There are a few things that all dog owners should be prepared for. Chewing is undoubtedly one of the most common. Jack Russells are also major chewing culprits and will chew on almost anything unless you train them not to.
Why do cats chew?
There are many factors that lead Jack to chew on various things, but none of them indicate malice on your dog’s part. Here are some of the main factors that contribute to chewing that can help clear up the problem:
easily bored
Simply put, when Jacks get bored, they start chewing on things to entertain themselves. If this sounds fishy, remember that humans also misbehave when they’re bored, and dogs tend to do the same.
nervousness
Your dog could suffer from general anxiety due to loud noises or something in the environment, or have separation anxiety that makes him jumpy whenever you leave him alone. With the latter, you might well find that the walls, doors, and baseboards are chewed up; this is their way of trying to break down barriers to get to you.
The teething process
Teething is uncomfortable for any animal and as such your pup will need something to chew on just like your baby.
they are curious
Dogs are usually only curious about certain items and can gather more information with their mouths than their paws, so doesn’t it make sense for them to chew a bit?
As you can see, these are all perfectly understandable reasons. But remember that just because it’s understandable doesn’t make it desirable, and fortunately, there are plenty of things you can do about it.
Preventing your Jack Russell from chewing
Another way to think of this is to prevent your dog from chewing on certain things. Clearly, chewing can never be completely erased as it is an important part of what makes a dog a dog. As long as it can be controlled, chewing should not be discouraged, you just have to train your dog so that it knows what to chew and what not.
So what is to be done? Well, the first thing you’ll want to try is to keep them busy. A lot of Jack Russell chewing is the result of boredom, so doesn’t it make sense to keep them entertained? Keep them busy with exercise and pretend play and they should be less likely to chew.
Also, avoid punishing them if you find them chewing on an item. Take away any household items that he may be chewing on and substitute a chew toy instead; if he agrees to chew on the toy, be sure to praise him. By reacting positively when your dog chews on a toy instead of a household item, your dog is more likely to chew on the toy again for praise.
However, there is still the problem of what to do when you’re not there, and that’s where a lot of chew toys come into play. Obviously, if they have enough toys to occupy them, they’ll be less likely to search for your chewing stuff and possessions, but you should also try to keep those things out of their reach anyway, why tempt them?
Anxiety, however, is a little harder to hide. When you’re home with your dog, you can calm him down if he gets anxious, but obviously that’s harder to do with separation anxiety. Fortunately, many puppies eventually outgrow this once they understand that you’re not going to leave them forever; Until then, try to guard against any chewing or scratching that might occur while you’re away.
Despite your compulsion to chew, which exists for a variety of reasons, there are many things you can do to help control this problem. Make sure your Jack is entertained with plenty of toys and you can’t reach his expensive items and can leave the house with confidence.