It's a known fact that dogs love to chew. This behavior is ingrained in them and it's a need that must be met. In the wild, dogs spend hours chewing on bones and getting the bone marrow out. Bones give them needed nutrients and help keep teeth clean. Not only that, but dogs love to chew on them! When it comes to puppies, they need to have things to chew while they are teething. Chewing on things is very soothing to them.

Dog chewing is like reading a book or playing a good game to them. Not giving dogs the option to chew is not very nice on our part. If we don't supply toys and bones of their own to chew on, they will find things of ours that they shouldn't be chewing on. We certainly don't want that! There are several things out there made just for dogs to chew on. These should be supplied to your dog through out the day. You want to mix it up a bit by offering bones, toys, and some interactive toys you can refill with food.

If your dog has been known to chew up your things and your just now starting to offer him his own toys to chew on, you want to make sure you reward him for chewing on his things. If you catch him chewing on something he shouldn't be chewing on tell him no and re-direct him to his own toys. Reward him with praise as he starts chewing on his own toy or even smear a bit of peanut butter on it as a reward.

If your dog continues chewing things he shouldn't be, you might want to look at exactly what he is chewing. If it's all wood items or some other sort of material, perhaps he's not getting a certain nutrient in his diet that he needs. Look into this, ask the vet, see if you can figure out what nutrient they might be gaining from chewing those items. Your fix could be as simple as a change of diet.

Dog chewing can be prevented in many ways. If you have a new puppy or new dog, you want to make sure they know the rules of the house before being allowed to roam free. Constant supervision is a must when you bring a new dog into your home. Be sure to keep your things picked up and keep at least 3 to 5 things for your dog to chew on around the house or in the room your dog is in. Remember to mix these toys up between bones, chews, toys, and interactive toys. If you can, switch these items out with other toys every day, every other day, or every few days to keep your dog entertained with them.

If your unable to watch your dog, they should be put in a safe place such as a crate, expen, or puppy proofed room. Give them a couple of things to chew while they are in there. Dog chewing is mentally exhausting for the dog, just giving dogs something to chew can help wear them out and keep their mind occupied. This helps keep your dog out of trouble or from chewing on your things.

If you would like to see bones, toys, chews, and interactive toys that I recommend please follow me over to my blog by clicking on the Talented K9 link you'll find below.

Visit us at Talented K9, you'll find many tips on dogs such as; House Training, Crate Training, Dog Aggression, Fearful Dogs, Activities with your dog, Trick Training, Bringing a new dog home, How to motivate a non-treat or food motivated dog and many more. Amy Hiscocks is a Professional Dog Trainer and Behavior Specialist, visit us today!