How Do I Get My Dog to Stop Chewing on My Shoes? Mental Enrichment to Stop Common Problem Behaviors

What are Problem Behaviors?

As a professional dog trainer, I hear about what are often referred to as “problem behaviors” all the time. Some of the most common problem behaviors include chewing up furniture or shoes, destroying bedding or toys, jumping up on people, barking, and digging. The thing about problem behaviors is that they are actually only a problem for human guardians. For the dog, not only are these not problems, but they are, in fact, solutions to problems. If the dog’s problem is that it’s bored, then its solution will be to chew on the most interesting and convenient item it can find—your shoes.

Why Does My Dog Exhibit Problem Behaviors?

Dogs have needs and wants, just like us humans. In the most basic terms, these needs include food, water, shelter, physical exercise, as well as mental, social, and emotional fulfillment. When clients complain of common problem behaviors with their dogs, these are the first things I always consider (aside from possible health concerns). Clients tell me they take their dog to the dog park for two hours, or on a two hour-long walk, or even a ten mile run, only to have their dog nap for an hour before waking up and destroying their favorite pair of slippers. The issue is that most people only consider their dog’s physical exercise, while completely neglecting their other needs. Mental enrichment can actually be far more exhausting for a dog than physical exercise. For example, twenty minutes of mental enrichment is equal to an hour of physical activity. As mentioned, when a dog has needs that are not met by their guardian, they will still attempt to meet them on their own. Unfortunately for us humans, the way a dog meets their needs is often very inconvenient for us. Digging, jumping, barking, and chewing, for example, are generally symptoms of unmet physical, mental, emotional, or social needs. 

How Do I Stop Problem Behaviors from Occurring?

Management

The first step is to implement a management strategy. Management means creating an environment that sets the dog up for success. If your goal is to stop your dog from chewing on inappropriate items like shoes, then the management strategy would be to pick up all shoes and keep them in a location that is separate from the dog. When you come home and take off your shoes, you can’t leave them where the dog can have access to them. If your dog has been chewing on shoes, then he has had lots of practice meeting his need for mental enrichment in this manner. In order to create a new habit of meeting this need in an appropriate way, you have to eliminate the old pathway for a time. Eventually, you will be able to leave your shoes on the floor again, but for a few weeks or so, you have to keep him from practicing this habit. 

Enrichment

The second step is to create an enrichment plan. An enrichment plan is a schedule of games, activities, and toys that you create with the help of a trainer who can identify which of your dog’s needs you must meet, and how you can appropriately meet them. For our shoe chewer, we would create an enrichment plan that focuses heavily on mental enrichment through the use of games like “go find it”, puzzle toys, and training. Every day you will have a series of activities and games to have your dog complete on their own or with you. When you begin meeting all of your dog’s daily needs, they will no longer have the need to chew on your shoes, and you won’t have to worry about them being destroyed any longer. 

Below is an example of what the shoe chewer’s enrichment plan might look like for one day out of the week. In the morning you would play with your dog for a total of 35 minutes, and he would entertain himself for 20 minutes. In the evening, you would give your dog a puzzle toy to play with for 20 minutes, then take him on a 30 minute dog-led sniffy walk before letting him play with a dog friend for an hour. Then you could wind down by giving him a lick mat. In the evening scenario, you only need to be interactive with your dog for an hour and 30 minutes. Most people think if they are going to meet all their dog’s needs, they will be busy doing so all day long, and that just isn’t true. There are many activities your dog can do alone while you are working or relaxing. 

AM

Play Fetch (20 minutes)

Play “go find” (15 minutes)

Puzzle Toy (20 minutes)

PM

Puzzle Toy (20 minutes)

Sniffy Walk (30 minutes)

Doggy Playdate (1 hour)

Lick Mat (10 minutes)

This is just an example enrichment plan, and it won’t be right for every human-dog partnership. When you create an enrichment plan to meet your own dog’s needs, you will see problem behaviors decrease drastically. Keep in mind that there are a few exceptions in which an enrichment plan may not be as effective or may not be the right thing for your dog. If you have a puppy, for example, you will need an enrichment plan and a nap plan. However, the puppy is still a puppy, and a puppy is always going to cause some degree of destruction, no matter how much enrichment you give them. Similarly, a dog with clinical separation anxiety may benefit from an enrichment plan, but you will need to pair it with training to be successful. All dogs, regardless of breed, size or age, should be getting an enrichment as part of their daily lives. To decide what your dog’s enrichment needs are, please consult a professional CCPDT certified dog trainer.