Puppies are always ready for games, which may cause frustration as they explore the environment they’re growing up in. Chewing on your favourite footwear, or digging up your precious plants is commonplace for those who have a young pup in the family.
We might be tempted to punish the naughty pup but there are always easy and effective ways to keep you occupied and out of mischief.
Chewing
Chewing shouldn’t always be frowned upon. If your little pup is chewing a favourite toy it can have many benefits especially for the development of healthy teeth and gums. Also, since separation anxiety can lead to this behaviour, you can train him to lie on his own bed and teach him that he cannot always receive attention whenever its wanted. Try leaving him for a short period of time and gradually increase it. Offer him a chew toy that suits him and try not to make that toy look similar to a household item. Remember, buying a handful of toys is way cheaper than replacing your expensive couch.
Digging
Burying both toys and bones is a fun activity for many dogs, and no specific reason explains this. The dog may be looking for rodents (as many are bred for), cooling off, killing boredom, or plainly just for the heck of it! You can control this behaviour by keeping your dog busy, give him chew toys, or interactive toys that he can play with while you’re away, and most of all increase your playtime and exercise time which will minimise boredom and hopefully ward off bad habits too!