How To Prevent a Dog From Chewing on Furniture

Chewing is a natural instinct for dogs.  It is a survival mechanism carried forward from the days of the wolf.  Unfortunately for us, this behavior is acted out on our things, like shoes, furniture and electrical cords.  Chewing can be a very destructive habit and the reason that many otherwise well-behaved dogs find themselves in shelters every year.

There are a few steps you can take to keep your best friends out of trouble and save your furniture.

First, determine if there is a specific piece of furniture that your dog prefers.  If his chewing is limited to one piece of furniture, try moving it out of his reach.  This may mean completely removing that piece of furniture from your household.  If this is not practical, create a physical barrier between your dog and his preferred chew toy.  Make sure that he cannot move or destroy the item in order to get to the furnishing.

If physically barring your dog from the item is impossible, try using a dog deterrent, like bitter apple or bitter lime.  This inexpensive spray is 100% safe for dogs and after a liberal application, makes chewing on the object very undesirable.  This approach works well for most dogs, but not all.  There are some dogs whose instincts are so strong that they are compelled to chew in spite of the terrible taste.  Also, make sure that you test for colorfastness, especially on fabrics, before using, as the citric acid in the sprays may bleach certain upholsteries.

Finally, incorporate some positive reinforcement training.  Depending on whether you are working with a puppy, whose behavior can be relatively easy to modify, or a stubborn older dog, whose need to chew is deeply rooted, behavior modification training can be an effective way of controlling a dog's need to chew.  It is not recommended, however, that this training be the sole method of deterrence for chewing. You stand to increase your rate of success dramatically if you couple behavior modification with another deterrent, like bitter apple.  This reinforces the training while you are not there, thus making a bigger impression on the dog.  Also, behaviors accomplished in training are learned behaviors not natural ones and require constant reinforcement to be effective.  You must be dedicated when training your dog and realize that it is not a quick fix.

Dogs can successfully be deterred from chewing household furniture if you have a plan.  Decide on a method, be consistent and stick with it, and you will be amazed at how quickly your dog will respond.