How to Keep Puppy From Chewing Your Furniture
How To Keep Your Puppy From Chewing Your Furniture
Coming home to find chewed-up furniture and your puppy sitting with that guilty look in one corner can be frustrating. Unfortunately, it’s a fairly common occurrence for many dog owners. Fortunately, you don’t have to live with tattered furniture until your dog has grown up.
In this article, the leading puppy training center in New Jersey will discuss all you need to know about how to keep your puppy from chewing furniture.
Why Do Puppies Chew Furniture?
Your puppy chewing furniture differs from an adult dog doing the same. Adult dogs chew furniture to manage stress or boredom,or express signs of separation anxiety. Exercise, mental stimulation, and working with a dog trainer can help here.
On the other hand, most puppies chew furniture primarily to relieve teething discomfort. Chewing helps soothe their sore gums. Secondly, puppies exhibit exploratory chewing as a means of understanding the world around them.
If they see a piece of furniture for the first time, they may decide to chew and taste it as a method of learning and understanding. This behavior can continue until the dog is at least two years old.
How Do You Stop a Puppy From Chewing Your Furniture?
Let’s explore how to keep a puppy from chewing your furniture:
Provide Various Chew Toys
Teaching your dog to play with a selection of chew toys of different shapes and textures can help to keep them interested. Rope toys work best for tugging and playing. If your puppy is an aggressive chewer, throw a few nylon toys into the mix.
You can prevent boredom and make the puppy more excited to play with each toy by switching the selection of toys up every few days. Use positive reinforcement to encourage the puppy to chew the toys instead.
Keep Your Puppy Away From the Furniture Area
Knowing the impact of dogs on health, you probably spend most of the time with your puppy and can actively keep them away from the furniture.
When you leave home and can’t directly supervise your puppy, confine them to a safe area such as a playpen or crate. Ensure they have enough space to move around without feeling trapped and throw in some chew toys to keep them busy in there.
If constructing a puppy playpen is not practical, you can explore ways to prevent access to the furniture. You can cover up the furniture with cardboard or furniture protectors.
Use Deterrents
Some puppies don’t like the smell of citrus. Spraying the furniture with diluted citrus spray may be enough to discourage the puppy from chewing on the furniture. Bitter apple spray works even better in this regard. Be sure to test the spray on a small, hidden part of the furniture to ensure it won’t cause any lasting damage.
Professional Dog Training in New Jersey
Do you need more guidance on how to keep your puppy from chewing furniture? Do you need help with any other aspects of dog training, such as leash training? Call The Dan Gentile Dog Training Center in New Jersey today at (732) 938-5040.