Chewing footwear is a common behavior but it is saddening for the humans to get home and see their favorite shoe or sandal torn to pieces.
No doubt it is frustrating and I get it.
I know you are looking for a solution to stop your dog from destroying your footwears.
So how can we stop this destructive behavior.
But first let me tell you that this behavior is destructive for you, not for the dog.
We need to understand the reason behind it so that we can create a strategy for it.
From a dog point of view he is satisfying his urge of chewing or he is just relieving his boredom.
Your shoe or sandal has a lot of different smell, it is made of rubber or leather, and for a dog it is a very rewarding chew toy.
Dog does not understand that it is a shoe or a sandal, he just understands that he can chew it, because it is tasty and fulfilling the chew desire.
So I am sharing few tips with you to prevent your dog from chewing your footwear:
1. Provide a natural bone (not raw hide but a real one)
Dogs have a natural urge to chew, so it’s important to provide them with appropriate natural chew bones to satisfy their need.
2. Keep footwear out of reach
The easiest way to prevent your dog from chewing on your footwear is to keep it out of their reach. Store your shoes in a shoe cabinet. If you have a puppy or a young dog, consider using baby gates to restrict their access to certain areas of the house.
3. Give Discipline
Discourage chewing on inappropriate items: When you catch your dog chewing on your footwear, interrupt them by saying no or by clapping your hands, then take the footwear and say no again. Then you can redirect them to their chew bone and praise them when they start chewing on it.
4. Be Patient
Dogs to love to chew and they are 2 years old kids, so be patient and don’t get angry or frustrated.
5. Give Exercise
You must provide good exercises twice every day with play sessions for your dog, because they are not meant to live behind 4 walls always, and they will get bored and will destroy household items out of boredom.
That’s it. Practice this, Ask any question in the comments below, I am here to help you.
