Pug Behavior: Destructive Chewing
If you had think of your Pugs favorite activities chewing would be somewhere in the top three – not too far from begging for food. That’s because dogs use their mouth for everything. We are lucky to have hands and thumbs that let us pick and feel things. For dogs, their mouths work as their hands.
It’s only natural for them to experience the world by biting into things. That’s why when I talk about destructive chewing, I really want to underline the word “destructive”. Not all chewing is bad. Chewing toys are actually good for your pugs overall health. It’s the destructive part that we need to stop.
So what counts as destructive chewing? Basically if the Pugs teeth end up on anything that you don’t want him to chew on. Here is a list of some of the more common things that dogs like to chew on when their owner is not home.
- Furniture – Just recently got a new couch? Well your Pug can help you out by adding some “personal touches” to it. If you know your dog has bad habit of chewing up furniture, then I suggest you block off certain rooms of the house until you correct the behavior.
- Clothes – By far the most common victims here are shoes. They got some texture and flavor to them which makes them the perfect target for your Pug. And don’t think your other clothes are completely safe if your Pug likes to chew shoes. Most dogs are not too picky about what they put in their mouths.
- TV remotes, phones and other small electronics – To a Pug the latest $600.00 phone is just another weird looking chew toy. Be careful where you leave your gadgets.
- Cables and wires – Cables and wires running through your home is a big no no when you know your dog likes to chew things other than his toys. Tuck them under your carpet, unplug them, move them or hide them somehow.
Why your Pug chews
Most puppies like to chew on things simply because their teething, but that’s not always the reason behind their favorite hobby. Just like with any behavior problem, your first goal should always be to understand why your dog does the things that he does. This will help you stop and cure the bad behavior.
Reasons for Destructive chewing
- Boredom – It’s not fun to be left home alone with nothing to do for hours each day. To solve that problem, some dogs decide to find something to do on their own. This can include barking, pacing around, whining and even of course chewing.
- Teething – Puppies will always look for things to bite their teeth into. It’s just an itch that they can’t help but scratch. It doesn’t matter what it is, if it fits in their mouth it will make a wonderful “chew toy”.
- Separation anxiety – Some dogs have a fear of being left home alone without the owner even knowing. Many owners don’t know what their dog does when left home alone. Unless of course they come home and see half of their things chewed up and destroyed.
- Comfort – Chewing, barking, pacing around are good ways to release some stress. If your Pug is stressed out he will look for something to do to help him relax.
How to stop the Destructive Chewing Habits
When dealing with a Pug that has problem with chewing things he isn’t supposed to, you have to provide him with things that he is allowed to chew. Again we are not trying to eliminate chewing here, but only stop the behavior that’s destructive.
So make sure he always has some chew toys of his own that he can play with. Unfortunately though that’s not always enough. Dogs are not born knowing the difference between their “toys” and your shoes. To them, everything looks like a chew toy. You will have to show your dog what he can and can’t chew.
Show your Pug his toys are for made chewing
The easiest way to show your dog that his toys are for chewing and playing is by playing with them yourself. Get your Pug excited by tossing or rolling the toy around the floor. Tease him with it a little by pushing it towards him and then pulling it away. Keep the mood fun and exciting so that he gets interested in playing with you.
Correct your Pugs chewing habit
Now that he has a few of his own toys to play with and chew, it’s time to teach him that everything else in the house is not there for him to play with. The easiest way to do that is to catch him while he is misbehaving. When you see him playing with anything but his toys, follow these three steps:
- Get his attention – Startling him a little is a guaranteed way to get his full attention. Say a quick and firm “No”. You need to say it loud enough so that he stops whatever it is that he is doing and focuses his full attention on you.
- Show him his mistake – Take away whatever it was that he was chewing. If he starts acting like you’re playing a game and decides to play along, say “no” again.
- Correct his behavior – Now get one of his toys and give it to your Pug. If he isn’t showing much interest in it, get him excited by playing with it.
Addresses the causes of chewing
With some practice your Pug will have a good idea of which things are his chew toys and which are not. This should be enough to stop most destructive chewing, but sometimes there might be other things that will keep the behavior going.
You will have to address the underlying issues to complete fix this behavior. Here are a few suggestions on how to do just that:
Boredom – Playing with the same few toys over and over can become stale. This is why I suggest you keep a few extra toys hidden and rotate them. That way each toy will feel a little more special to your dog since it might not be there tomorrow.
Teething – All puppies go through this stage and it can be a nightmare for your house. More toys can help. I would also suggest you get some edible chew toys. Since they have a bit of flavor to them, your puppy will be more likely to chew them over the not-so-tasty furniture.
Separation anxiety – Here chewing is just a symptom of a bigger problem. You will have to deal with the Pug’s separation anxiety to stop his chewing problem.
Comfort – Chewing can be very comforting for dogs. Leave him with a comfortable blankly so that he feels better. This is more common in puppies than older dogs.
Obedient, Happy and Healthy Pug
If you want to raise an obedient, happy and healthy Pug then I highly recommend that you read “Pug Perfect”. It will make your life a whole lot easier.
When does pug pup teething stop how long does it take to stop chewing stuff he has plenty of toys & teething gel
It depends really, if you carry on providing him with toys and give him no attiention when he chews your stuff then he should stop
My pug is 8 months old. She destroys furniture by ripping the skirts off the front of couch and living room chairs. Destroying a ornamental screen. I’ve kept her and my 5 year pld Boston Terrierin the kitchen but am at the point where I can’t pen them in any more. Pug escapes everything. I’ve got crates now for the forseable future but want to put a stop to this destruction.