Stop Puppy Chewing With 10 Puppy Training Tips

If your  new puppy chewing up everything in sight is getting old, here are ten training tips for puppies that can help you end this problem.

1.  Puppy-proof Your Home

Make life a lot easier for both you and your new puppy by putting away stuff you don’t want him to chew on.  Remember you can put them back later on, when he outgrows this behavior.

Put your plants into protective custody, tape down the electrical wires, pick up any throw rugs.  Put your clothes and shoes into the closet and SHUT the door securely.  Hide the trash cans in a closet, along with the toliet paper and household cleaners.  And if there’s anything heavy in your home that a puppy could pull down, secure it so he can’t hurt himself.

2.  Keep Him In One Room

Use a puppy gate to confine him to one room in your home that has been well puppy-proofed.  A wire-reinforced puppy gate that he can’t chew through is best.

3.  Too Many Toys Are Overwhelming

Two or three at a time is plenty.  He needs to learn what toys are his, and what belongs to you.  If he has too many toys out, it’s harder for him to learn this important distinction.

Plus he’ll get bored with them after a few days.  It’s best to swap them out every few days to keep them interesting for him.

4.  Start  Obedience Training Right Away

A young puppy can’t concentrate for too long, so keep the sessions very short.  30-second mini-sessions several times a day are best.  Take advantage of those teachable moments as they arise.  Correcting small behavior problems as they happen is much better than trying to deal with ingrained dog behavior problems later on.

5.  Exercise, Exercise, Exercise

Every puppy needs one to two hours of rousing exercise every day to burn off that excess energy.  Playing fetch, running,  jumping, and long walks are a great way to keep him tired out.

6.  Playmates Are Fun

If you have a dog park nearby, take him there everyday to run and play with other puppies.  This is also a great way for him to learn how to get along with other dogs.

7.  Agility Training

This is a win-win situation for both of you.  These classes are a great way to channel your pup’s energy in a positive way.  He’ll also become more coordinated and confident as well.  And both you and your puppy will enjoy working together.

8.  A Bitter-Tasting Spray Can Stop Discourage Puppy Chewing

If your pup just won’t stop gnawing on the chair leg, try spraying it with a bitter apple spray. This is an easy way to make your companion wonder why he ever thought that chair leg tasted good. Plus you’re not being the bad guy by yelling at him to stop all the time.

9. Don’t Punish Him After The Fact

Puppies live in the present.  Punishing him for something he did a couple of hours ago is fruitless.  He doesn’t understand what he did to upset you unless you catch him in the act.

10.  Teach Your Puppy What Behavior Is Acceptable Right From Day 1

Puppy chewing might be cute when you first bring him home, but it will quickly become a major problem if you let him keep doing it.  Start working with him right from the start to prevent this dog behavior problem from ever becoming an issue.

Related articles

• Training Notebook: Week #1 (socialpuppy.wordpress.com)

Tagged with: puppy chewing • puppy chews • puppy training tips • stop puppy chewing • training tips for puppies

Filed under: Dog Chewing Problems • Puppy Training Tips

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