Would anyone like to add a piece on your Chewing cures and remedies, to this thread? This thread is not for debating, just to add your own ideas

CHEWING

Pups (and dogs) chew.  They do this for many reasons = they have no hands so have to explore with their mouths, teething, to see what something tastes like, bordom, they like chewing - if you think about it, in the past caenides would have spent a large part of their waking hours chewing on their food or the bones from it.

Puppies seem to take great delight in picking up objects - slippers, underwear etc and running off with it for you to chase them or for them to chew it.  DO NOT CHASE! 

Instead take a deep breath and relax, crouch down and start saying in gentle silly voice something like "watcha got, clever puppy, come to me, give"  this is one time when lots of encouraging talking rather than a single command is useful.  Once the pup has given you his/per prize then praise lavishly - everytime!

The idea behind this is that the pup learns to give items to you, you go not go to pup to retrieve and s/he will learn to give you anything.  If you can have something handy to give the pup in return such as a toy or treat so much the better.

~
If you have been out and come home to find something chewed there is no point in telling your pup off - it is your fault because you left it within the pups reach!  Aside from this pups have very short memories and it is unlikely to remember chewing anything up and how did it know it was not supposed to anyway!

If you always come home and think your puppy looks guilty this is your imagination.  Dogs do not have a conscience nor do they do things to spite us.  If you pups looks guilty it is probably because you come home - look for whatever it has done wrong and berate it.  It is not feeling guilty but has learnt to be wary of you coming home which owner perceived as guilt thus starting a vicious circle.

There are several products readily available in pet shops to discourage the chewing of furniture,cupboards,door frames etc. I personally, have had good results by using Oil of Cloves (available from chemists) or cheap perfume, to discourage door frame/cupboard chewing. It is trial and error as to which substance will discourage your puppy :-)

I have found with my 3 month old beagle (who is very chewy) that a floor full of chew toys is a good answer. He has too many that he is allowed to chew to have the energy to go for something he is not supposed to.

If he happens to get something we do not want him to have (left in his reach...duh.....) then we call him as you state, take it from him gently and give him one of his own toys which he is happy to have.

He has tons of toys and we regularly take a few and hide them and then the following week we swap them over, this way he does not get bored with the same ones day in day out.

Touch wood, I have not had anything chewed that I do not want chewed..........yet.

Hope this helps other chewy people.

regards
Jackie

bump

the main reason puppies chew is because of teething.  What I find helps is to give them a frozen towel.  What I do is dampen a towel, not soaking wet just lightly damp, then I put it in the freezer.  The next time I see the puppy chewing something they are not suppose to I take the object away and give them the frozen towel.  Thi will help to numb their gums plus help with the teeth breaking through.  If the pup shows no interest then the next time I dampen the towel with a chicken or beef broth then freeze it.  Make sure to watch for the towel thawing.  When it starts to weaken take it away and give him a new one.  redampen it and put it back in the freezer.  I usually keep about 6 in my freezer at any one time during the teething phase.

I give frozen tea towels too, frozen whole carrots are also good to relieve sore teething gums.

We use kongs duly filled with rice pudding for the pups or fish or anything like that and then frozen.  Keeps them busy for hours and is soothing on their gums with being frozen.  Pepper around the chewing area is also a good one for disuading them.