How do I stop my puppy chewing everything?
Puppies naturally investigate their environment through movement, attention and interaction with objects. When a puppy repeatedly chews furniture, household objects or other inappropriate items, the problem is not simply about stopping the chewing. The puppy needs to learn which areas and objects are appropriate while the owner manages the environment and gradually increases freedom.
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The first step is to observe what is happening before deciding how to respond. Consider what the puppy is doing, where it is happening, what has attracted the puppy’s attention and whether the environment is providing more freedom than the puppy can currently manage.
A puppy that is allowed unrestricted access to a large area of the home may have more opportunities to practise unwanted behaviour. The GPK9 approach therefore considers the relationship between freedom and behavioural responsibility. More freedom requires more behavioural responsibility.
How can I manage my puppy’s environment?
Management should match the puppy’s current ability to behave appropriately. Rather than simply allowing the puppy access to everything in the home, create an environment where appropriate behaviour can be observed, reinforced and developed.
The crate, placemat and playpen can each provide different levels of management within the home.
The crate can provide a safe space for rest, routine and resetting when the puppy is unable to continue appropriately. The placemat can provide a defined area for stationing, settling and controlled freedom. The playpen can provide greater freedom within a defined boundary while still allowing the puppy to be managed.
These stages do not have to be followed in a completely linear way. If a puppy is struggling with increased freedom, the appropriate response may be to reduce the level of freedom and return to a more manageable environment.
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How do I teach my puppy what it can and cannot chew?
The puppy needs clear boundaries and consistent management. When the puppy begins investigating or chewing something inappropriate, observe the behaviour and assess whether the environment, level of freedom or current situation is contributing to the problem.
Avoid allowing the puppy to repeatedly practise the behaviour. Remove unnecessary distractions or inappropriate access where possible, calmly manage the puppy and return it to an environment where appropriate behaviour can be reinforced.
Positive reinforcement, food and patience can be used where appropriate to encourage the puppy towards suitable behaviour. The aim is to help the puppy learn through consistent management and progression rather than creating unnecessary conflict.
The puppy’s individual motivation should also be considered. Some puppies may have a higher food drive, while others may have a lower food drive. Prey drive can also influence how strongly a puppy responds to movement or particular objects. Understanding the individual puppy helps determine how appropriate motivation and management should be used.
What if my puppy keeps chewing things after I manage the situation?
If the behaviour continues, reassess the situation rather than simply giving the puppy more freedom.
Consider:
- Is the puppy being given too much freedom?
- Is the puppy able to settle appropriately?
- Is the environment creating unnecessary distractions?
- Is the puppy responding to appropriate motivation?
- Does the puppy need a more controlled area?
- Has the puppy had enough opportunity to return to a calm state?
- Does the current training environment match the puppy’s level of behavioural responsibility?
Observation should lead to assessment, assessment should determine the next action, and the puppy’s response should then be reassessed.
If the puppy cannot continue appropriately, reduce the difficulty of the situation, provide an appropriate reset and return to the relevant training process once the puppy is calm and ready to continue.
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When should I give my puppy more freedom?
Freedom should increase gradually as the puppy demonstrates that it can manage the additional responsibility.
Giving a puppy more freedom simply because it has been successful for a short period can create unnecessary difficulty. Instead, observe how the puppy behaves within its current environment and assess whether it is ready for the next level of controlled freedom.
The placemat can support settling and controlled freedom within the home, while the playpen can provide additional space within a defined boundary. As the puppy develops greater behavioural responsibility, freedom can be increased appropriately.
If the puppy begins repeatedly chewing inappropriate objects when freedom increases, this provides useful information. The environment may have become too difficult, and reducing freedom can allow the puppy to return to a situation where appropriate behaviour can be developed again.
How can I prevent puppy chewing from becoming a habit?
Consistency is important. The puppy should experience clear and appropriate boundaries throughout its normal living environment rather than receiving completely different levels of management from one situation to another.
Observe the puppy carefully and respond to changes in behaviour. If the puppy becomes distracted, overexcited or unable to settle, reduce unnecessary environmental difficulty and allow the puppy to calm before continuing.
The objective is not simply to stop one chewing incident. The process is to develop the puppy’s ability to behave appropriately within an increasingly realistic living environment.
Progress should therefore be gradual. As the puppy demonstrates appropriate behaviour, freedom can increase. If the puppy struggles, the level of management can be adjusted and the training process reassessed.
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Building better behaviour through progression
Stopping a puppy from chewing everything is not achieved simply by removing one object. The wider objective is to create an environment in which the puppy can learn appropriate boundaries while freedom, responsibility and behavioural expectations develop together.
Observe the puppy, assess the situation, take appropriate action and reassess the response. When the puppy is able to continue appropriately, progress gradually. When the current situation is no longer productive, reduce the difficulty, allow the puppy to calm and reset before returning to training.
With consistent management, appropriate motivation, patience and gradual progression, the puppy can develop greater responsibility within the home and become increasingly capable of managing additional freedom.
