attracts your attention effectively, right?
If you observe this behavior, ask yourself whether you have spent enough time with your dog recently. Often, in the hustle and bustle of work and everyday duties, we can forget that our pets also need our time.
What’s more, no matter how busy you are, remember that your dog’s need for attention is always the same.
What to do when your puppy chews on furniture?
For starters, I would like to comfort you by saying that most dogs outgrow the habit of chewing on furniture over time. For the first two months in my house, my pet chewed on legs of almost every chair in the dining room. However, as he has grown, it has never happened again, that he chews on furniture.
I am aware of the fact that instead of waiting for your pet to outgrow a bad habit, you want to take action now. I can totally understand this. What’s more, myself, I regret that I didn’t take specific steps when my four-legged friend was at the stage of chewing everything around him.
– chewing toy
Although it may sound a bit cliché to you, there is no denying that very often we are able to distract our dogs from furniture just by using a toy. However, you need to find a product that suits your pet’s needs.
Not every toy is suitable for intensive chewing. Some will only work well for nibbling or fetching. I would recommend that you choose a toy that works for chewing, tugging and pulling with your dog.
This way you will be able to effectively satisfy your pet’s needs to chew. My dog has a bullet from Bowl&Bone Republic, which is still in excellent condition despite the intense chewing and tugging. I think this is due to the high quality cord from which it is made.
Dog toy |BULLET red
– shared activity
As you probably know, puppies have a lot of energy. They cannot sit for long in one place. That’s why you shouldn’t be surprised that, if you don’t provide them with an appropriate dose of daily activity, they seek an outlet for their emotions. Among others, by chewing on things.
Walking with your puppy is not everything. It is also very important to actively spend time with your dog. Playing together will not only allow the dog to use its energy, but will also have a positive effect on the relationship between you and your four legged-friend, which is so important.
On the other hand, do you have a sporting spirit? If so, your four-legged friend can be your great companion in your daily activities. Of course, you can’t expect your puppy to run politely next to you while jogging. Nevertheless, I think playing frisbee could be a great option for you to have a great afternoon.
– reprimand
If you won’t properly communicate to your pet that chewing on furniture is not good, then you cannot expect it to know this on it’s own. You must make it clear to your dog that this behaviour is not acceptable and should not act this way.
Ideally, you should use the same method in this case, as in any other situation where you are teaching your dog correct behaviour. I believe that you are a good dog guardian. Nevertheless, I would like to remind you that corporal punishment is an absolute educational mistake and I really hope that you do not use it.
– secure your furniture against puppy
If you are particularly worried about damaging your furniture, you can protect it from your pet. There are special, temporary upholstery or furniture covers that will effectively protect against the mischievous actions of your dog.
Another option are specialised preparations, which are applied directly on furniture. Their task is to discourage your pet from chewing on furniture by its smell and taste.
However, before you decide to use such a preparation, consult its composition with a specialist. A vet will tell you whether the product is dangerous or harmful to your dog.
Puppy bites furniture only as a last resort
As I mentioned at the beginning, a puppy decides to chew furniture if its need for play and attention are not fulfilled. If you spend enough time with your dog and it has plenty of toys, then furniture chewing will not be an interesting activity anymore.
Perhaps, you’ve found your own methods, to keep your puppy away from chewing on furniture? If so, I’d love to know them.
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