Are you desperate for your Scottish terrier’s new habit of chewing on anything he can get his paws on? Do you feel like bursting into tears when you see your shoes, your rugs, your sofa ripped apart by its destructive action?

I have good news for you: you can easily control the chewing habit by properly training your Scottish terrier.

But first you must understand that chewing, like barking, is a natural instinct of Scottish terriers, as it caters to their need to sharpen their teeth. Teething puppies tend to chew everything because it relieves sore gums. This behavior should only last for a few months, during the teething period.

If the chewing habit persists beyond a year, then your dog has a problem. And you too.

And this is where a good training program comes into play. Your Scottie cannot judge for himself what is valuable to you or not, it is up to you to teach him what he can and cannot chew. He won’t realize that he can’t chew everything unless he is trained and the chewing habit is corrected.

Training can be expensive, but all things considered, it’s much cheaper to invest in training and some chew toys for your dog than it is to replace expensive furniture in your home.

In the meantime, follow these four simple steps to help control your Scottish Terrier’s chewing habit:

1. Keep valuable things you don’t want chewed up out of reach.

2. Keep your Scottie in a confined place like his crate, for example while he sleeps or is not around. Provide him with chew toys to keep him entertained.

3. Give him attention and physical activity to overcome boredom and loneliness. Walk and play with him whenever you can.

4. Reprimand him with a firm “No” when you catch him chewing, and replace whatever he’s chewing with with a chew toy.

By following these instructions it won’t be long before the bad habit of chewing is completely eliminated.