My Amazing Poker Face!

Lovely, big boy Khan enjoys chewing and his owners very kindly gave me a sheepskin rug for him to chew on.
This is my first experience with a dog chewing his rug (Cara and Benny have never chewed anything other than a bone) and scattering the remnants all around the room and after the first day, I knew Khan was having a good time, but Mike and I weren't! So something had to change and it had to be Khan's behaviour. After all I am not a housework goddess and didn't enjoy getting the hoover out all the time!!
I began this little exercise with attempting to get the rug out of his mouth, then the commands 'Give' 'Drop' with really tasty morsels to tempt him as an exhange. Outcome- more chewing with excited leaps around the house as he expressed his enjoyment of this new game!! I then began to notice that I was feeling a tad annoyed with this very happy boy which was hotly followed with frustration.
So, I left the big boy and ignored him totally. I got on with something else that made me feel alot better and then when I was feeling good, feeling happy, I went to see how Khan was doing. He had dropped the rug, but as soon as he clocked me, his fabulous chewing game resumed. So, I put my brilliant poker face, didn't say anything, turned around and left the room. Within a second he followed me with no rug. I turned and lavished praise on him- cuddles, kisses and treats, he had love poured all over him. This is the routine I adopted every time he decided that he wanted chew and I added in a meaty bone when he was being a good boy. It took a day and there has been no chewing since- nothing at all. Chewing the bone hasn't activated chewing in the home. So, Khan very happy and Mike and I very happy.
I had to be consistent as did Mike; we followed the same routine throughout the day and it WORKED! His chewing game wasn't being energised by Mike and I; we just left him to it with a neutral uninterested body language and then praised and loved him when he was being good.

So, if this routine works for me and Khan, it can work for you!

I now tell Khan "You Rock!" when he is behaving brilliantly.

Tomorrow, I will share the Black Pudding biscuit recipe that results in the dogs waiting and sitting beside the oven whilst the biscuits are baking!

See you tomorrow.