How to Stop a Dog from Chewing Everything in Sight

When you have a dog who loves to chew, they will get their mouths on just about anything they can find around the house. And if you're like most pet parents, you're probably seeking a quick fix to stop your dog from chewing.

However, dogs are chewers by nature! Chewing is an instinctive behavior and one of the primary ways dogs explore and interact with the world. But chewing isn’t always about curiosity—dogs may also chew in response to emotional triggers like boredom, stress, or anxiety. 

Before you can successfully redirect your furry friend’s behavior and put a stop to inappropriate dog chewing, it’s important to understand why dogs chew in the first place.

Top Reasons Why Dogs Chew: 

• Natural Instincts 
  
  
• Curiosity 
  
  
• Boredom 
  
  
• Loneliness 
  
  
• Nervousness or Separation Anxiety 
  
  
• Teething Pain 
  
  
• Hunger 
  
  
• Excess Energy or Zoomies 

Before You Start: Understand Why Your Dog is Chewing 

Chewing is an instinctive urge for dogs, and it has many benefits! In addition to helping keep their teeth clean, chewing also helps furry friends manage all sorts of emotions and release energy. 

If your dog has been chewing everything in sight, think about what they’ve been experiencing recently and compare it to the list above. For instance, maybe you have a new puppy who is grappling with puppy teething discomfort or your recently-adopted dog is feeling stressed as they accustom themselves to their new home. Often, the cause of chewing becomes clearer when you look at their daily routine, environment, and recent changes. 

Once you understand your dog’s triggers, you can take steps to ease their stress and redirect their chewing in a positive way. Read these tips on how to stop a dog from chewing everything in sight. 

Tip #1: Offer Mental and Physical Stimulation 

If you suspect your dog is bored, increasing their exercise and incorporating mentally stimulating activities can go a long way toward reducing destructive chewing. Challenging your dog’s body and mind helps them release excess energy, stay occupied, and feel more fulfilled throughout the day. 

There are several ways to provide your best friend some healthy, fun mental stimulation. Training your dog to do cool tricks challenges their mind and obedience skills—plus, tricks are fun to show off to family and friends! You can also offer your pooch a puzzle toy to inspire them to think. 

Simple ways to physically exercise your dog include daily walks and games such as fetch or tug-of-war with dog play toys. If possible, consider exercising with your furry friend before you leave them alone at home. Helping them burn off extra energy and spending some time bonding with them can make your dog more likely to relax while you’re away, rather than find something inappropriate to chew while no one's watching.  

Place Valuable Items Out of Reach 

Because dogs use their mouths to discover their surroundings, keep valuables and personal belongings where your pup can't reach them. If you're new to having a furry family member, this will become second nature over time. For example, a closed drawer is a safer location for storing the TV remote than the coffee table, and the floor isn't the best spot for the laundry basket (especially with all those alluring socks dogs like to steal!). 

Be mindful that dogs' sense of smell is anywhere from 1,000 to 10,000 times better than ours, according to Veterinary Centers of America Inc. So whether it's your new leather loafers, a child's toy, or even a candy dish, take a moment to consider where you place items that may be tempting to your dog. 

Indulge Your Dog’s Instincts with Chew Toys and Treats 

Though you can't completely stop your dog from chewing, you can encourage positive chewing habits by offering them chew toys, long-lasting chew treats, and natural chews.

Nylabone creates all kinds of chew toys in appealing textures, tasty flavors, and cute shapes to ensure the proper chewing outlets are ultra-enticing and fun. 

When it comes to treat time, why not offer your chew-loving dog a longer-lasting reward? Natural Nubz^® chew treats are highly digestible, made with limited ingredients, and easy to break in half for more treating opportunities. Plus, they come in many irresistible flavors, including bacon & cheese, chicken, peanut butter, and more! 

For the best of both worlds, dog treat toys combine chew time and treat time! Our Knuckle Bone Pop-In Treat Toy is just one of our treat toy options to extend chew time while providing tasty treats.

Only provide your dog pet-specific products intended for chewing, whether that’s a chew toy, chew treat, or long-lasting natural chew such as a bully stick. While you may think sacrificing your old pair of sneakers is a thrifty chew, it will only confuse your dog; after all, how can they decipher between shoes that are acceptable to chew and those that are off limits?

If you have a young furry friend, offer them plenty of puppy chew toys to establish healthy chewing habits early on. Puppies especially chew while teething to help relieve gum discomfort and facilitate losing their baby teeth. As your new best friend chews and chews, you may wonder when puppies stop chewing. Well, they stop teething around six to eight months of age (depending on breed and size) and their chewing may become less frequent. However, dogs continue to chew throughout their lives, and every dog has a different chewing style—even those within the same breed.

Use our Chew Style Guide to find the appropriate size and strength chew toy for your dog and start them on the right path. Be sure to always supervise your best friend when they are enjoying a chew toy! 

Offer Mental and Physical Stimulation

Along with strengthening your dog's mind and body, mental and physical stimulation will help your furry friend release excess energy while staying occupied.

There are several ways to provide your best friend some healthy, fun mental stimulation. Training your dog to do cool tricks challenges your dog's mind and obedience skills—plus, tricks are fun to show off to family and friends! You can also offer your pooch a puzzle toy to inspire them to think.

Physical exercise will keep your dog engaged as well. Some ways to accomplish this include daily walks and games such as fetch or tug-of-war with dog play toys. Especially consider exercising with your furry friend before you head out of the house and leave them alone for a period of time. This will ensure they are more likely to relax than find something inappropriate to chew while no one's watching. 

Take Preventive Measures

Turn Destructive Chewing into Positive Chewing 

Remember, it's okay if your dog slips up occasionally and chews something they shouldn't. Kindly prompt your dog to release the off-limits item and exchange it with a chew toy. When your dog accepts the chew toy, praise them. Don't yell at your dog for destructive chewing; your furry friend won't associate the punishment with the unwanted behavior—even if it is only a short time after the fact, according to the ASPCA.

When you get right down to it, the moral is less about learning how to stop a dog from chewing and more about teaching your best friend healthy chewing habits. You can turn a negative situation into a positive one with patience, dedication, and lots of chew toys!