Printable Dog Chewing Checklist (Stop Destructive Chewing)

Back to home Home Printable Checklists Chewing Printable Dog Chewing Checklist (Stop Destructive Chewing) Chewing is normal, necessary behaviour aimed at the wrong objects. This checklist redirects it rather than trying to switch it off. Print / Save as PDF Which chewing approach fits your dog? Three quick questions and you'll get the method, reward strategy and session shape that fit your breed and what's actually driving the behaviour. Find your approach 1 / 3 What breed is your dog? Border Collie Train the reasoning first Golden Retriever Lead with empathy and communication German Shepherd Give the dog a job and a clear structure Labrador Retriever Train impulse control as its own skill Other / mixed breed A general cognitive approach that works with any dog Chewing checklist Dogs chew to soothe, to explore and to work. Removing the outlet without replacing it just moves the damage — so the plan is management, a better legal option, and enough mental work that the sofa stops looking interesting. Dog-proof the space Walk each room at dog height and remove shoes, cables, remotes and children's toys Use a pen, crate or closed doors for any room you can't supervise Cover chewed furniture edges or block access for 4 weeks so the habit stops being rehearsed Bin any destroyed toy pieces — no swallowing hazards Build the legal chew menu Stock 4-6 different chew textures (rubber, rope, edible, frozen, snuffle) Rotate them: only 2 out at a time, swapped daily, so novelty stays high Freeze a stuffed toy each night for the next day Puppies teething: offer a chilled (not frozen solid) chew for sore gums Every day Feed at least one meal from a puzzle feeder, snuffle mat or scatter 10 minutes of scent work or a training game — mental work beats extra walking Trade, don't chase: swap a stolen item for a treat, then reward the return Pay the dog for chewing the right thing while they're doing it, not afterwards Give a chew before the risky window (your work calls, evenings, departures) Troubleshooting checks Chewing only when alone? Work the alone-time checklist as well — that's a distress signal Chewing walls, stones or fabric they swallow? Vet check for pica and dietary issues Guarding the stolen item with a stiff body or growl? Stop taking things off them; call a behaviourist Adult dog with sudden new chewing? Look for a change in routine, sleep or household noise Want this tailored to your breed? Border Collie checklist pack Golden Retriever checklist pack German Shepherd checklist pack Labrador Retriever checklist pack Other checklists Potty training Leash traini

ng Barking Recall Alone time Based on the work of Dr. Brian Hare & Vanessa Woods Every Dognition guide, assessment, and blog post is grounded in the research and methodologies of Dr. Brian Hare and Vanessa Woods at the Duke Canine Cognition Center. Their work established that "smart" isn't one number — dogs think across five distinct cognitive dimensions, and the best training matches the method to the mind. Book · 2013 The Genius of Dogs How dogs are smarter than you think — the founding text on canine cognitive science. Read more Book · 2024 Puppy Kindergarten The Duke Puppy Kindergarten study — how the first 16 weeks shape a dog for life (as covered by The New York Times). Read the NYT feature