Chewing, digging, jumping
Why does my dog chew furniture?
Last updated 23 September 2026 · How we write and check this
Short answer
Dogs chew furniture because the texture relieves jaw tension, the wood or fabric carries your scent, and chewing releases stress. Puppies under six months chew more because they are teething, while adult dogs usually chew a chair leg or table corner when they are bored, under exercised, or have never been shown a better option.
Teething, texture and boredom
A puppy's adult teeth push through the gums between four and six months old, and gnawing on a hard table leg numbs the ache for a while. An adult dog with no puppy excuse is usually chewing because thirty minutes of unsupervised free time with nothing else to do is more temptation than most dogs can resist.
Swap, don't just scold
Catch the behavior as it starts, offer a chew toy in the same motion, and praise the second your dog's teeth land on it instead. Keep three or four different textures on rotation, rubber, rope, and nylon, so nothing goes stale after a week of being ignored on the floor.
Protect the furniture while you train
Reapply a bitter tasting deterrent spray to chewed corners every two to three days since it wears off with licking. A baby gate across the room or a twenty minute stretch in an exercise pen when you cannot watch closely buys time for the new habit to stick.
Key takeaways
- Puppies under six months chew from teething pain, not defiance.
- Redirect to a toy the moment you catch the behavior rather than only saying no.
- Reapply bitter spray every two to three days since it fades with licking.