Stop Your Dog From Pooping!
Pooping is an annoying, smelly and common problem among dogs. It’s important that owners put a stop to this kind of behavior right away. I say, nip it in the bud (or butt)! No dog should be allowed to poop anywhere at anytime, and no owner should ignore this unsavory behavior.
Sound crazy? Good. It is. But I’ll tell you what...when owners ask me how to stop their dog from chewing, it sounds just as crazy to me. STOP a dog from chewing? Why in the world would someone want to do that to a dog?
Now, some of you will say, “Oh, Cindy, I think they mean that they want to stop the dog from chewing inappropriate items. They just don’t want the dog to chew up their shoes or their table leg.”
I always hope this is what people really mean, but I’m finding that quite often it’s not. There are lots of dog owners who want to stop their dogs from chewing altogether. In fact, when I gave out a list of appropriate chew items to one of my classes, an owner actually asked me, “But, won’t this just encourage the dog to chew?”
Uhmm...yes, it will. And this is a good thing!
In case you’re not aware, your dog must chew. I realize that there are some dogs who chew less than others, and some reportedly don’t chew at all. I actually worry about those dogs. However, for the most part, chewing is a very natural, healthy way for dogs to exercise their jaws, keep their teeth and gums healthy, relieve stress and enjoy some downtime. Think of it like reading, knitting or building a birdhouse. It’s like a hobby.
If you try to suppress a natural behavior like chewing (or digging or barking) to the degree that the dog is never allowed to do it, your dog will find other ways to satisfy that need. Either the dog will do it anyway and be left to decide for himself what is okay to chew, or he will put more energy into other behaviors like barking, digging or running around the house like a maniac.
We don’t stop a dog from pooping. We teach a dog where and when to poop. We don’t stop a dog from chewing, either. We teach a dog what and what not to chew.
The easy answers to chew training involve supervision, management and redirection peppered with plenty of appropriate chewing opportunities.
A well-supervised dog cannot engage in inappropriate chewing, and an inappropriate chewer should be well-supervised.
When not able to supervise, a dog who is not yet chew-proofed should be crated or otherwise confined (this is management), preferably with an appropriate chew item.
When able to supervise, any inappropriate chewing should be gently interrupted and redirected to an appropriate item...think, “This, not that.”
It really is that simple. Some dogs will feel the need to test every item in the house for appropriateness, so those dogs take some time (I consider these to be really smart dogs and I love them dearly). However, it’s important to always remember that dogs have no sense of property value or even an awareness of what the item is supposed to be for! They don’t chew your shoes because they’re mad at you. Really, they don’t. They chew your shoes because they make excellent chew toys!
(Oh, by the way...NEVER give your dog old shoes to chew. They also have no concept of new vs. old.)
If you would like more information on the importance of chewing, please read Chapter 3, “It’s All Chew Toys to Them,” in The Culture Clash by Jean Donaldson. In fact, read the whole book! I promise you will know so much more about your dog and improve your relationships with dogs in general if you do!
Get the book at Dogwise.
