Dogs do a lot of crazy stuff. They spin around to catch their tails and love to dig around. Another thing that dogs love is to eat almost anything, especially wood. Dogs love to gnaw on wood, including all kinds of wood.
A dog could even be worse than a rat when it comes to eating wood because it can do significant damage if its behavior is not corrected. If your dog is chewing on wood, it can be a problem because wood is not a safe chew toy for them.
Chewing on wood can create painful injuries to your dog from the inside and outside of their bodies. So, it is crucial to immediately correct their behavior and save your dog and your wood structures.
This article will discuss what you need to do once your dogs start chewing on your wood. You will get to know more about how to correct your dog’s behavior and prevent them from eating wood.
Why do dogs eat wood?
Dogs chew on wood because they like chewing on things. This is why dogs constantly play with toys and chew toys, bones, and treats, which is a very popular trait among dogs. For dogs, the habit of chewing releases good hormones called endorphins that relieve stress and mentally stimulate them.
Sometimes, your dog gnaws on wood items due to stress or anxiety, particularly when left alone at home. Remember, when your dog panics, they often turn to destructive tendencies to fill the void or nervousness.
Chewing is definitely natural for dogs, even old dogs. But the problem with wood is that it’s not good for your dog. While it is common for dogs to chew sticks and wood as they play outdoors, you may want to ease up on wood because your dog may be at risk.
Is wood bad for my dog?
Chewing on wood can cause serious harm not only to your furniture but also to your furry friend. Some wood material can cause splinters, and shards can jam into your dog’s mouth, eventually leading to an infection. Wood splinters in his mouth will fall into the esophagus, causing pain, bleeding, and damage.
Meanwhile, large pieces of wood can cause greater problems that may even require surgery. If the wood is swallowed, it can cause intestinal blockage and digestive problems for your dog. The wood can cause perforations in your pet’s digestive system, seriously damaging internal organs.
Also, if your dog consumes treated wood, it can be poisoned with the chemicals. All in all, eating wood can create painful injuries to your dog from the inside and outside of their bodies. They can puncture their mouth, eyes, throat, abdomen, or even heart.
So, it is crucial to watch over them and try to correct their behavior before anything serious happens. The consequences of your dog chewing on the wood not only threaten your wood structure and furniture but can also cause serious health risks to your dogs.
How to stop my dog from eating wood
The key to stopping your dog from eating wood, as with anything you don’t want them to eat, is to keep it away from them. But this is easier said than done, especially if you and your dog live in a wooden home or with wood furniture.
It would also be very difficult to keep your dog from wood if you live near a forest or wooded area. But there are still key points you must remember and follow to slowly correct your pet’s behavior.
You can start by going out in your yard or anywhere your dog stays or roam and pick up all the sticks, logs, and pieces of wood you can find. If you have a wood pile, cover this and prevent your dog from going into the pile. You can tie down a large tarp to cover the pile of wood.
You need to remember that you don’t have to do a perfect job but the more you clear things out, the lesser chance of them getting these things in their mouth. Also, do not be harsh when correcting your dog. You must be the one to adjust by clearing or keeping any wood around.
A chew toy can save your dog from eating wood.
Another effective way to keep your dog from chewing on wood is to give him something else to chew and bite. Try different chew toys until you finally find the one your dog will love. These toys are available in the market, and you can grab some.
Leave chew toys in the yard and some inside your house to encourage your dog to chew on the toy instead of wood. In time, your dogs will get used to playing and chewing their toys instead of the wood. The chew toy will also likely take your dog’s mind off wooden items.
What if my dog won’t stop eating wood?
If your dog can’t leave wood alone, you may want to use a chemical on wood to deter dogs. You can use sprays that keep away dogs, or you may use a strong scent like shampoo, dish soap, or lemon. Just spray these on the part that your dog usually chews on.
You can also use negative reinforcement to correct your dog’s behavior. You have to say “no” every time they try to chew on wood. After doing so, you can ignore them for a while. This will tell them that you don’t like what they are doing and will eventually keep off the wood.
Conclusion
Dogs naturally love to chew and may eat anything just for play. There are many things that even the most accomplished dog trainers don’t understand about dogs, and eating wood may be one of them.
But no matter why your dog eats wood, wood is bad for his health. So do all you can to prevent your dog from eating wood. There are many ways to do this. You just have to find the one that will work for your dog.
This will not only help your dog but will also save your wood structures and furniture. But do you know other problems can threaten your wood, aside from your dog? They are called wood-destroying pests, such as insects and fungi.
These pests can threaten your wooden structure and even cause serious wood infestation. To save yourself from infestation-related problems, you must learn more about its prevention, control, and proper treatment. Keep your woodwork safe!
