My puppy chews electrical cords! How do I stop and when will it end?

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Sadly this is a puppy and or breed problem that MOST dogs eventually outgrow. Everything he could chew on should be put away or removed until this phase of puppy-hood is over. The family needs to learn to put their shoes in the closet. All plants should be put up on furniture or shelves. All exposed wires should be hidden or blocked with baby gates. When Damon can not be 100% watched he should be crated for his own safety or penned in a dog play pen or gated in a room that is puppy proofed. Make sure he gets plenty of exercise with walks and one on one play or sign him up for doggie day care during the day. Most chewing occurs out of boredom. Sign him up for training classes or start teaching him "leave it" and be sure he knows how to come when called. This is going to take time and patience and everyone doing their part to prevent injury to their belongings and to Damon. I hope this helps and I wish you the best!

Kailana is adorable! Thanks for including some pictures. I certainly understand and sympathize with your situation. I have one younger dog that has a lot of destructive energy and loves to destroy everything. I have a few suggestions for you that have helped me. First, find things that will keep her mouth busy. One thing that people think of first is treats that keep them busy for a longer period of time. This does seem to help. You can use long lasting treats like a Kong filled with peanut butter, yogurt, treats, etc and frozen so it takes longer for her to eat. My dog also really like Bully Sticks which I also freeze to make them last a little longer. Keep her mentally and physically busy during meal times. I love using a feeding balls like a Buster Cube or Tricky Treat ball to feed meals in. It keeps my dog busy for at least 5-10 minutes at each meal and requires him to work. And speaking of working. I have found that my dog is the most tired after we have done a good round of training. Even if you have done a basic obedience class, I would consider trying an advanced class, a nose work class, a tricks class, etc. And if taking a class isn't an option right now, work on training at home. When she goes on walks, make her sit at each corner before she crosses the street. It sounds simple, but additional mental stimulation can go a long way. Playing with other dogs is a great outlet for energy. If you haven't tried it yet, look into your local dog park or doggy daycare center. Sending my youngest dog to daycare once a week has made a huge difference. There are a number of interactive dog games and toys available now. Outward Hound makes a number of toys that your dog has to figure out a puzzle of some type before they get a treats. Here are some ideas for those. https://www.petco.com/category/dog/dog-toys/interactive-dog-toys/dog-puzzle-toys-and-games I have not tried the Clever Pet yet, but it is an electronic interactive toy that I am intrigued about. https://clever.pet And finally, give her appropriate things to destroy. My dog loves paper towel rolls and cardboard boxes. I also get toys that he loves to destroy, so he can get that destructive energy out. So, I think the key is to vary her activities daily and include a wide range of physical and mental stimulation. Be sure to be creative to tire her out on a regular basis and help everyone keep their sanity. Good luck! I hope that was helpful. Thanks for using PetCoach.

Hi there, thanks for your question on PetCoach. It sounds like you're working hard to break Spooky of this habit! The short of it is, there won't be an easy solution if Spooky isn't doing it when you're home to catch him in the act. You can try covering the exposed parts of the cord with something foul tasting or spicy, such as bitter apple sprays (there are many brands on the market, but here's one: ) or hot pepper sauce (I don't usually recommend the latter due to the potential for GI upset, but cord chewing is an exception, since that's a habit that could be life threatening!). If that doesn't work, then it will likely come down to husbandry/management, by potentially barricading Spooky away from the exposed cord or keeping him in a separate room. If he never tries to chew it when you're there, then the usual training strategies won't work, as all training options require responding in the moment that Spooky would show interest in the cord. Hope this helps!

Hello. Chewing at this age is very normal & is a sign of teething behavior. Puppies also learn in this manner, too. It is your job to provide Lucy with appropriate chewing substrates & gently guide her to avoid those which may be harmful ( electric cords, house plants, items that are small enough to be swallowed ). Make sure shoes, eyeglasses, watches, tv remotes, jewelry are picked up or not left on low tables ( can you guess what I have lost in the past !). Kong toys are tough products made for dogs & puppies that can be packed with tasty treats such as kibble & peanut butter. This should keep Lucy busy for hours. Have patience, she will eventually outgrow this behavior. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

Chewing is normal for puppies and unfortunately, most of them will not out grow it until thy are about 2 years old. Ingesting material can lead to an intestinal blockage which requires surgery. Heavy exercise prior to leaving may help (if it makes her tired enough to sleep all day) but a safer and more sure option in general is crate training. Crate training assures that Izzy will not be able to get into things she should not. I hope this is helpful and please feel free to post any additional questions.

Hi, I totally understand you chewing ca be a bit of a problem during these early months. You need to try to be consistent and not to give up and play with your hands. Even during normal play, interrupt play and ignore him if suddenly starting to play too rough. You should try to praise calm behaviour and when he manages (eventually) to sit and be focused. As times goes by, he will get better and better and hopefully grow in a well balanced adult !

Hi there and thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to address your concern. I would recommend using a bitter tasting solution such as bitter apple or something very hot such as cayenne pepper and apply it to the things you do not want Peyton to chew on. Allow him to grab the object with the substance applied to it and when he drops it because of the bad taste, say "no!" to reinforce that this is not an acceptable behavior. I hope this helps! Please let me know if you have any other questions or concerns and I would be more than happy to help you further. Please take the time to mark this question as helpful or not as it helps us to improve on the quality of our answers to other pet owners. Thank you kindly!