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Destructive Chewing
Remember that all dogs chew, but what they chew is up to you. You must teach the the dog to chew on appropriate items and then reward him accordingly. That coupled with other things like proper exercise, proper diet and making the unacceptable items less available and tasty to the dog will help eliminate the unwanted behavior. By redirecting the dog's attention onto the proper chew items, it will be easier for the dog to make more appropriate chewing choices. Each and every time the dog makes the correct choice, he must be rewarded for doing so. The reward given to the dog should not cause the dog to stop chewing. It should only let him know that you are pleased with his choice of chew toys.
You must be consistent when trying to change or eliminate an unwanted behavior. The majority of behaviors people label as “problems” (I.e., jumping, chewing, digging, nipping/mouthing, unruly behavior in the house) are natural canine behaviors and are self-rewarding for the dog. Most dogs truly enjoy engaging in these “problem” behaviors which is what makes them very rewarding. This is the reason that consistency plays such a crucial role in treating the behavior.
Please email or call 697-1469 to scedule a behavior modification lesson.
Excerpts From Animal Behavior College Material
Revised by Angela Buckley, owner Positive Rewards 505-697-1469 pets@positiverewards.net
