Schnauzer Destructive Chewing Behavior
"Honey! The dog's eaten your underwear again!"
So, you want your Miniature Schnauzer's destructive chewing behavior to stop and save what's left of your valuable possessions? Okay! But in order to correct the destructive chewing, we first need to understand why your Miniature Schnauzer is chewing so much... You see, dogs use their mouths as a way of exploring their surroundings. This is how they 'check things out' (through smell, taste, and texture), so chewing is a natural instinct for your Miniature Schnauzer. And although all Miniature Schnauzers chew... some simply desire to chew on things more than others. Chewing is purely a pleasurable activity for dogs and that would be okay until.... they get a hold of something you value. Then your Schnauzer's chewing behavior is simply destructive.
The 5 Main Reasons Dogs Chew
- Natural Instinct - As mentioned above, your Schnauzer chews on items as a way to explore his surroundings.
- Teething Miniature Schnauzer puppies chew to help relieve the discomfort and pressure during the teething phase of their development.
- Pleasurable Dogs chew on things to help pass the time and when it's on something that tastes good, it’s self-rewarding, too.
- Bored or lonely. Dogs begin chewing as an outlet for a their emotions. The repetitive act of chewing is soothing and brings a dog comfort, much like our comfort foods.
note: A Miniature Schnauzer suffering from separation anxiety may also exhibit destructive chewing. Read more about separation anxiety in dogs and how to modify this undesirable behavior. - Exercise If a dog has been laying around all day he might begin to chew as a way of burning up pent-up energy. To prevent this type of chewing, be sure to exercise your Miniature Schnauzer. Go on brisk walks, play games of fetch, add agility to his regimen, etc....
How to Prevent Your Miniature Schnauzer's Destructive Chewing
 So now that we know why dogs chew, how do we prevent them from destroying our valuables?
The answer is simple: You have to train them. Your Miniature Schnauzer has no way of knowing what you deem valuable. It is therefore up to you to teach your Schnauzer what is okay to chew on and what is not okay to chew on. Here's how: - Take control of the situation and be responsible for your own possessions. First things first... dog proof your home. Take whatever it is you don’t want to end up in your Miniature Schnauzer's mouth, and put it up. Truly make sure it is unavailable to them (ie. Place items inside a closet or high enough so that your Miniature Schnauzer cannot jump up or climb up and get them).
note: The most common available household items dogs find to chew include magazines and books, eyewear, clothing, shoes, garbage, cameras, cell phones, remote controls, house plants….... So be sure to have these type items put away so your Schnauzer cannot access them. AND never ever leave out any snacks or food of any kind. Food items must always be securely put away. - Prevent the destructive chewing in the first place. In other words, monitor your dog. Don’t allow him to chew on forbidden objects. When you are away, confine your Miniature Schnauzer to his crate or a dog-proof room in the house, until you’re confident your Schnauzer understands the house rules. Giving your Miniature Schnauzer puppy or dog free run of your home while you’re away, only sets them up for failure.
- Make clear distinctions between appropriate items and forbidden items. Your Miniature Schnauzer dog cannot decipher between a good pair of slippers and a worn out pair. Therefore, don’t let your dog chew on a pair of old slippers you were planning to toss out and then get angry when he begins chewing on your new slippers.
- Provide your Miniature Schnauzer with lots of tasty alternatives to your stuff. Remember, dogs chew as a way of investigating objects, especially if they are under the age of three years. So go buy lots of pet-safe dog toys and dog chews with different textures and sounds. Let your Miniature Schnauzer have access to about 3 to 5 toys to play with at a time. Rotate the available toys every few days to keep things interesting for him.
- Spend quality time with your Miniature Schnauzer. Your Miniature Schnauzer can’t learn what you expect from him, if you don’t spend time supervising and training him. Teach your dog throughout the day as he explores his surroundings. Give proper correction so he knows what you expect from him. Your Schnauzer will soon learn what is appropriate and what’s not appropriate.
- Interrupt the Behavior and Correct with a Positive Replacement: When you catch your Miniature Schnauzer chewing something inappropriate, interrupt the activity by making a loud noise: clap your hands and say “Ah-ah-aaaah!”. Then, immediately replace the item with an appropriate alternative (dog toy or dog chew) and offer him praise when he takes it. This is the best way to teach your Miniature Schnauzer about destructive chewing:
chewing dog toys = praise vs chewing other items = trouble
Be Consistent with Commands & Keep Positive
 It’s important to remain positive during the learning process. You want to build a relationship of trust with your Miniature Schnauzer, not one of fear.
Never punish your Miniature Schnauzer for destructive chewing after the fact. If you find an item has been destroyed, remember who left it in your dog’s reach and then go scold yourself.  Your expectations should be realistic. It will take awhile before your Miniature Schnauzer is completely reliable and no longer exhibits signs of destructive chewing (and even then, when left alone for long periods of time, your Schnauzer may resort to chewing on a forbidden item). Just don’t over react. Remember to spend quality time with your Schnauzer and be sure to take all the necessary precautions so that your dog's learning process is a success! Click here to get more information on dog training techniques and how to deal with problem dog behaviors (like chewing), with this best-selling fast-track dog training manual.
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