Chewing is an instinctual habit for dogs. This is a sign that your puppy is living a happy and healthy life. Living with a pet inside your house means that you are aware and acknowledge that this type of behavior exists. You love your pet and even have adorable custom pet portraits of them hanging on your wall. Nonetheless, your furniture is also important and you should not have to replace it every time your dog decides to gnaw on it. If you are currently living or you are planning on living with pets and want to find out how to manage their furniture chewing habits, then keep on reading this article.
Pet-Proof Your Furniture
The first thing you want to do the moment you decide to bring a pet into your house is to pet-proof your furniture. All pets, no matter how well trained have the instinct to chew on your furniture. To avoid such scenarios, pet-proof your precious belongings before bringing in the new family member. Some pet-proofing solutions for your home are:
- Use covers. Many modern options are available so you will not have to live inside a house wrapped in a newspaper.
- You might want to stay away from bare wood furniture if you know you are bringing in a breed of dog that enjoys chewing so; choose the right furniture.
- Choose pet-friendly fabrics and materials. If chewing furniture cannot be avoided at least be prepared and choose materials that are pet-friendly and more durable. Leather or microfiber are some of the most popular among pet owners.
- Some rooms are better off closed. You can keep some rooms in your house closed off, especially when you are away from home.
Train Your Pets
The next thing you want to do after pet-proofing your furniture is to train your pets not to chew on things. While professional help is recommended it does not guarantee that it will stop your pet from ever chewing on your furniture. This is especially true as the chewing phase will usually last longer than the training one. To teach your pets not to chew on furniture you can:
- Provide it with chew toys from as early on as possible. Make sure to replace them whenever they get too shabby.
- Keep your pet active and entertained with the help of other toys.
- Block the pet’s access to the piece of furniture it was chewing on.
- Create a negative association with the piece of furniture.
- Provide other alternatives.
- Use taste-deterrent substances on the furniture. Make sure to do this only when you can supervise the situation and observe the pet’s reaction and behavior.
Use Supplies to Do This
When everything else fails, try to offer them a better alternative such as chew toys and treats. At the same time, you can use a camera to observe them while you are away from home. Another alternative is using CBD oil for animals. Joy Organics CBD dog treats are your ally in the fight towards ending furniture chewing.
Finally, getting your pets to stop chewing on furniture is difficult but with the help of this article, you are now one step closer to reaching your goal.
