I Need Some Help...

[hazelnutx]

My boxer/mastiff mix, Journey, is about 16 months old and is a rescue. She shares the home with 2 other dogs and is about to encounter a newborn child.

Journey's story is a very sad one and it says a lot about why she is the way she is. She is a very clingy dog and has to have all the attention she can have. But when she was 3 months old, she was thrown from a moving vehicle with a plastic bag taped over her head. She was saved by highway patrol and a local vet. She is a very loving dog and is very trusting but her feelings are hurt very easily. Yelling at her will make her cower and she will go hide or she will freeze in the very spot she is in.

My issue: She chews... not on inanimate objects, but rather peoples arms when she gets excited. She doesn't break skin and it doesn't hurt... much. She is a big dog and is pushing 75 - 80lbs. I want to break her of the habit and I have been trying, but I'm not getting very far. Like I stated above, I am expecting a little one of my own and I don't want her "happy chewing" to become something harmful because she is so big. Can anyone help?

[serenitynow]

Most dogs with habitual chewing issues have a lot of anxiety that have built up over time. With Journey's case, this is especially true given her history of the abuse which she probably had with her previous owner. As such, it's natural for her to chew as a way to channel her stress.

The way to deal with this underlying problem is by proper instruction (like obedience training). Chances are, she wasn't given this opportunity with her last master. Thus, you'll need to gradually introduce her to obedience training either through books, a live trainer (or preferably both if you have the time and resources). She needs to establish that chewing (be it things or people's arms) is unacceptable - any negative begavior should be scolded at the actual moment it is done for your dog to draw the connection between her action and the corresponding reprimand. Usually a high-pitched "AH AH" or "NO" is a good deterrent that must be practiced *consistently* by everyone in the household for the message to really sink in.

Another way of dealing with general chewing issues is to give Journey enough exercise. Take her out for a daily walk, or have someone in the family do it if you don't have the time. It's often said that a tired dog is a well-behaved dog. If she has enough time for physical activity, it will reduce the likelihood that she'll direct her energy towards negative things (such as chewing).