If you are a dog parent with a “chewer" on your hands, there are ways to prevent this destructive behaviour.
Chewing not only destroys household furniture and personal possessions, but you could end up paying dearly for the damage.
Local South African pet speciality and online store Canine & Co has a few suggestions.
Chewing can stem from many different factors. These may include the need for additional mental stimulation or loneliness when left alone for long periods of time.
The onset of sudden chewing could be the result of boredom on your pet’s part.
If this is the case, give a dog a bone – the Planet Dog Orbee Tuff Bone in particular. This toy comes in four sizes which makes it suitable for every sized dog and encourages non-destructive chewing.
Destructive chewing can also be triggered by separation anxiety – good calming products to help with this are Adaptil, Nurturecalm Collar or Zylkene.
If your dog is not responding to these calming products, it might be a good idea to visit your vet, where he could assist you in putting together a behavioural management programme.
If you cannot spend more time at home to console your fur-child if he is lonely, you can encourage toy use that’s designed to withstand the force of those sharp canines.
To help save your furniture, or even your favourite pair of shoes, you could use something like Avert Bitter Solution or Simple Solution Chew Stopper.
These sprays are safe for pets, household items and furniture, but taste terrible, which is often enough to deter chewing of specific items.
Puppies on the other hand tend to chew as a result of new teeth coming in. If you’re faced with a teething pup, look out for toys which are designed or customised to suit a puppy’s teeth.
If you’ve made new toy purchases and are still plagued with a chewing pup, switch up his routine by taking him on longer walks and scheduling in time for games like fetch.
Also, make sure you keep all your valuables out of reach, because if they can’t reach it, they can’t chew it.