Our puppy is now nearly four months old, and is chewing everything around the home, including furniture. Any ideas as to what I can do to stop this?



He is behaving in this way because he is teething. With his gums being sore, so he is chewing to try to ease the pain. This is likely to be an on-going problem for the next couple of months, so keep a watch on him as far as possible, and try not to scold him too much. The best thing to do will be to buy him toys or chews which he can use. Whenever he starts to gnaw something that he shouldn't, then give him one of his toys instead. He will soon come to recognise that these are for this purpose. The other thing which may help is to ensure that he has regular walks, because chewing can also sometimes be linked with boredom. Puppies will benefit from relatively short walks, two or even three times a day, rather than a weekly marathon. This not only gives them exercise, but the change of scenery also provides them with mental stimulation, as they learn more about the world around them. Try to vary the route for this reason.