When I came home from work today, I was greeted by our youngest eight-month-old Shih Tzu happily chewing on my hand as a greeting for me. I wondered what can I give my Shih Tzu for chewing, something better than my hand or pant legs. I believe my little Shih Tzu may have a chewing problem.
Then it hit me. It’s not what I need to give our Shih Tzu to chew on. She’s already chewed on everything in sight. The answer is how do we train her to learn how to stop chewing?
So here is a bit of background. We have some 30 toys in the dog toy chest for her to choose from. There are only a few she really likes and can spend plenty of time tearing the stuffing out.
Or her favorite pastime is chewing on branches. It may be winter and our yard is covered with snow. Ahh, even better, now she can better reach the tree and shrub branches, tear off a good chew, and bring it into the house. She’s good for about three tree twigs per day. I hope our shrubs can recover in the spring.
Oh, we have a dog door installed in our wall leading to the deck, so she has free reign in or out whenever she wants and can run out to retrieve twigs at her convenience.
The coffee table is also fair game—any table or décor within reach. Shoes, two reading glasses, and two prescription glasses have all met their doom to our chewing monster.
Better yet, how can I get my Shih Tzu to stop chewing everything?
Why do dogs chew everything?
Puppies go through their chewing stages we know, as that is how they learn about and experience things. During teething, it also provides relief to those itchy gums as teeth come out. But we were hoping she would be over that stage by now.
Boredom is another reason dogs can chew. Chewing is our Shih Tzu pup’s favorite pastime and chases those boredom blues away.
Anxiety including separation anxiety. This is a key factor for many dogs. Our little Shih Tzu usually just settles down for a nap if we are out for a while, But not always!
What methods are there to prevent a dog from chewing
Sprays that taste awful
The most popular type of dog spray to discourage chewing is based on bitter apple sprays. The idea is that when the dog chews the item you have sprayed, it will taste awful to them, and they will stop chewing it. It is not going to hurt the dog, it just tastes awful.
A good example of an awful-tasting chew deterrent for dogs is Rocco & Roxie Extreme Bitter Spray. We have used this with good success, and other review sites have tested this as the most effective anti-chew spray. It is non-staining so can be used on fabrics such as sheets and couch cushions or shoes. And because it is alcohol-free it has a pleasant scent which is great for things like cushions, pillows or throw blankets. If your dog chews on its paw or leg or has a sore that it chews, this could be sprayed on the dog’s body as it will not sting your pet. And for convenience, I like that it is available either online or locally from our local pet stores if I need fast delivery.
If you need something quickly or cheaply, using a mixture of vinegar and water will work in a pinch. 1 part vinegar to 5 parts water is a good starting point. You could try regular vinegar or apple cider vinegar. Most dogs will dislike the sour taste, though you may not like the scent of vinegar too much. I personally hate the scent and taste of apple cider vinegar so this wouldn’t be my first pick.
Hiding things that can be chewed and providing access to those things that can be chewed.
This might be easier said than done. Our Shih Tzu pup chews just about anything and everything. We would need to use a lot of sprays for this to be effective. And sometimes you just forget, like leaving my reading glasses and wallet on the coffee table. Only to find them in our Shih Tzus cuddle bed, where she is immensely enjoying her “rawhide” chew and polycarbonate lens bites. I guess I should have sprayed them, perhaps bitter apple lens wipes could do the trick.
My wife and I have provided ample items to chew including rawhide chews, dental chews, dog bones, and about 30 or 40 dog toys in our healthy dog toy collection. But our Shi Tzu puppy is so energetic, and it is natural to chew things to explore and learn about her surroundings.
Currently one of Jilly Bean’s (AKA miss chewy Shih Tzu) is a bacon flavored Lumabone.
Training our dog not to chew
What is the best method to use? Training is the best way to teach a dog to stop chewing everything.
There are a variety of training programs available including local pet training courses. Those however involve time, car travel for your pet, and braving inclement weather.
Online courses are an excellent alternative to learning how to train your dog from the comfort of your own home.
Our preferred online dog training course is The Online Dog Trainer (Doggy Dan). This course is so popular that tens of thousands have purchased the course, and the return rate is extremely low, so it has one of the highest success rates of any training program.
If you have a super chewer as we do, then you should check out The Online Dog Trainer here!!
In closing
The best solutions that have worked for us on our chew-prone dogs include keeping items out of reach where possible, using a bitter spray on items that we can’t move like the corner of our coffee table (it still has some chew marks), and providing easy access to items that you want the dog to chew. And an online training course to teach your dog not to chew on undesirable items (and numerous other behavioral and training issues) tops them all for the best solution.