How do I train my Bichon Frise not to chew and destroy everything he gets to?

We love our Bichon like a son. His name is Casper. He has a very bad habit of chewing and it doesn't matter what it is, if it's leather or any other material. If anything is left down where he can get it, magazines, shoes, belts, purses or diaper bag, socks or under clothing left in the floor while taking a shower, it's chewed on. He gets into your purse, a diaper bag or anything he can nose into to get something and destroys it. He'll get into my husbands travel bag and get tubes of medicine creams and pills. It's really getting dangerous for Casper as well as for getting very expensive for us. Some visitors expect us to replace whatever the item was.





We also have a Schnauzer, named Crickett, so Caspers' never alone. It can't be that he's bored or lonely. They've got lots of chew toys, bones and treats. We walk and play with them and they play great together.





Any help or tips on this, will be greatly appreciated, a miracle.


Thank you,


bessylou4@yahoo.com


Phone: 1-918-775-8590

How do I train my Bichon Frise not to chew and destroy everything he gets to?
I'm so sorry you're experiencing this problem! Some dogs just have a tendency to chew. You didn't mention how old Casper is. He may be teething, or, if he's not a puppy anymore, then he might just have anxiety when you're not around, or he thinks the texture of what he's chewing is fun. Anyway, I do think there are several things that may help. Some deal directly with the chewing, others work on other aspects of training that may help curb chewing. Good luck!





1. Institute a "nothing in life is free" regimen. Casper may think that everything is "his," and this helps to correct that, and also get him in a frame of mind for better training to deal with the chewing. Basically, have Casper ask for everything he gets -- petting, food, toys, a walk, you name it. Every privilege he gets, he has to earn. This could be as simple as getting him to sit or perform a trick before he gets fed. Before you give him a toy or a treat (even a small biscuit), get him to do something to earn it.





2. Teach Casper "leave it." When you see him chew something, tell him "leave it," and show him a treat in your hand. When he gives up whatever he's chewing, give him the treat and praise him. Start training this when he has a toy of his own in his mouth. After he leaves it and gets the treat, give it back to him. This teaches him that when you say "leave it," he should do that -- and then he gets rewarded. This way, when you catch him chewing something bad, and you say "leave it," he's more likely to actually do so.





3. Consistency and bitter apple spray are magic! When you see Casper chewing something bad, take it away and calmly direct his attention to to something he CAN chew. Say "good" when he chew on his toy. Repeat as often as necessary. Don't get mad -- this just creates more anxiety for Casper -- he doesn't know WHAT you're angry at, he just knows he gets very anxious when you yell at him.





Also, if you can, spray the things he's not supposed to chew with bitter apple spray (found at pet stores). This makes the object taste VERY BAD to the dog!





4. Consider crating Casper when you cannot supervise him. Make the crate very comfortable and not a place for punishment. I know you may be reluctant to, but it's for Casper's safety, so that he doesn't get into stuff that could harm him. It may ease his mind, too, to have his own secure place to hide out while you are not there.





One final thing -- it's good to set up an environment where Casper cannot fail. If you don't give him a chance to fail, then he will learn the good behavior over time. It may mean being a little stricter for a while -- keeping him in your sight at all times or on a leash or in a crate when you cannot pay attention to him (or gated with a baby gate to a particular area). Remove everything that he can get to -- put your purse or briefcase in a closet; move knickknacks to a higher shelf. I promise that if he absolutely cannot get into the bad stuff, and you try some of the tips above, over time, consistency will win out.





You could always also consult a professional pet trainer. Good luck! The link below also contains some helpful articles on adult chewing.
Reply:To ShibaGirl, Thank you for taking the time out to answer my question. It was very inlightening. I think your answer is the best.


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Reply:I don't know the answer to this question. My Cavalier King Charles Spaniel chews everything, also. She seems to gravitate to bread ties, small plastic toys, crayons, and pushpins. (I don't even know where she gets them!) She goes for anything, though, and we haven't been able to stop her.





She has many of her own toys with squeakers and braids and bells, which she loves playing with. She also likes rawhide sticks and Milkbones. But whatever we give her is not enough to satisfy the urge to chew. I'm totally lost.





Please don't anyone vote on this as a best answer!! I'm just writing to empathize with you. I will be looking back to see how someone answered your question. In the meantime, I wish you well. It's a very difficult thing to deal with.



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