How to Stop a Dog from Chewing on Wood?

Why Do Dogs Chew on Wood?

You might have observed your dog chewing on wood continuously out of nowhere. Well, in reality, this issue might not be out of “nowhere” because there are some reasons behind this very confusing and problematic activity of your dog.

Chewing on any hard object may be a sign of your dog’s discomfort, which may include anxiety, boredom, and sometimes the reason for pain in its teeth.

By studying these reasons, you can solve this issue that bothers your loved furry friend as a responsible dog owner.

Reasons Why Your Dog Chews on the Wood

Don’t just assume that your dog is chewing wood for entertainment. There can be several psychological and physical reasons why your pet does so.

Your Dog Must be in an Anxious State

Being anxious makes even humans do some very unexpected and sometimes destructive activities that may be self-destructive or damaging to the outer environment.

Dogs are no different. Anxiety enables them to do activities that help to calm them down or take their worries off on non-living things. But now, your question must be, “why is my dog anxious?”

Like human beings, dogs also experience anxiety; separation anxiety is one of the most common anxieties in dogs that causes them to act this way. Some of the ways by which dogs can experience separation anxiety are:

• Moving into a New House or Neighborhood
• Staying away from your dog most of the time
• Not giving proper attention to your dog

Boredom

Dogs, one of the most extroverted animals, need a satisfactory amount of attention and a playful time from their owner. Being bored is one of the most unwanted things dogs will ever experience.

Chewing on complex objects such as wood can indicate that your dog might need some physical movement and exercise, and of course, it is also one of their best time passes.

Dental Problems

Growing up is a process when babies adopt habits and have fun learning and discovering new things. Still, it is also true that every good thing has a side effect, and they eventually suffer from many issues related to their bodies.

Dental pain is one of those things that cause discomfort for babies. Puppies are the same as human babies; while their canines grow, there is a lot of pain in their gums and teeth. Because of this, they often chew onto the wood to relieve the pain.

Breed Difference

Some dogs have a higher urge to chew, attack, and bite things because of their genital instincts. The breed of the dog has a significant effect on its behavior. Chewing wood is also a way a dog chooses to try out and feed its breed instincts.

Regardless of any reason mentioned above, this chewing of wood habit is problematic and not a good thing to remain okay. Chewing on wood too can be dangerous for your dog’s mouth and stomach, and of course, isn’t it bad for your furniture as well?

Why to Stop a Dog from Chewing Wood?

Chewing on wood can be harmful to your dog. Why? After all, it’s just passing its time, chewing on something. Well, it is not as small of an issue as it seems.

The fact that it will destroy your furniture and cost you is not enough to stop your dog. This chewing habit is hazardous for your dog’s mouth and gums since it chew on the wood and eventually turns it into sharp pieces.

These fragments will probably pierce the mouth, mostly the tongue and gums; if it swallows the splinters, they will travel straight to its abdominal cavity.

They would eventually cause damage and infection to the intestine, esophagus, and throat. This will for sure lead to a massively costly vet bill for you to keep your dog in an acceptable condition.

As it is said, “prevention is better than cure” Is not just a shallow saying, but it is a fact that you as a dog owner should adopt and follow.

How to Stop a Dog from Chewing on Wood?

Chewing on wood is a habit of dogs which is quite challenging to get rid of this situation. The continuous urge to go and attack wood, scratch it with its canines and tear it apart is powerful.

And especially, most dogs’ nature of being hyperactive and inpatient makes it harder for them to get rid of this habit. But if given proper treatment and guidance, this toxic and problematic habit of theirs can be rooted out.

As a dog owner, here are some effective ways by with you can solve this problem:

Keep the Surroundings Free of Any Readily Accessible Pieces of Wood

Dogs often like to play in the backyard, gardens, or open areas where there is a lot of space. But these open and accessible spaces are filled with dry leaves, plastics, and the most notorious of all, the wood pieces.

You must keep your backyard or garden clean if you are a dog owner. If taken outside, the dog must be kept in control and away from any wooden pieces.

Change Their Chewing Objects

Like babies, chew toys are one of the best ways dogs can relieve their canine pain and the urge to bite and chew. Chew toys are tight and will not quickly turn into fragments; they are not as harmful as wooden pieces.

Behaviour Modification

Dogs can be impatient and ignorant, and hard to control at times. They might be too invested in chewing on harmful objects and not realize how it can harm their bodies.

But you as dog owners should be responsible and stop our furry friends from committing to these activities. And talking of controlling, it is not very easy to maintain animals and, more specifically, dogs.

The behavior modification technique is one way to ensure that your dog listens to what you order it to do or not do. Making it learn and obey your orders such as “no,” ” stop,” and “Come” might help stop your dog from chewing on wood.

Don’t Let it Get Dull.

Dogs need continued interaction, physical stimulation, and activity, or they will be bored and adopt habits like chewing on wood or other harmful objects.

Keep it moving and busy in exercising, playing, or brain activity. It might be a big help in stopping your dog from doing any unnecessary chewing.

Sprays to Keep the Dog Away from Wood

If the wood is bitter and disgusting in taste, your dog will not bother to chew on the wooden object. Sprays such as bitter apple spray or any other spray of a gruesome taste can help achieve your goal.

You can also not bother yourself and buy one and can also make it at home with stuff like apple cider vinegar and spray it all over the wooden object.

Create Barriers

Keeping your dog away from wood sometimes might be more complicated. The best way by which you can keep your dog away from a piece of wooden furniture or object is to create some barrier so that it doesn’t enter and continue its harmful habit again.

Chewing on wood is one of the best times for a dog, and it might not seem like a big deal at first, but it turns into a big deal as soon as you take your furry friend to the vet.

Chewing on wood can be for many reasons: anxiety, boredom, growing canines in puppies, dental issues, or their breed instincts. This chewing problem can cause significant issues for your dog’s stomach and mouth, and it can eventually lead to extensive operations. And it doesn’t sound enjoyable, does it?

So, as a dog owner, now you might be thinking about ways to get rid of this issue. Well, for this, you should know how to stop a dog from chewing on wood.

This most common doggy issue is hard to deal with but is not impossible to eliminate; with continuous efforts, you can and will keep your dog safe.