(or everything else for that matter)

When it is time to adjust your puppy’s chewing habit for good, there are a few things that you can do to change it. These will help you train your puppy, rather than punishing them when they don’t know what they did wrong.

Adjust Their Behavior

One of the easiest ways to save your shoes is to redirect their attention to something else. You can do this by teaching them what is okay to chew on, like a bone, and what isn’t, like your shoes.

Try this next time you see your dog chewing on your slippers. Grab their favorite chew toy, and give it to them.  Once they start chewing on the right toy, praise them and pet them for chewing on the right toy.  This teaches them that they get praise and attention when chewing on the right toy, but not when they chew your slippers. They like your praise and attention, almost as much as gnawing on your fingers…

Keep Your Puppy Busy

For a lot of puppies, they chew out of boredom. This is especially true if you leave them at home all a lone for hours on end. Just like people will crash out in front of the T.V. or sit down with a really good book, your puppy will find something to chew on. (I can’t really blame them, I have that habit myself, actually…)

You can avoid this destructive behavior by playing with them and giving them plenty of exercise. To do this when you aren’t home, make sure there are plenty of appropriate toys for them to play with when they are alone. This can keep them active while you are gone, while ensuring that you get some peace of mind as well.

Crate Train Your Puppy Early

Crate training is a great way to limit all kinds of bad habits. If your puppy gets into things while you are away (hey, you DO have to go to work some time…), you can limit their access to the rest of the house by leaving them in their crate.

You could also restrict them to a single room. I used to keep mine in the kitchen, where he could also make a mess, since he was still learning potty training as well.

Use Aversion Sprays to Stop Your Puppy From Chewing

There are a wide variety of sprays that you can also use to keep your puppy from chewing certain things around the house. These sprays come in a variety of flavors. One of my favorites is sour apple or cayenne pepper. They are not harmful to your puppy, but they also won’t like the taste, and it will keep them from chewing up your shoes, clothes, or whatever else you want to save around your house.

Always keep in mind that chewing is a normal behavior for your puppy, and redirecting that behavior off of the items you want to save will keep you sane and them happy.