Destructive chewing is a serious problem. Not only can it create a financial burden to you, it can actually be dangerous for your dog.

The phrase “destructive chewing" might sound redundant, because – by its very nature! – most chewing is destructive. Your pup has powerful jaws full of sharp, pointy teeth: just about anything she sets out to chew on is likely going to show the effects of it inside of a minute. So just to clarify, if I use the phrase “destructive chewing", I’m talking of inappropriate chewing: the kind of chewing that’s centered on your possessions and household items, instead of on your dog’s own designated toys and chews.

The three main reasons why dogs chew:

- Many dogs have a natural want to chew. It’s amusing, it passes the time, and it’s a self-rewarding, self-reinforcing game (for example, if she’s chewing on something that tastes good.)

- Chewing allows for a nervous, bored, or solitary dog with an outlet for your dog's emotions. To an anxious dog, the repetitive act of chewing is relaxing – it’s the puppy equivalent of comfort food.

- Underexercised dogs often use chewing as a method of using up nervous energy and granting themselves something to do.

- How to preclude destructive chewing -

Dogs are utterly capable of learning not to chew your belongings – you just have to put in a bit of effort first, that’s all.

1. Take command of the situation: take care of your own possessions. Your first step should be to dog-proof your home. Even if you own the best-behaved pup in the world, there’s still no cause to test her self-control – after all, dogs explore the world with their mouths.

Dog-proofing your house means taking whatever you don’t want to end up in her mouth, and making it unavailable. Consider your dog's size and agility when deciding if something’s out of reach: can your dog jump? Can she climb, or leap onto something else to reach the desired object? How tall is she when standing on her hind legs?

All too common targets in the home include magazines, eyeglasses, clothes, shoes, garbage, and small crunchy appliances like remote controls, cameras, and cell phones.

It should go without saying that all food has to be put securely away: don’t leave snacks on low tables (or even countertops – you’d be amazed how acrobatic she can be when there’s food at stake!), put all food into containers or the pantry. Rinse your dirty plates clean of any food scraps before leaving them by the sink.

2. Prevent her from learning the joys of illegal chewing. The more times your dog manages to snatch a jawful of a forbidden substance – a chair-leg, a pillow, a running shoe – the more readily your dog will target those items in the future. If you can prevent her from chewing your stuff in the first place, it’s a lot easier for her to realize what you expect of your dog. Practically speaking, this means keeping your dog in a dog-proofed area until you’re confident of her understanding of the house rules.

3. Don’t set your dog up for failure by confusing the boundaries between her stuff (OK to chew) and your stuff (not OK to chew). Don’t give your dog old clothes, shoes, or towels to chew and play with: realistically, you can’t possibly expect your dog to be able to tell the difference between your current shoes and the one your dog's got in her mouth that you gave her five minutes ago.

4. Provide her with tons of tasty alternatives to your stuff. If her environment is relatively barren of attractive, appropriate chewing objects, you can hardly blame your dog for targeting your possessions. Keep in mind, many dogs need to chew; if she’s an adolescent (under three years) or a puppy (under one year), your dog's needs will be even more noticeable. Go on a toy and chew shopping spree, then give your dog two or three to play with at a time. Alternating the available toys every 1 or 2 days will keep things new and interesting for your dog.

5. Spend much time in active supervision. Yes, it might be easier for you to just keep her penned up in her doghouse, kennel, or the yard – but that’s boring and horrible for your dog, and hardly much fun for you either (if you wanted a pet that you don’t need to interact with, you’d have gotten a goldfish, right?) Your dog can’t learn what you expect of her if your dog's spending all her time contained in the dog-proof zone: your dog needs the opportunity to explore the boundaries of your expectations, so she can comprehend what’s okay and what’s not.

6. Whenever you catch your dog chewing something inappropriate, interrupt her by making a loud noise: clap your hands or make an “Ah-ah-aaaah!" noise. Then, immediately hand her a yummy and dog-appropriate alternative (a rawhide bone or other chew toy); as soon as her jaws close around it, praise her lavishly. There is no better way to get your dog to understand that chewing “your dog's" toys equals praise from you, but all else equals trouble.

- Maintain a productive attitude -

Above all, remember to keep your expectations sensible. You’re not ideal, and neither is your dog: there’s probably at least one incident where a cherished item is damaged by your dog's curiosity.

Particularly in the early stages of your relationship, your dog's still learning the ropes: it’ll take awhile before your dog's completely reliable (and even then, if your dog's left by herself for too long or feels neglected, your dog may choose your stuff over hers to occupy her time and jaws with.) Remember to give her time to learn the rules, and plenty of ‘you-time’ to help her learn faster – and don’t forget to take precautions and keep things out of reach until she’s got the hang of the chewing rules!