Content
- Puppies Biting Furniture
- What can I do so that my dog doesn't bite the furniture?
- Adult dogs that bite furniture
- What else can I do if a dog is chewing on furniture or biting
- Dog spray does not chew on furniture
- professional training
Is your dog chewing on furniture? Unfortunately this is one of the most common canine behavior problems, especially as a puppy, although there are cases in adulthood. Maybe we don't mind when he bites into old sneakers or an old cloth. But when you show a fixation on the TV controller, a bag or other accessory, you'll definitely want to address this problem as soon as possible.
The important thing is that you start as soon as possible to teach him on the basis of patience and positive education. In this article by PeritoAnimal, we present some advice to prevent the dog from biting the furniture and we talked a little about one of the most popular accessories: the dog spray does not chew on furniture. Good reading!
Puppies Biting Furniture
As with human babies, puppies have the need to bite to relieve some of the pain in the gums caused by tooth development. This is how they soothe anxiety. When you see the dog gnawing furniture, it's likely that, given the little experience he has, he doesn't understand when you punish him or say you can't do that.
What can I do so that my dog doesn't bite the furniture?
- The first step will be acquire a teether. There are many types and forms, which emit or not sounds, softer or harder. Choose at least two with different qualities so you can experience your furry friend's receptivity with both options.
- Place the dog in an empty space with enough room for him to move around and give him the new bite. When you start biting him, reward him using words like "very well", offering affection and, in addition, offering snacks as a prize.
- Interact with the dog and the biter and, each time he uses it, reward him again.
- While it's important to foster education through positive reinforcement, it's true that your puppy should learn the meaning of no. When biting, and only when biting a furniture or object that is not allowed, you should say a firm "No" and point to the object in question.
- You can also touch it, for example, close to the shoulder, while saying "no". This is a common procedure between puppies in the same pack. This will divert your attention and when you are distracted, you should place it in another space in the house and offer it your teether again.
remember that this it is a habit that must be acquired by him and of course he will need time to understand the whole process.
If the problem escalates and he bites your hand in these moments of reprimand, there are two things you can do in this situation:
- Pretend great pain: especially if your dog is not yet three months old, you should apply this technique. Every time he bites you, you must express that you felt great pain from it. Then go at least half a minute without interacting with him. Little by little he will begin to understand that this really hurts.
- Get away from him: this case is best suited for slightly older puppies. Start a play session (without overdoing it) and if he bites you, just turn around and stop playing with him. After a minute, start the game again and repeat the procedure if he bites again. Eventually, he will understand that the bite means the end of the game.
Adult dogs that bite furniture
The most serious case that generates the most anxiety is when the adult dog keeps biting furniture and objects apparently for no reason.
Why does my dog keep biting furniture and objects?
In general, is it anxiety or mismanaged energy. We must be strict with our tour, exercise, and meal schedules. If all your puppy's needs are covered, let's move on to the next point. In case of anxiety, we recommend using Kong, a biting toy specially created for these cases.
What can I do to stop my dog from biting furniture?
- As in the case of puppies, let's give you a teether suitable for his size and, most importantly, that he likes it. You can buy two or three different ones (with sound, of different sizes, with lights,...) that are able to capture their attention and stimulate them to want to play.
- Interact with your dog and the biter, capturing their attention and rewarding him every time he bites him. The use of dog snacks is also allowed.
- You should also say a firm "no" when the dog is chewing on furniture or something that is not allowed. Talking to him after the event would be a waste of time and cause the animal to become confused. So when he bites something he shouldn't, move him away from the object or furniture immediately and give him your bite straight away.
An adult dog should understand perfectly well when he's doing something he shouldn't, and if we give him something else to bite, that should be enough. Still, the dog will try to bite what he likes and you must forbid him to do so.
What else can I do if a dog is chewing on furniture or biting
If you've tried all kinds of positive reinforcement, given a plethora of appropriate toys and teethers, and the problem persists, there are still two other solutions you can try:
Dog spray does not chew on furniture
There are different products available for purchase, either in specialty stores in animals or even supermarkets. Make sure the furniture-free dog spray is suitable and poses no risk to your furry companion.
These sprays can usually be applied indoors and outdoors. For each product, there is a different way to use it, ranging from one to more daily applications in the place you want to be avoided by the dog.
Before buying the spray, talk to the seller to find out if the chemical compounds can damage fabrics or the varnish on your furniture, for example. Keep in mind that continuous and prolonged use of dog repellent sprays is usually not recommended.
If you don't want to buy a dog spray that doesn't chew on furniture, do you know that there are some homemade dog repellent options. There are some food smells that are unpleasant for our pets. You can check out all about homemade dog repellent options in this other PeritoAnimal article.
professional training
If you really don't have more ideas of what to do and none of the above options worked, look for a dog training professional. Think that if the problem persists, it will generate anxiety not only in the animal, but also in you.
Now that you know what to do in cases of dog biting furniture and you've learned that you have to be firm with it and work with positive reinforcement, check out the video below for 5 common mistakes when scolding a dog:
If you want to read more articles similar to Tips to prevent the dog from biting furniture, we recommend that you enter our Behavior Problems section.