Q&A with P&A:

Dear Peeve and Achilles:

My dog has tons of toys to chew, yet he prefers to steal our shoes, books and even underwear! Why won’t he just be a good dog and chew his toys?

Thank you,

Living with a Canine Termite

Dear Living:
It is probably a lot more fun for him to take things that encourage his humans to play a game of yell and chase. If your anger and annoyance were the discouragement you mean them to be you wouldn’t have this behavior anymore. Barking (oh, you call it yelling) and chasing are FUN dog games! Make sure that you give him more attention for chewing the appropriate things and even chase him with his bones once in a while. Since this appears to be a regular occurrence, have him drag a lightweight 6’ leash around the house for a week or two. You can step on to interrupt “keep away” and remove the stolen object without any extra attention (attention tends to increase behavior!) Of course, dog-proof your home as much as possible by putting things away if you can!

It is up to you to teach your dog what and when to chew. It can be helpful to think in terms of three groups of things you can give your dog to chew. (1) EDIBLES, (2) CHEWABLES, and (3) PLAY TOYS. Most dogs enjoy, and in fact need to chew. Although any dog can chew at any age, there are times it is more likely. You probably know pups go through a “teething” stage around 4-5 months old, but there is also another very destructive teething stage at 9 months old when the teeth are setting in the dog’s jaw. Any stress will often increase chewing as well. Use EDIBLES such as Bully Sticks (odor free kind at ABC Obedience), beef ears, edible Nylabones, stuffed Kongs, Everlasting Treat Balls, etc. to show your dog how to amuse himself during critical downtime such as when you go online, watch TV, help kids with homework, cook dinner, do paperwork, get caffeinated in the morning, etc. A good EDIBLE can be eaten completely, but is long lasting. The EDIBLES will keep him busy and get him into the habit of chewing “dog things” during these times. After a few weeks, he will probably amuse himself with the other CHEWABLES that you have provided.

CHEWABLES are things your dog can safely chew but not consume, such as a properly sized Nylabone (not the flexible gumabones unless you have a very young, small puppy), Dental Dinosaur, Kong, marrow bone, etc. Keep it interesting by rotating which ones are available on a regular basis.

PLAY TOYS are basically anything made out of fabric. This includes rope toys, stuffed animals, etc. If your dog is a chewer, they should not be getting into the habit of taking apart fabric things when they are bored or anxious (stuffed animal, couch cushion – really not so different). PLAY TOYS should live where the humans control access (the top of your refrigerator or away in a cabinet) and should be given to the dog to PLAY with under supervision. If the dog begins to chew, take it away and replace with a CHEWABLE or EDIBLE. If your dog doesn’t destroy play toys, you probably don’t need to take them away.

Dogs often chew because of boredom and anxiety. If your dog favors things that smell strongly like you (shoes, underwear, remote controls) they may be prone to separation issues. This is a process that is best dealt with by working with a professional trainer before your dog hurts themselves later or destroys what he sees as potential exits (door-frames and windowsills are a favorite). Supervision is the key to teaching your dog to chew properly and not to be a destructive chewer. If you cannot really watch your not-yet trustworthy dog closely enough, use a crate or other secure method to keep him and your belongings safe during those times. Spend time with your dog exercising their mind and body to greatly decrease many problem behaviors at home. Often dogs that think they are “the boss” have a great deal of stress (much like a child who doesn’t have trust in clear parental guidance).

Control the environment, control the chewing items and be a good leader for your dog. This should make your dog a happier pet and save you the embarrassment of buying new underwear quite so often. Good luck!