DESTRUCTIVE
CHEWING AND DIGGING
A.
Choose the right toys
1.
Make certain to choose toys that are appealing to your dog.
This may vary from dog to dog as some may be most attracted to texture or
appearance, while others may be more attracted to a food inserted or stuffed
into the toy
2.
Choose toys that are durable and safe.
Dogs that enjoy chewing should be given toys that take as long as
possible to destroy without losing interest.
If rawhide is given, the pieces should be large enough for the puppy to
gnaw, without chewing off large pieces that can be swallowed.
Rolled or thick, flat sheets may be preferable to sticks or pieces with
knots.
3.
Change toys, or rotate through them to keep up their interest
4.
Choose toys that are not overly similar to your possessions (e.g. old
shoes, towels or clothes, child toys, etc.)
B.
Encourage play
1.
Reward correct chewing. Use praise, affection or occasionally toss a
small treat to the puppy for chewing on its toys.
2.
Lace toys with food.
Many toys are
designed so that they can be coated or stuffed with food treats to attract the
pet. Freezing the toys with food
inside may extend the duration of play, chewing or eating food or toys.
Manipulation toys, such as Buster Cube, Tricky Treat, Crazy Ball, etc.,
deliver small pieces of food which serve to reward the dog as it chews and may
further increase the duration of interest in the toy
C.
Exercise and play
1.
An overabundance of energy and lack of acceptable activities can lead to
exploration and chewing. Provide
enough training, exercise and interactive play, to calm and tire the dog before
leaving it alone or unsupervised.
2.
A number of interactive play toys have been designed to combine play and
social interaction with family members or other pets.
These toys include balls, pucks and floating toys for chase and retrieval
and some for tugging and pulling.
3.
Tug and pull toys may not be appropriate for all dogs. As long as you are the one to initiate the play, can stop the
game on command, and the dog does not have a problem with aggression or overly
exuberant play, then these toys may be an acceptable means of directing play and
chewing to an appropriate outlet.
D.
Preventing undesirable chewing.
1. Even though your dog has a number of appealing toys and has
received plenty of interactive play, training and exercise, he or she may be
attracted to chew and investigate some of your household possessions.
Therefore, supervision or confinement to a crate or pen when you are
unable to supervise will prevent any inappropriate chewing.
2.
If you are not available to supervise and you wish to avoid confinement
training, it might be possible to move potential targets out of your dog’s
reach (dog-proofing), use aversive tasting substances (e.g. Ropel, Chew Guard,
Bitter Apple) or use avoidance devices (Snappy Trainer, Critter Gitter, Scraminal, Citronella Spray Indoor Avoidance) to keep your dog away from items
that might be chewed.
3. If you catch the dog in the act of chewing something it
shouldn’t, immediately interrupt it with a sharp noise or a pull on a leash if
one has been left attached. Then,
give a proper chew toy to the pet and praise it as soon as it begins to chew.
However, even if you consistently catch and interrupt your pet when it is
chewing on inappropriate items, this may only teach it to avoid chewing these
items in your presence.
4.
Never punish after the
act and never use physical punishment.
E.
Chewing and anxiety
1.
Chewing and destructiveness may also arise in response to anxiety and
should not be considered as an attempt to “get even with you”. Treatment requires correcting the underlying anxiety and this
often requires a consultation with your veterinarian or a behaviorist to
determine the cause of the problem and develop an appropriate treatment program.
2.
Separation anxiety: Some
dogs become extremely distressed when they cannot be with their owners
(separation anxiety), and may respond with destructive, housesoiling or barking
behavior. These dogs need to be taught that they cannot receive attention on
demand, but rather for spending progressively longer periods of time away from
the owner. Prior to departures the
owners should ignore the dog and try and keep it distracted with some food
stuffed toys when they leave.
F.
Digging
1.
First determine why the dog is digging. Dogs may dig to bury or retrieve
bones and toys, to find a cool place to lie down, to escape from confinement,
to dig for rodents or prey, and as a form of play and exploration.
You’ll need to know why your dog is digging in order to develop a
treatment program
2.
Supervise your dog while outdoors and interrupt the behavior if you catch
the pet in the act.
3.
Use booby traps to deter digging of a particular area, such as placing
balloons that pop or water in the hole or a motion detector device next to the
hole.
4.
Prevent access to the area by using chicken wire or hardwire over the
area, rocks in the hole, paving or placing gravel in the area, by confining to a
pen away from the area or by using avoidance devices such as the citronella
spray collar avoidance units.
5.
Dogs that dig as a form of play or exploration, will need increased
stimulation in the form of training and exercise and outlets for play and
chewing (see above)
6.
Dogs that dig to flush out prey and those that dig cooling holes will
need to be prevented from digging by confinement or avoidance devices, or by
providing them with an acceptable area for digging.
Digging in this area can be insured by supervision and reinforcement of
desirable digging or by confinement to the area.