That’s not a chew toy!

My dog…. the chewer.
Oh Bailey…. what have you chewed up today? Those are common first words out of my mouth when I get home for the day. He’s such a little devil some days. He has lots of puppy energy and even though he has tons of toys, there are days when he just can’t help himself. Today, when I checked in on my puppy cam, he was chewing on a shoe box I forgot to put away.
The weather has made it harder for them to get enough exercise so that adds to his excess craziness. But there are some things you can do to help divert their attention to proper self entertainment and keep the dog and your home safe.
Chew toys
When you find your puppy chewing on something they shouldn’t, immediately divert their energy to an approved chew toy. And toys should not be toys that resemble things they shouldn’t chew… no toys that look like shoes!  Bailey has a few stuffed toys he likes but he is much more interested in antlers, bully sticks and water bottles. Plastic water bottles with the lid removed can be a great distraction.
Puppy proof your home
If you walk into my house right now, everything is put away. My photos, sofa pillows, candles etc have all been put in a place he can’t reach. Take away all temptation when possible.
Get a puppy cam
I have a Wyze cam and it allows me to watch the dogs and even talk to them. A number of friends have a camera that can also dispense treats. Watching my dogs has given me great insight to what they do when I’m not home, what keeps them busy and what they do to entertain themselves. My biggest issue with Bailey is since he’s deaf, I can see him do something naughty but can’t tell him to stop.
Taste Deterrents
I have tried bitter apple and bitter orange in the past with limited luck. But for some dogs, it really works. My mother’s dog used to try and chew on the same corner of one chair in her living room. Bitter apple stopped her from doing that. So they are always worth a try.
Exercise
There is no substitute for exercise with naughty dogs. A bored dog is a dog looking for trouble. But a tired dog is only looking for a nap. Summer morning walks are easy to do. But none of my dogs are interested in being out when it’s really cold. So…. I’m going to look into treadmill training. I’ll let you know how that goes.
The last point is… do not punish a dog when they chew something. If you catch them, say no and substitute an allowable toy. If you don’t catch them, punishing them will do nothing. Negative training doesn’t work. Just learn from the mistake and vow to set them up to win in the future.
Stay tuned…. I’m sure there will be more great Bailey stories. I am a slower learner than he is.