| Young dogs begin to explore their
surroundings as soon as their eyes open. Mouthing,
chewing and biting objects is a part of this
exploration; however, it can result in injury to
your pet and damage of valuable household items.
To be effective, punishment must be timed
correctly and must be appropriate. There is no sense
in punishing a puppy hours or days after it has
chewed up a valuable item. Unless your pet is caught
"in the act" or only seconds after it has chewed an
inappropriate item, punishment will accomplish
little. Your pet cannot make a logical connection
between your reprimand and its chewing behavior
unless punishment is given during or immediately
after chewing.
If you return home to find that your pet has
damaged something, accept the fact and ignore your
pet until you have cleaned up the mess. Yelling and
hitting the pup with a rolled-up newspaper are not
only harsh and unkind but ineffective.
Punishment should serve to startle your pet,
distracting it from its current objectionable
pursuit long enough for it to detect your
displeasure. Substitute the objectionable activity
(chewing) immediately with an alternative and
acceptable activity. If your puppy is chewing on
your slippers, for example, say "no" in a firm tone
and gently remove the slipper (without playing tug
of war). Follow this immediately with an acceptable
toy or rawhide bone and immediate praise ("good
dog"). |
