Dogs are literally born to chew, and they put things in their mouths as a means of exploring. It'll be a problem, however, if your dog is chewing on inappropriate things like his blankets. There are many approaches you can take to stop your dog from destructive chewing.
Step 1
Give your dog plenty of chew toys to play with. This will help relieve your dog’s natural instinct to chew as well as ease boredom and anxiety. Rotate between the chew toys every couple of days or so to keep your dog interested.
Step 2
Teach your dog not to chew on her bedding and blanket. When you catch her chewing on these items or anything inappropriate, make a loud noise to get her attention and give her a chew toy in place of the inappropriate item. When she stops chewing on the inappropriate item to take the chew toy, praise her lavishly to let her know she made the right decision. This will help her associate what is appropriate and inappropriate to chew on.
Step 3
Spray your dog’s bedding and blanket lightly with chew deterrent. Chew deterrent tastes bad but will not hurt your dog. You will need to reapply the deterrent to maintain its effectiveness. You can find chew deterrents at your local pet store.
Step 4
Provide your dog plenty of exercise opportunities daily to prevent destructive chewing. Regular exercise will help relieve aggression and tension in your dog so she will not want to chew on her bedding and blankets.
Step 5
Avoid putting your dog in known stressful situations. Reduce the stress in your dog’s life to stop blanket and bed chewing. Dogs may sometimes chew on inappropriate items when they are sad or stressed out over environmental changes, such as moving to a new location or losing a fellow pet. Try to make your dog as comfortable as possible and show her love and affection often in these situations and in general.
References
Tips
- Take your dog to the veterinarian if she is chewing compulsively. There may be an underlying dental or medical condition that may need treatment.
Writer Bio
Based in Statesboro, Ga., Emily Jones has been writing professionally since 2009. Her articles appear on various websites, specializing in the diverse topics of cleaning and insects. Jones is a graduate student studying education at Georgia Southern University.