Puppies are amazing creatures with boundless energy, eager to learn and explore. Their rich personalities make them the perfect pets for anyone who’s looking for an animal companion. However, this list of traits doesn’t end with their loveable qualities—puppies also have a habit of eating just about anything that comes their way! Like any other pet, puppies require discipline and learning boundaries in order to maximize their potential. If your dog is perpetually destroying your house or chewing through your favorite book spines, you should invest some time in teaching them what they can and cannot chew on. This will save you some money (and a few nerves!) while ensuring that they stay out of trouble in the future. Here are some ways on how to stop puppy from eating everything.
1. Stay Attentive
Being attentive and supervising your puppy during meal and play times are crucial. This will allow you to immediately recognize if your puppy starts nibbling on something that isn’t considered food. You also need to watch out for signs that they may be getting into something they shouldn’t, such as chewing on an electrical cord or shoes. If you see any of these signs, remove the forbidden item immediately. This will help you stop the puppy from eating everything.
2. Remove the Temptation
Puppies are naturally curious creatures that explore every new thing they encounter, so you should make sure to place your puppy’s food in a different area than where they eat and play. Avoid letting them out of their pen during meal times or when they are playing because this will tempt them to chew on anything else in sight. Instead, keep them indoors and feed them their meals outside in a playpen. You can also place a chicken wire fence around their playpen to stop them from chewing on anything inside.
3. Play with Them Indoors
Never leave your pup inside a locked crate while they are eating. They will quickly get the urge to chew everything in sight, including their food bowl and crate. Instead, take the steps to stop the puppy from eating everything by leaving the crate open for them to enjoy it instead of locking them in a closed one. The crate shouldn’t be too large because the puppy will be able to stand up and stretch, but it should also not be too small to prevent them from getting the urge to chew. When playing with them, let them exercise their bodies and exercise their jaws. This will give them the mental stimulation that they need while on the couch, and it will keep the chewing instinct of puppies at bay.
4. Poper Training
Another great way to stop a puppy from eating everything is to use positive reinforcement training. You can start this process by using tasty treats or pieces of toys as rewards for good behavior. Praise your puppy every time they do something that you appreciate, such as not chewing on anything forbidden. This will let them know when they’re on the right track! Once you have them trained, be sure to give them a reward whenever they pass a test or show good behavior during meal times. It will also help to keep their toys and food bowls out of reach whenever you are not supervising your pup.
5. Provide the puppy with play toys
Toys are a great way to keep your puppy entertained while they are chewing. You can easily find nylon dog toys at your local pet store. Just make sure to pick the right size, too big and the puppy may rip it apart, too small and they may swallow pieces of the toy instead of just chewing on it. By keeping your puppy busy, it will help prevent them from being bored and tempted to chew on whatever they can get their paws on.
6. Use bitter sprays
If your puppy is chewing on something you can’t get rid of, like the couch or TV remote, try using a bitter spray like Bitter Apple. This will help stop the puppy from eating everything because it will make all other items unpleasant for them to chew on. Just spray some of the liquid over the item and let your dog smell it before they get a chance to start chewing. You should make sure that the sprays you use are not directly ingested. If the results are unsatisfactory and your puppy still seems like they want to continue chewing on forbidden objects, you should try a different method.
7. Distractions Are Key
If all else fails, distraction is a great way to stop puppies from eating everything in their sight. Try throwing their favorite toys or treats into something that’s forbidden for them to chew through, such as your bookshelf or window frames. This will give them something else to focus on besides the things that you don’t want them to eat. You can also use a weighted toy to throw, such as a Kong. This will only work if your puppy is able to actually bring it back to you and can’t excessively chew on the Kong. You should also provide them with some safe play time without distractions in order to prevent them from chewing and destroying common household items.
8. Divert their Attention
Another great way to divert their attention is to play with them. This will keep them occupied and happy while you clean up their messes. You can also try to distract them by leaving the area or moving things that they used on your kitchen table. In terms of appliances, replace the plastic bowls with ceramic ones if you think your puppy is chewing your favorite dishes.
9. Clean-Up Measures
Remove dog toys that have been chewed on and replace them with ones that won’t get chewed up. You should also dispose of any pieces of plastic that your puppy has destroyed and rewrap any shards of glass in a plastic bag. It is best to do this at the end of the day so your puppy doesn’t see it as something to chew on. Removing these materials will help keep the puppy from eating everything in sight. By keeping your house clean and organized, you will cut down on the amount of time your puppy likes to chew on furniture and other household items.
10. Positive Reinforcement
You should be sure to praise any signs of good behavior when they are not chewing on forbidden items. This will help your puppy know that they have done the right thing and will help them learn that you always make sure they are safe and sound. If you know that your puppy is chewing on things, there are a few things you can do to keep them off forbidden items.
11. Hire a Professional Dog Trainer
You can also hire a professional dog trainer if your puppy is particularly naughty. This can help you to train your puppy and fix the bad behaviors that they have picked up. By hiring a professional, you will be able to avoid the problems associated with trying to stop a puppy from eating everything yourself and will cut down on costs for the products that you need. If it seems like the problems are too much for you to handle on your own, then it is best to contact a professional dog trainer who can help you out!
12. Feed Your Puppy Well
As with all pets, your puppy will be able to eat anything they want as they are hungry. That is why it is important to care for them well. You can use a dog food that helps to cut back on the amount of bad things they ingest while they are eating. By feeding your puppy a healthy diet, you will be able to help curb their hunger, which in turn will help them avoid eating things that you don’t want them to eat.
13. Understand Their Need
It is important to understand why your puppy is chewing and what they need when they are chewing at an object that you would rather they not eat. You should assess the material that they are chewing and determine whether or not it is something that you would like them to chew on. By understanding what your puppy needs, you will be able to prevent them from ruining things that you do need.
14. Use a Barrier
You can use a barrier to help prevent your puppy from chewing on different things. This can be as simple as using paper products such as newspapers or wrapping yarn around things in an attempt to keep them from chewing on them. If you know that your puppy is going to chew on something, it is best to do this before they get a chance to begin chewing. However, if you have already bought an item, try putting a barrier around it and see if this will help your puppy stay away from the item.
There are many methods that you can use to help stop a puppy from chewing on everything that you do not want them to. You should try to use the things mentioned above as much as possible, so your pooch does not have an excess of something they shouldn’t be chewing on. Waiting it out can be frustrating and confusing, but by taking a look at things like these and understanding why your puppy is chewing, you will be able to make sure that your dog has only what they need. Don’t let your puppy ruin everything in sight!
What do you think?