Obedience training tips for August 2007.      CHEWING & OTHER DESTRUCTIVE BEHAVIOR   When dogs are being left alone, destructive behavior resulted as a manifestation of mental & physical boredom brought on by this loneliness. Puppies should not be allowed to develop this habit as it will eventually become a BIG problem as they get older.    Here are some tips to curb your dog’s destructive habit:    A) Limit his space – make sure he has nothing to destroy in the surrounding eg: crate / play pen / room with only his toys.    B) Make his toys more desirable than other things in the house by adding nice flavour to his toys eg: soaking his toy in chicken/beef/lamb broth before giving to him.   C) Make other objects repulsive in taste to him by applying   Bitter apple spray  Tabasco sauce  Cayenne pepper  Aloe Vera gel   D) Offer him a nice irresistible cooked big Ox-tail or Pork knuckle to chew before u leave the house. Avoid chicken bones or other smaller bones as you don’t want him to be choked on it.   E) *Leave the radio on playing soft soothing music or recorded human voice. *Offer him an old shirt/towel or anything of your smell when on one is at home to reduce his separation anxiety & allay his fears.   Good piece of advice from Faith.