Just like bringing newborn babies home, you need to make sure that your house is a safe space for your four-legged pups.
That being said, one common house accident for dogs is electrocution by electrical cords. In some cases, this could be fatal. So, how do you stop dogs from chewing electrical wires?
How to stop dogs from chewing electrical cords?
So let’s find out what you came for! Here are 10 different methods that stop you’re dog from chewing wires.
Let’s dive in!
Cord Protectors
Installing cord protectors for all your cables is the best way to secure victory in this war over cords. Your dog might turn grumpy for a day or two after you install them, but maybe then they will finally give more attention to their abandoned chew toys.
You can try spraying your cords with a chew-repellent liquid too. Mixing hot sauce, pepper, or lemon in water works wonders, but you will have to deal with the pain of applying it repeatedly since they keep wearing off.
Cod protectors are permanent and don’t have this problem, for this reason it’s one of the best methods to protect your electrical cables.
Training
Training your puppy at a young age is the best way to keep them from chewing on things around the house – especially electrical cords.
Teach your puppy the “leave it” trick so that anytime your dog tries to approach a wire, you can use the command. It takes patience and a lot of treats, but once it’s established, it will be easier for you and your dog.
Here is how you can do the “leave it” command:
- Present a low value treat in one hand and close it. Once your puppy starts to investigate, say the common “leave it” and keep your hand closed. Once your puppy gives up, give a high value reward.
- Leave treats around the floor and omit the “leave it” command repeatedly to let your puppy know not to eat the kibbles. Once your pup complies, give them a better reward like their favorite toy or a more tasty treat.
- Practice around wires. Once your puppy gets close to electrical cords, say the word “leave it” and when it stops or hesitates, give your dog a treat for complying.
Deterrent spray
In some homes with dogs that aren’t trained, it might be harder to impose obedience training. So, you need to think of other ways to control your pet’s chewing behavior. In this case, you can purchase anti-chew spray specifically made for dogs. But before you get one, you need to make sure that they are safe and non-toxic.
Don’t forget to unplug when you spray!
Give your dog chew toys
According to Langley Animal Clinic, chewing toys have several benefits. Aside from lowering a dog’s stress level, it also promotes oral health. Ultimately, it can help minimize plaque and tartar build-up, which then can fend off bad breath.
However, it’s not advisable for your pet to chew on other things aside from dog-safe chew toys. So, it’s time to take a trip down the pet store and get your dog that squeaky rubber duckie that you said you’d get for later!
Spend Time with Your Dog
Dogs are like humans too, if you’ve been locked in the house all day for the whole week, you become bored. So they might display signs of boredom by keeping themselves busy with chewing on things around the house. To address this, it might be helpful to spend more time with your dog. Take them out for more walks or play with them more often.
Tire Your Dog Out
When dogs are tired, they won’t have interest in doing other things other than sleep. Make sure that you are giving them the right amount of exercise based on their breed, weight, and age. Aside from the health benefits it brings to the table, a tired dog won’t have any energy left to chew on anything.
Visit your local vet
If all of a sudden, your dog started a habit of chewing on things, you might want to schedule a vet visit. Sometimes, when dogs develop compulsive chewing without notice, there might be an underlying health issue behind it.
In case something is wrong with your dog medically, it’s better to know it sooner than later. If your pet is showing other alarming signs like lethargy, vomiting, or loss of appetite, allow your doctor to conduct the necessary examination to be able to prevent future complications from happening.
Hide your cables
It may sound lame, but if nothing works, you’ll have to use it as your last resort. Simply block off their access to the cords.
You can hide the cords behind furniture so they won’t see them. If they don’t see it, they won’t be tempted to play with it.
In addition, there are countless cable management tools online that you could use to hide your cables from your dogs.
Why do dogs chew on electrical cords?
Dog owners need to know that chewing is a natural thing among dogs, as stated by ASPCA. It can stem from a lot of things and in some way, it can also be a good thing, especially for puppies when they are just growing their tiny teeth.
In order to be more informed, here are a couple of things as to why your dog can’t keep their mouth away from electrical cords:
Curiosity
Similar to toddlers, puppies like to explore things around them and this includes electrical cords that may seem appealing to them.
Chewing phase
The puppy chewing phase starts at around four months and it could typically last for two months. This is the stage where they will lose their puppy teeth and will chew on a lot of things to ease the discomfort.
Destructive behavior
The chewing stage may continue up until their adult stages if you don’t correct the behavior. They may think that chewing on electrical cords and other things is okay because they aren’t prohibited from doing so.
Boredom and separation anxiety
If a dog doesn’t get much exercise or time out of the house, it can grow bored. Similarly, if your dog isn’t used to being left alone in the house, it could result in separation anxiety which then might lead to constant chewing.
Dangers of chewing electrical cords?
Some dog owners might not see chewing as a serious matter but in contrary to this belief, it does pose dangerous risks when your dog chews on things like a plugged electrical cord. According to PetMD, electrocution could result to mild or severe health emergencies like the ones listed below:
- Drooling and salivation
- Pain and discomfort around the mouth area
- Minor burns in your dog's mouth
- Difficulty breathing
- Seizures
- Collapse
- Unconsciousness
- Irregular heartbeat
There may be delayed onset of signs after a day or two. Oftentimes, mild symptoms may get worse especially if burned skin becomes infected. Your pet may show an increased sign of pain and you may notice a foul smell coming from their mouth.
In worst case scenarios, some dogs may develop pulmonary edema because of damage to the lungs and in unfortunate incidents, this may lead to death due to cardiac arrest.
Final thoughts – Better Safe Than Sorry
Making sure that your home is a safe environment not only for humans but for your furry pals is important. We hope that you find all our suggestions helpful and that these will solve your troubles with electrical cords!
