How To Stop Your Dog Chewing
A dog's jaw muscles are among his strongest in his body. That's why an average-sized Golden Retriever can undo the knot of a rawhide bone (or simply chew it off) in just a few minutes.
The tendency to chew varies from one breed to another and some dogs are simply more prone to chewing than others. However most dogs, especially when young, will chew on objects in and around the house if given the chance. The trick is to keep them focused on objects intended for them rather than your furniture.
Younger dogs and puppies not only have a greater tendency to chew but are less discrimination about what they choose. Luckily even young puppies can be discouraged from chewing things the owner would prefer to keep whole.
The first thing to remember is that prevention is better than a cure, so keep shoes, clothing (especially socks), where dogs can't get them. Also keep your children's toys separate from the dog's to help him to learn what his and what's yours.
Having plenty of attractive toys for Fido to chew on will help. Different dogs like different things. Rawhide bones are attractive to some dogs, while others prefer hard rubber or special plastic 'dental' bones. If you're going to give you dog real bones go for large beef ones as chicken and pork can easily splinter and lead to mouth and throat injuries.
These days there are all kinds of special toys available for dogs. Some have hollow interiors suitable for holding treats. The idea is that the dog has to struggle a bit to get at the treat in the centre thus keeping them occupied. This way they get a good mental and physical workout striving to access the reward.
As regards to disciplining your dog, a sharp tone or a mild tap for grabbing an unsuitable object is useful and appropriate but will need to be repeated consistently. Yelling or harsh physical punishment is counter-productive as you'll just end up with a cowering, confused dog.
For a more disciplined approach try putting the dog on a lead and placing an inappropriate but chewable object in front of it. If the dog moves toward it, jerk the lead sideways quickly and firmly and give a loud 'No!' Be sure to jerk sideways, not back to avoid bruising the dog's throat. The jerk movement is design to inform, not to punish.
Out of doors, if the dog has a tendency to chew on plants, fences, etc, you can use commercial mixtures or home recipes to discourage the behaviour. A little cayenne pepper paste smeared on the leaves of 'attractive' plants can often eliminate chewing in one lesson. Some commercial preparations contain 'bitter apple', which discourages some but not all dogs.
As with any dog training, patience, persistence and consistency are the keys to success. Suppressing a dog's desire to chew is often challenging since you're training the dog to NOT do something, rather than to DO something.
Redirection your dog's attention to a more acceptable object is your best bet, since you can't eliminate the chewing instinct. You need to stay alert and keep a cool head.