Scratching, digging, rolling in mud, barking and chewing are common dog behaviors. Dogs are one of the most loved pets. These loyal and loving animals have indeed made of lot of change to human lives. In spite of the dogs loyal and loving nature, an owner may think of abandoning the pet because of its unwanted behaviors. Destructive chewing is one of the most common concerns of pet parents. A pet owner that needs to replace the things destroyed by the dog would certainly be annoyed by the pet’s excessive chewing habit.
Chewing is a natural behavior of dogs. Three month old puppies are commonly seen starting to exercise the gums and teeth by chewing . Puppies, unlike humans, have no hands thus the mouth and the teeth are used to investigate their environment . Chewing things is the only way by which puppies satisfy their curiosity about their new world . Teething pains entices puppies to chew more. Babies are usually given teethers to ease teething pains and to strengthen the gums. Puppies that are not provided with chew toys would find their own teethers to manage their teething pains. This destructive chewing has other repercussions. A dog that has been chewing can swallow an object that can create a life threatening blockage. The chewing habit of puppies can be managed as it would be an easy matter to confine a small dog and provide it with harmless chew toys. The tendency to chew is generally outgrown by most puppies.
A well behave dog that has unexpectedly developed an excessive chewing habit would naturally concern a pet owner. There has to be an underlying reason for the dog’s destructive behavior. Boredom, loneliness, inactivity are the most common causes of destructive chewing. Once you know why your dog chews. You must also know what to do when it chews. A dog is a social animal. A dog is not similar to a cat that would be contented to stare into space alone all day. Being a social animal, a dog would need a member of its human family or another dog to play with. As you would expect, dogs would not know the value of things. A shoe with the master’s scent would be a poor substitute but it would do for a dog missing its master. Being energetic, dogs have to be provided with opportunities to let off steam. Dog owners must be aware that it would not be a good idea to confine the pet with no toys or playmate inside the house as with most certainty, the dog will develop into a destructive pet.