Chewing

It is very common for Miniature Schnauzer puppies to chew when they are teething. The act of chewing helps their teeth break through the gums.

 Older dogs, generally chew if they are bored or anxious.

If a dog is bored, it is because he or she (I will use the term "he" for this article if that is OK) has built up so much energy, but has run out of ways to exert it. So he finds something interesting to chew.

The only problem is, is that he doesn’t know what is permissible to chew unless you have taught him. So the sooner you teach him, the less likely he will chew your household items.

A dog may also chew if he has been left alone and not within the comfort of his own crate or private area, such as a confined room . This is known as a “spite chewer.” He is upset that you have left him so he will start chewing as soon as you leave.

By keeping your dog in a crate or separate room when you leave your house, you are not “punishing” him, rather you are keeping him in a safe and comfortable environment. You can place lots of fun chew toys in the crate to keep him occupied while you are away. If you don’t keep him in a crate while you are gone and instead let him roam about, he may  help himself to chew on anything he wants!

Of course, the older dog that has never been in a crate before, may not take well to the crate. It is generally better for the puppy or the older dog who has been brought up with a crate.

When you return home to find that your dog is in the act of chewing something he shouldn’t be, give a sharp “no,” but do not yell. Take the object away and ignore him for five to ten minutes (this is a form of 'time out'). If, on the other hand, you start to immediately play with him or feed him, he will think he is being rewarded for the chewing.

If you don’t catch your dog in the act of chewing, don’t scold your dog, but instead ignore him. Some trainers recommend that you pick up the destroyed object and look at it angrily. However, you don’t want your dog to misinterpret that as you are upset with him (even though you are!)

Preventing Chewing

• Puppy-proof – As you are probably aware, you need to puppy-proof your home. Even if your dog is older, you still need to take precautions to make potentially-destructive objects out of your dog’s reach.

• Provide Toys – Make sure your dog has a plentiful selection of chew toys available to him at all times.

• Provide Sound – Instead of turning off the television or radio when you leave the house, turn them on. The extra background noise will help your dog feel more at ease.

• Increase Exercise – Providing your dog with frequent exercise will help him burn off excess energy that he could otherwise use towards items in your home.