Hey all! So, I’ve got a 10-week-old English Cocker Spaniel and he’s been driving me crazy with chewing everything in sight. I’ve tried puppy-proofing the room, and he has a ton of toys, but he still finds something to chew on that’s not his. It’s so frustrating because I work from home and can’t get anything done with him constantly getting into stuff. He knows commands like ‘sit’ and ‘stay’, but when it comes to normal puppy stuff, it’s like I have no control. What can I do to stop him from chewing on everything? I’m at my limit here. Anyone been through this?
Aww, puppies are the worst with the chewing phase. I’d recommend trying some training with a ‘leave it’ command. It worked wonders with my pup. Also, make sure you’re rotating his toys so he doesn’t get bored with the same ones all the time. That helped a lot with mine!
@wonderg
Yes! Rotating toys is key. It keeps them interested in their toys more. I also tried giving my puppy a treat when he chewed the right things, it helped him learn faster.
@wonderg
I’ll definitely try rotating the toys more! Thanks for the advice. And the ‘leave it’ command sounds like a good plan too, I’ll start working on that.
Have you tried crate training when you can’t supervise him? My trainer told me that it helps puppies understand boundaries and keeps them from getting into trouble. When my pup started getting into everything, I had to crate him when I couldn’t watch him, and it worked well.
@DogLoverDave
I’ve been using a crate but leaving the door open. Should I start closing it even when I’m home?
@DogLoverDave
Yes, closing the crate helps teach them that it’s their safe space, not a punishment. Just make sure not to keep him in for too long since they need breaks.
I totally feel you. My pup is in that chewing phase too! Have you considered using a leash inside? It worked wonders for me to keep my pup from sneaking off to chew things when I’m working.
Amaliascarlet said:
I totally feel you. My pup is in that chewing phase too! Have you considered using a leash inside? It worked wonders for me to keep my pup from sneaking off to chew things when I’m working.
That sounds like a good idea! I’ll try attaching the leash to me so I can keep him close while I work. Thanks for the tip!
Honestly, it sounds like you’re doing a lot of things right. Puppies are just hard to manage at this age! The chewing, peeing, and excitement are all normal puppy behaviors. It’ll get easier once he gets older. For now, just keep redirecting him to the right things, and try not to get frustrated. You’re doing great!
Another thing you could try is calming music! My dog calms down when I play soft classical music while I work. I think it helps them focus a bit better.
Sully said:
Another thing you could try is calming music! My dog calms down when I play soft classical music while I work. I think it helps them focus a bit better.
That’s interesting! I’ve noticed he’s been calm with some music in the background. I’ll try playing some more often.