How to Stop Destructive Chewing
Destructive chewing is usually easiest to change when the household stops treating it as a single bad habit. Puppies chew because of teething and exploration. Adult dogs may chew from boredom, stress, insufficient supervision, dental discomfort, or separation-related distress. The practical solution is to remove access to dangerous targets while making acceptable chewing easy and satisfying.
Because Shih Tzus are small, even ordinary household objects can become serious hazards. Electrical cords, medication, batteries, fabric, hair ties, children’s toys, and pieces of hard plastic should be treated as safety risks rather than training tests.
Chewing-Proof the Environment First
- Move cords, chargers, medicine, and cleaning products out of reach.
- Use gates or a supervised safe area during high-risk periods.
- Keep laundry, shoes, and children’s toys behind closed doors.
- Inspect chew toys for loose pieces and replace damaged items.
- Block access to furniture corners when supervision is limited.
- Provide water, a resting place, and several legal chew options.
Match the Chew to the Dog
Choose items that are large enough not to swallow, soft enough not to fracture teeth, and appropriate for the dog’s chewing style. Extremely hard antlers, bones, and dense nylon can damage small teeth. Soft toys may be safer for some dogs but dangerous for dogs that shred and ingest fabric.
Supervise new chews and remove them when they become small, sharp, or damaged. Rotating a few options often maintains interest better than leaving every toy available all day.
Chewing From Boredom
- Often occurs when activity and enrichment are low
- May improve after sniffing walks and short training sessions
- Targets accessible objects without obvious panic
Chewing From Distress
- Clusters around doors, windows, crates, or departure areas
- May occur with barking, drooling, pacing, or house-soiling
- Requires an anxiety plan, not simply tougher toys
Teach Trading Instead of Chasing
When the dog picks up a forbidden object, chasing can turn the event into a rewarding game or cause the dog to swallow quickly. Offer a high-value treat or safe toy, say a consistent trade cue, and remove the object once released. Practice with low-value safe items so the skill exists before an emergency.
Do not punish after damage is discovered. The dog cannot connect delayed punishment with the earlier chewing, and the result may be fear when the owner approaches damaged items.
Meet Daily Needs Before Leaving the Dog Alone
A short sniffing walk, toilet break, calm play, and food puzzle can reduce restless chewing. However, enrichment does not cure separation anxiety. If chewing happens only during absences and is accompanied by distress, use video to observe the first minutes after departure and discuss the pattern with a veterinarian or qualified behavior professional.
Destructive-Chewing Questions
Why does my Shih Tzu chew furniture even with toys available?
The toys may not match the dog’s preferred texture, the furniture may be more accessible, or the chewing may be driven by stress rather than entertainment.
Can bitter spray stop chewing?
It may reduce interest in a specific surface, but it does not replace management, legal chews, and attention to the cause.
Why did chewing begin suddenly in an adult dog?
Consider dental pain, gastrointestinal discomfort, anxiety, cognitive change, or a major routine disruption and arrange veterinary evaluation when appropriate.