You should seek the advice of your veterinarian if your pet is ill as only he or she can correctly advise on the diagnosis and recommend the treatment that is most appropriate for your pet.

Chewing objects in the home is a common behavioural problem in dogs. Correction of this behaviour requires an understanding of the underlying cause

There are several circumstances that can lead to destructive chewing behaviour :

• Puppies - often chew furniture, skirting boards, doors, window sills. This is mainly seen in large, active breed dogs with a lot of unspent energy and it is not thought to be associated with teething. This behaviour may be encouraged by owners who play tug of war or provide objects to chew such as toys or old shoes. However, providing objects to chew can also be used to deflect animals from chewing furniture.
• Adult-onset chewing - this may be associated with stress (eg separation anxiety - concern when the owner is not around) or fear of something (eg thunderstorms, loud sounds, refuse collectors). A change in the animals usual routine or environment can also trigger this behaviour, such as the arrival of a new baby. Boredom is another cause of destructive chewing.
• Medical problems may result in abnormal chewing behaviour:
  • Liver disease
  • Gastrointestinal disease
  • Mouth disorders

Successful management of chewing behavioural problems can be difficult and the following can all be tried:

• Increase exercise - playing for puppies, walking/running for adults, especially prior to the owner  leaving the home
• Feed the dog before the owner leaves home eg in the morning before the owner leaves to go to work.
• Encourage the dog to chew a couple of toys for a short period of time while the owner is home. Hopefully the dog will chew them in preference to furniture when the owner is away.
• Confine the dog to a single room or kennel when the owner is away - the dog needs to be encouraged to accept kenneling.
• Use a muzzle if nothing else works - the dog needs to be encouraged to accept a muzzle
• One useful technique is to chase the dog with an aerosol perfumed spray, and spray it close to, but away from the dogs nose. Most dogs do not like the hissing sound of a spray close to them. The same perfumed spray is then sprayed on to the furniture that the dog is chewing, to create a "smell aversion".
• Taste aversion involves putting a small amount of an unpleasant tasting substance in the dogs mouth - then coating the object being chewed with it. Peppers, mustard, citronella oil and other substances have all been used successfully in this way. Obviously the substance selected must not damage the furniture by staining  !!
• Remote "punishment" has also been used successfully to break this type behaviour - eg a loud sound can be set to be triggered if the dog breaks a light beam as it approaches the object it chews.

Updated October 2013