Dogs who are bored or anxious will chew on items to relieve tedium or anxiety. A well-trained dog will chew on his toys or bones, but an untrained animal will chew on anything from your favorite shoes to your couch. Designed to rip apart small prey, a dog's teeth can damage any wood on the furniture and turn cushions into virtual snowdrift of fluff. Help your dog be a better pet by training him appropriately and providing him with sufficient exercise and stimulation.
Tip #1 - Walk your dog on a regular basis. Just like a small child, a dog rests more soundly and is calmer indoors when he has the opportunity to work off excess energy.
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Video of the Day
Tip #2 - Teach your pet to stay off the furniture. Your pet sees you as his leader. He is a pack animal and by nature accustomed to having a leader's property off limits. If you provide him with a dog bed near you, he can be taught to sit on his bed rather than your couch. Consistency is key to training a dog to stay off the furniture. When you catch him on the couch, point to his bed and tell him down. When he goes to his bed, give him a dog treat. In the beginning, you may have to actually pick him up off the couch and move him to his bed, but eventually he will get the hint and learn that is his place to hang out.
Tip #3 - Spray a scent deterrent on any furniture he favors. Commercial scent deterrents typically are not strong enough for a human to smell them, but a dog's sensitive nose will pick up the odor and avoid the area. Some deterrents also taste bad to dogs and this will act as added incentive to stay down and not chew on the couch.
Tip #4 - Give your dog other chew options. Make sure he has a supply of chew toys to keep him occupied, especially when you are not home to supervise his activities. Some chew toys are even designed to put treats into, so your dog will have to spend a lot of time and energy to free the treat rather than pulling stuffing out of your couch.
By Betsy Gallup
References
Pet Wave: How to Stop Dog Chewing
Pet Hooligans: How to Pet-Proof Your Outdoor Furniture
Hartz: Dog Proofing Furniture in Your Home
About the Author
Betsy Gallup is a writer with extensive business, tax law, management and accounting experience. During her free time, she enjoys crafting, reading and caring for her children and pets. She holds a B.S. in management/accounting from Park University.