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Ten
Chewing
Chewing can
be an annoying and expensive trait you wish your pet
dog had never started. All dogs will chew at some
point in their lives, it is when the item being chewed
is your best shoes or the house door frame that it
becomes a problem. Most people can understand that
a puppy will chew, this is particularly so when the
puppy is cutting its first teeth. However not many
people are so tolerant when the dog starts chewing
again at six - twelve months but the dog is also cutting
in a second set of teeth at this stage.
As stated
before you must try and work out the root cause of
the problem and as before the reasons can be varied.
If teething has been eliminated then boredom must
be next on the list of checks. Is the dog chewing
whilst being shut in the kitchen, especially if the
family are all out? Does he have his own toys and
commercial chews to keep him stimulated in your absence?
Does he receive sufficient exercise? Try to stimulate
the dog more, give him interesting toys and chews
and ensure he receives sufficient exercise especially
just before you go out.
Anxiety can
lead to chewing, this topic has been covered previously.
Remember however if you suspect anxiety it is pointless
coming home and screaming at the dog for the damage
caused. This will just make him more anxious the next
time you go out and chew more.
Diet can lead
to chewing especially a lack of fiber. If you notice
the dog is chewing the door frames, furniture legs,
paper and grass then try adding more fiber to his
diet.
There may
be a time when your dog suddenly begins to chew materials
into shreds and pile them in one area of the house.
This is even more significant if your pet happens
to be a bitch as this type of behavior is associated
with nesting when she is pregnant.
Chewing can
become habitual and if not checked will develop into
a real expensive problem and probably lead to the
dog being passed from family to family. On point to
remember is that dogs have no sense of value, a £2000
suite is no different from a £5 pair of bondu boots.
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This article
was written by Paul C Bunker, a professional dog trainer.
You can visit the website at www.Southwestk9services.com for more articles and
dog training resources. You may freely distribute
this article or save to any electronic media as long
as it is left intact, including this copyright box.
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