Is your dog chewing furniture? All dogs have a natural instinct to chew on things, and they will do so even if you don’t want them to. This is why you cannot completely stop your dog from chewing on furniture and other items, and have to work around it.
Dogs are known for their sharp teeth, and they want to use them. Not all dogs chew furniture out of boredom, others do it as part of their natural behavior. As a pet owner, you should be aware of this, and the best way to stop it from happening is by training your dog to chew on something else. This is a process that takes time and patience.
If your dog chews on your furniture, you are probably wondering what you can do about it. We have some ideas that should help greatly reduce your dog’s desire to chew furniture.
Give Your Dog Lots of Toys and Chew Toys
Dogs are curious pets and they love to chew on things when they get bored. They need to be given several chew toys and treats to give them something good to chew on, and not your furniture. If they don’t have enough toys they might start chewing furniture or other things in your home.
The same toy that they’ve had for the last 4 months is not nearly as much fun as it is the first day your dog gets it. To keep them from getting bored it’s best to rotate the toys that they play with. The goal is to reduce or prevent boredom, because boredom may result in your dog chewing furniture in your home.
Using different types of toys and flavors will help prevent boredom and keep your dog entertained. Buster Cubes, Kongs and Rubber chew toys are some of the most popular chew toys. If you have a puppy make sure you only use puppy-safe toys.
Train Them the “leave it” Command
One quick way to stop dogs from chewing furniture is by training them to follow the “leave it” command. Pet trainers now recommend using “leave it” to avoid confusion with “NO!”. It gives you something else to say to your dog when it’s not as serious.
Every time you see your dog chewing furniture, give them the “leave it” command. The command should be followed by a treat or praise and it should help motivate them to stop chewing. Repeating this a few times should make your dog realize that you don’t want them to chew furniture.
Try to Keep Furniture out of Reach
If there is furniture that your dog finds appealing and likes to chew, you can try keeping your dog away from it. Large objects that your dog generally doesn’t chew can be placed in front of the furniture. The legs of tables and chairs can also be covered with PVC pipes or something else hard to stop their biting. Dogs usually don’t chew PVC pipes and that should keep your furniture safe until you can correct their behavior.
Spray Furniture with a Homemade Bitter Spray
Spraying the furniture with bad-tasting products can make your furniture less appealing for your dog. While there are several commercial bitter sprays available in the market you can also make one at your home. Bitter apple spray is a spray that is easy to make and non-toxic.
To make bitter apple spray mix 1 cup white vinegar with 1 cup apple cider vinegar in a spray bottle. Shake the solution well until mixed. A small amount of citrus flavor like lime, orange or lemons can be added to make the spray a little more bitter.
Spray the furniture using the bitter apple spray you made. The bitter scent on the furniture should discourage them from chewing. The spray should be safe for most furniture and not cause damage, but always test it before spraying it all over.
Keep Your Dog in an Enclosure
When you are away from home it can be difficult to supervise your dog. Despite following all the methods mentioned above, after coming back home your dog may have chewed your furniture. You may want to keep your dog in a crate or exercise pens when you are away.
If you do not have an enclosure your dog can also be kept within a large room. The room should not have furniture that they can chew. Your dog may take some time to get used to it but this will be highly effective in stopping your dog from chewing furniture.
This should be a temporary solution to the furniture chewing problem. When you are able to be with your dog you’ll be able to catch them and keep them from chewing things that they shouldn’t. Over time they should do this less and less and keeping them confined all day may not be necessary.
Exercise Your Dog Regularly
Chewing furniture is usually the result of boredom or the dog feeling lonely. The best thing you can do to cure boredom is to exercise your dog daily and spend time playing with them. Daily walks are also a great way to spend time with them and keep them happy. These types of physical activity will tire your dog out and keep them mentally stimulated. Physical and mental stimulation will reduce their desire to chew to a great extent, if not stop chewing completely.