Your dog is chewing up everything he sees. How can you stop this destructive behavior? Have you come home to find your flowerbeds have been dug up and your brand new shoes shredded and torn apart? This could be the sign of a bored dog. Try to remain calm, it is a common behavior and you are definitely not alone.
When children and dogs are left alone with nothing to do they seem to find their own entertainment which can be pretty destructive not to mention costly. I can speak with some authority here after raising both for many years. No, your children probably don’t chew or dig likes dogs; although I have found several pencils and pens chewed and distorted next to the telephone or found shovels next to a big hole in my flower bed.
Well boredom is boredom I guess, and trust me it was easier to break my children of these destructive behaviors than it was for my dog. But the good news here is you can stop this problem so have no fear and put any doubts out of your mind.
The important part is to understand why your dog is chewing, maybe it’Àús not just boredom; maybe they are cutting teeth if they are puppies or digging because you used some really great smelling fertilizer in your flower beds. If these are not the cause then it usually is a case of “bored dog”. Maybe you are away from your home a lot or have a very busy work schedule. One of the best ways to teach and train your dog not to chew is to use the right tools and devices during the training. Barx buddy is one of the reliable tools that you can use for training your pet.
Some people think about getting a playmate for the dog, like a brother, sister or friend would be for your children. This can keep them busy even if you can’t be there to play. Think about this carefully though because your plan could backfire. You might find you have twice the holes and destruction!
A better idea is to make sure your dog has something to do. Think about placing special treats around your yard and give out a few special toys as entertainment. Finding things that will entertain your dog right away is not hard ; dogs are not nearly as picky as children.
An assortment of toys may be just what they need. You can get dog toys in many different places. Some places even have inexpensive dog toys that won’t cost you a fortune. Keep in mind that the toy must be large and durable enough to prevent a choking hazard. Don’t substitute dog toys with another kind of toy not made for dogs, unless of course you’re absolutely sure it’s safe.
Some dogs are rougher than you might think so make sure it will stand strong against your dog’s teeth, trust me here the size of your dog has little to do with this. My Chihuahua can quickly chew up a flimsy dog toy. You might want to invest a little more money getting a tough toy instead of a cheaper one that will fall apart. It is also dangerous because smaller pieces could get stuck in your dog’s throat or stomach, which could double, quadruple or worse the investment.
You can make things even more enticing by purchasing dog toys that let you put a treat inside; the Kong toys are great for this. The enjoyment of getting the treat out will occupy your dog for a nice long while. If it’s hot outside you might consider getting the kind of dog treat you freeze. My Chihuahua loves playing with her frozen treat until it unfreezes.
If money is a problem for you right now you can simply tie two large socks together to make a nice chew and tug of war toy, if you are at all like me finding an old worn out sock is not hard to do. These work great and the dog won’t even notice the difference. The only trouble with this make shift toy is that they will need someone to play tug of war with so it might not work as well if you only have one dog or there is no one home to play with them. Of course you may be able to get the bored children involved.
Keep several dog toys on hand and switch the toys up every now and then to keep your dog interested. The toys will seem fresh and they won’t get bored as easily. Consider putting something like vegemite on the toys to make them twice as tempting. You may consider making a dog toy box, turn it into a training lesson to get them to put their toys away, if you’re not a handy man consider buying an inexpensive crate. You can teach them to get a toy and put it back, to be honest my dog learned this better than my children.
It takes a little planning on your part and you can be sure they will always have something to do. Even if you can’t be there with them for certain parts of the day they will be able to have a good time and stay out of trouble.
One word of caution here if you chose to make a dog toy box, be sure they can open the box themselves or; you guessed it — .they will chew it up trying.
