Why Does My Dog Chew Stuff Up When I Leave? Answered

We start all about Why Does My Dog Chew Stuff Up When I Leave? Usually exclusively chewing when left alone or chewing most vigorously when left alone, dogs chew to ease the tension of separation anxiety. Other separation anxiety symptoms include whining, barking, pacing, restlessness, urinating, and defecating.

As they explore the world, puppies and dogs frequently gnaw on objects. A dog can achieve a variety of goals by chewing. It offers young canines a means of easing pain that potential future teething may bring. It’s nature’s method of keeping aging dogs’ jaws strong and their teeth clean. Additionally, chewing prevents boredom and eases moderate tension or frustration.

Why Does My Dog Chew Stuff Up When I Leave?

Even though puppies are unquestionably small bundles of adorableness, training them will require much of your attention. Trouble might sometimes accompany your lovely dog, from constant barking to urinating on your bed. When chewing is involved, you’ll spend all your leisure time learning how to train a puppy without losing your mind.

Puppy chewing is frequently brought on by the eruption or replacement of baby teeth with permanent teeth. Your dog’s tiny, needle-like teeth erupt between the ages of 3 and 8 weeks, and just as you get used to the scratches from teething, it happens again. The teething in dogs stops when all of the milk teeth are replaced by adult teeth, which occurs between the ages of 4 and 6 months.

How To Stop A Puppy From Chewing?

Given that your puppy is destroying your possessions primarily because their gums are sore from teething, the simplest method to convince them to stop is to divert their attention to another activity. As we all know, stopping a puppy from chewing may not be possible. Instead, purchase dog chew toys for them to have something more enjoyable to gnaw on than your slippers or wood trim.

When your dog eats something, they shouldn’t remove the offending item and replace it with one of their toys. This teaches them that nothing else is appropriate for chewing besides toys. Along with purchasing some chew toys, think about puppy-proofing your house. While you are teaching your puppy, it will limit the damage to your home and keep everyone safe.

Use Petcube, a dog camera that will broadcast your voice from a distance, to keep an eye on your puppy or a troublesome adult dog. Even when you’re not in the room, it’s a fantastic way to let your dog know you’re keeping an eye on things.

What Type Of Chewer Is Your Dog?

Before you can figure out how to stop your dog from chewing, it’s critical to comprehend why your dog is doing it. Every new puppy or dog parent should anticipate some destruction due to a pet’s oral habits for relaxation or curiosities.

The problem can be resolved by eliminating the environmental trigger and directing the dog toward the proper chew toys. Once you comprehend why people chew, use one of these at-home training methods.

The Bored/Unstimulated Dog

The Problem

A dog left alone in a dull environment is said to be lonely. These dogs chew because they’re bored. Several steps need to be taken to fix the problem. Make sure your dog is first adequately exercised. Young adults and older puppies need an aerobic workout.

Second, provide your dog with a private space that he may call his own. Dogs have a natural hunting instinct; use it to your advantage. A kennel crate is an ideal tool for keeping a dog contained. If the dog dislikes crates, a tiny bathroom or kitchen space will do.

However, the floors and cabinets in these spaces are among the many chewable items. Like people, dogs can become bored if they don’t have enough mental or physical stimulation. As a result, your dog can try to entertain himself or eliminate his boredom by chewing destructively.

How To Help Your Dog? 

• Make sure they get lots of mental and physical exercise.
• Give your dog a lot of attention.
• Create a space for confinement and make sure all prohibited items are gone.
• Instill in him a love of his container.
• Please give him an inedible chew bone; such bones are difficult to consume or change shape when the dog bites at them.
• The dog is not permitted to spend any time alone for the first two weeks.
• After three weeks, leave the dog in his crate with the door open for roughly 10 to 20 minutes.
• If you return home to any damage, your dog is nervous about being away from you.

When you can’t keep an eye on the chewing dog, keep him confined in his crate. Please give him a few decent chewies to keep him company. When a dog gnaws on an acceptable chewy, the toy may change shape and is not easily digested.

The more the dog chews on anything, the more attractive it becomes to him. Large rawhide knots, beef marrow bones, and Nylabones all become more attractive to the dog as he works on them. To make the dog work for his food, KongTM toys can be filled with various treats, including some of the dog’s breakfast.

Phonebooks, old shoes, towels, or scrap wood are unsuitable for chewing toys. Dogs cannot tell the difference between kitchen cabinets, scrap wood, or new and old shoes. Please don’t confuse your dog by offering him anything that could pass for an unauthorized item.

When you’re prepared to leave the house, put the dog in his pen with a couple of chew toys. Just a cheerful “see you later” or a matter-of-fact “be good,” that’s it: no drawn-out, sloppy goodbyes, no pleading or threatening gestures.

The dog is not permitted to spend any time alone for the first two weeks. Every time you leave him alone, put him in his crate. Give him no chance to chew on something that isn’t allowed without corrective action.

From the third week on, leave the dog in his crate with the door open for 10 to 20 minutes. Most likely, your dog is not bored and lonely when you return home to any damage but rather is nervous about being apart from you.

The Anxious Dog

The Problem

The worried dog experiences emotions of loneliness in social situations. Because they are pack animals, dogs frequently do not tolerate being left alone to “protect their area.” There is safety in numbers for animals that prefer to form packs, and the worried dog needs a safe haven to retreat to when he is left behind.

Once more, the tool of choice might be a kennel box. Positively acclimate the dog to the crate. Never punish somebody with the crate. Your dog should feel safe and content inside this space because it is his den. There shouldn’t be a protracted, emotional farewell like there was with the lonely dog.

However, rub the chew toy between your palms before putting it in his box with him. Your scent is transferred to the toy, which helps the dog focus on the toy rather than other objects. Some dogs can develop anxiety when their family isn’t around, or they’re left alone. Destructive chewing is a typical separation anxiety symptom. Some suggestions might make your dog feel more at ease when left alone, even if therapy can occasionally be challenging.

How To Help Your Dog?

• Before you go, give him lots of mental and physical stimulation.
• When your dog is at home alone, crate him or lock him in a single room. Try limiting your dog to one room if he hasn’t been trained to use a crate or if the crate is stressful already.
• Make careful to remove everything he shouldn’t chew from his surroundings.
• Never administer punishment using the box.
• To assist him in managing anxiety, think about putting a daily supplement like Calming Care in his meal.
• Could you give him a valuable treat, like a Kong? Before putting the Kong or toy in his box, rub it between your palms.
• Your dog may become more focused on this object after the appropriate treatment has your scent on it.
• Maintain composure while you leave and arrive home: no lengthy goodbyes or enthusiastic hellos.
• Begin by only letting your dog home alone for brief intervals of time. Before him becoming agitated and beginning to chew on everything and anything, it is essential to get back.
• Gradually extend the time your dog is left alone after they become accustomed to it.

Consult your veterinarian for suggestions on how to soothe your dog if he is injuring himself, attempting to get out of the crate, and experiencing extreme separation anxiety. Getting in touch with an animal behavior professional is another option to assist your dog.

The following activity has been used to successfully re-orient the dog’s chewing habits. Please remove all of the dog’s previous chew toys and replace them with a nylon bone that smelled like flesh (NylaboneTM is one such toy). At least twice daily, make this bone the center of a fetch and play activity.

It creates an excellent chewing item because the owner’s aroma and the smell of meat go well together. The vast majority of dogs will direct their chewing at the toy bone since it has now become the subject of intensive interaction between the dog and the person.

The anxious dog should spend the first two weeks of being left at home alone in his crate, just like the lonely dog. The dog should only be left in his crate with the door open for 20 minutes starting the third week.

If there is any evidence of destruction when you get home, cut your absence short until you find an adequate period. From that point on, SLOWLY extend your absences until you’ve achieved your objective. Go back in time at least two steps if you ever return home to devastation, keep that time frame for at shortest a week, and then carry out the rest of the timetable as scheduled.

Another method of effort must be taken if you discover that your dog is harming himself while trying to escape the box, such as by bloodying his paws. An applied animal behavior specialist or another behavior expert should be used in cases of extreme separation anxiety. A customized behavior modification program and pharmacological therapy will be required to address this significant issue.

The Puppy

The Problem

Those who look after dogs older than a year old frequently complain about their dogs chewing. Chewing is a satisfying activity likely to be repeated. It combines investigation, teething, and fun.

How To Help A Teething Puppy?

• Construct a puppy-proofed space, such as a crate.
• Squat down to inspect any issues at puppy eye level.
• When you cannot watch over your puppy, put him in the designated, secure location with a puzzle or inedible chew toy.
• Invest in a variety of chew toys that are suitable for your dog’s size and chewing preferences.
• To ensure the new toys your puppy is chewing on are appropriate, always check them closely.
• Discard any broken toys or sticky remnants.
• Change up the chews to keep people interested.
• Save the puppy’s favorite chews and toys for times when they are left alone or during crate time.

Every new puppy or dog owner should anticipate some devastation due to the animal’s oral habits for relaxation or curiosities. The problem can be resolved by eliminating the environmental trigger and directing the dog toward the proper chew toys. Those above preventive and corrective measures will aid in minimizing the issue and finally solving it while enabling the dog and you to build a strong bond.

To Sum Up

Here we conclude all about Why Does My Dog Chew Stuff Up When I Leave? Training your dog to trade you for goodies helps ensure that they give up even the most enjoyable objects when there are occasions when you may be alarmed about what they are chewing, such as a bottle of medication.

Behavior problems may arise if you scold your dog or remove objects from his mouth. Why take a chance with your dog’s trust when positive reinforcement techniques work better? And when dogs feel threatened or uncomfortable, they adopt a submissive stance known as the “guilty look.” Your dog may hide or adopt a submissive posture.

when you’re unhappy or angry because they feel threatened by your tone of voice, body language, and facial expressions. A happy life together is built on establishing and maintaining a positive, trustworthy relationship with your dog!

Frequently Asked Questions