Home > Out of the Cage! > June 2005 > Behavior & Training: Help! My Shepherd Jenny is chewing all my stuff! What do I do?

Behavior & Training

Help! My Shepherd Jenny is chewing all my stuff! What do I do?

by Stacy Alldredge, Trainer, The Dog Run – NYC/Who's Walking Who

This is a common concern we hear from our clients. Your dog Jenny may be chewing for many reasons. Is she hungry? Is she bored? Under exercised? Alone too much? Is she suffering from separation anxiety? Or is Jenny simply untrained?

First, make sure Jenny is getting enough exercise. As a big, young Shepherd mix, Jenny needs to have two 45–60-minute runs every day, as well as two or three 20–30 minute walks. In addition, make sure Jenny is well exercised before you leave her for any real length of time, which would be anything over 30 minutes, while trying to resolve this issue.

Second, when it is time for you to leave Jenny, make sure to dog proof any area she has access to. Move the garbage, put away your shoes, and hide the remote control, as well as any other fun "chew items." Crating is always an option as well, but because she is an adult dog, my advice would be to try all of the basic steps to stop the chewing before trying a crate. I don't mind crates for puppies, but I am not fond of crates for adult dogs unless completely necessary.

Third, add to your "to do" list for when you leave Jenny: put on the TV or radio as well as a light! Imagine being alone, in silence, in the dark all day. Wouldn't that make you want to chew?

Fourth, give Jenny two to three long-lasting chews every time she is left alone. The chew items should be a mix of stuffed Kongs, bull sticks, Flossies, and/or frozen marrow bones. Jenny should only get these chew items when you leave. On your return, if there are any unchewed items, just pick them up and save them for next time.

Fifth, Jenny, or any dog for that matter, should not be left alone for extended periods. Too many dogs are left alone all day and that is not okay! Five hours is the maximum any dog should ever be left alone. However, it would be best if you tried not to leave Jenny for more than four hours at a time while trying to resolve this issue. If you must leave her for longer periods, hire a dog walker or consider day care.

Sixth, if she does manage to chew something while you are out, do not punish her when you come home — no matter what! Correcting her after the fact will only confuse her, cause anxiety, and most likely increase her chewing. So when you come home and find chewed items, just clean them up and think of it as "just stuff!"

Finally, try to be nonchalant in your comings and goings. There should be no big greeting when you leave; just toss her the chews and walk out. When you come home, just a simple "hello" is enough. No need to have a "love fest." When she is settled, then you can lavish her with attention!

I know having material things destroyed can be upsetting, but never take it personally. Your dog is not trying to get back at you, nor is he or she trying to upset you. Dogs' chewing is about them and their needs not being met. So meet their needs and the chewing will stop!

Stacy Alldredge is a professional dog trainer and behavioral consultant who owns The Dog Run – NYC, a one-of-a-kind doggie day care and service center in Manhattan, and Who's Walking Who, an obedience and behavioral service. Stacy provided the location for the filming of the breed identification DVD currently in production, and stages fundraisers for the Mayor's Alliance/Picasso Veterinary Fund at her Chelsea location. Stacy and her businesses were featured in the November 2004 issue of Out of the Cage!

If you have a behavior or training question or topic you'd like to see addressed in this column, please e-mail it to us at info@AnimalAllianceNYC.org.