(playful music)


[onscreen text] Chewing

[narrator] Every dog needs to chew.

[onscreen action] Montage of dogs, laying on floor, chewing on bones.

[narrator] While most dogs will chew their whole lives, puppies and dogs under the age of two chew because they're teething, curious about new objects, looking for something fun to do, or because they simply need more exercise.

[onscreen action] Dog vigorously playing with rubber dog toy.

[narrator] Most people don't realize that dogs have the reasoning ability of a toddler, so it's unfair to expect your dog to know the difference between acceptable chew toys and the numerous items in your home that you don't want him to chew on.

[onscreen action] Dog chewing on a sneaker.

[narrator] So it's up to you to put your valuable items out of your dog's reach and dog-proof all the areas he'll have access to.

[onscreen action] Man picking up baby toys from floor, while dog excitedly plays.  A thought bubble from the dog reads, “I can’t chew the baby’s toys?”

[narrator] You also need to limit your dog's freedom by closing off doors to unoccupied rooms and blocking off areas of your home where you can't supervise him.

[onscreen action] Woman gently closes door.  Woman sets up a wooden gate in a doorway between rooms.

[narrator] Also, put your dog in his crate or dog-safe area when you can't keep an eye on him.

[onscreen action] Dog walks into dog crate.  Woman closes crate.

[narrator] This way, you can leave the house or go to bed without worrying about him destroying items in your house.

[onscreen action] Woman picks up purse and walks out of the house, while the dog is locked in a dog crate.

[narrator] Now that you've taken steps to prevent your dog from chewing on the wrong thing, you're ready to teach him what you do want him to chew on.

[onscreen action] Montage of dogs chewing on dog toys.

[narrator] Start by making sure your dog has a variety of safe and durable chew toys.

[onscreen action] Man kneels on living room floor and opens up a new dog toy.  A dog in front of the man excitedly walks up to him and has a thought bubble that reads, “Hey what’s that?”

[narrator] Some dogs will immediately be interested in new toys, but others may need to be trained to enjoy chewing on their toys over other items.

[onscreen action] Man places treat-filled dog toy on floor, where a dog starts to lick at the toy.

[narrator] Stuffing a durable rubber toy or hollow bone with yummy treats is a great way to get your dog interested in his toys and keep him occupied.

[onscreen action] Man sees his dog playing with their dog toy and joins playing with the dog.

[narrator] Now here's the most important part of this training. Dogs thrive on attention, so always praise your dog when he's chewing on the right thing. Try to never miss an opportunity to let your dog know that he's doing something right.

[onscreen action] Man on couch looking for TV remote, frustratedly gets up and walks away.

[narrator] So what do you do when your dog is chewing something he shouldn't have?

[onscreen action] Dog trotting away with TV remote in mouth.

[narrator] Well, chasing your dog to try to get the item back can be a really fun game for him.

[onscreen action] Dog chewing on a sock.

[narrator] Instead of chasing him, approach your dog calmly to try to trade out the item for something more valuable, like one of his favorite toys or a treat.

[onscreen action] Woman, seeing dog playing with sock, takes a treat over to the dog and trades for the sock.  A thought bubble from the dog reads, “That’s a good trade.”

[narrator] As he drops the item, be sure to praise and reward him. This way he'll learn that giving up items can still be rewarding. Also, when you see your dog about to pick something up that he shouldn't have, call him over to you and give him one of his toys instead.

[onscreen action] Woman sees dog about to pick up a sneaker and calls the dog over, giving the dog a chew toy.

[narrator] With these simple steps, your dog's chewing can be a rewarding pastime for the both of you.

[onscreen action] Woman sitting on couch, pets dog on floor who is chewing on a dog toy.