It's easy to train your dog to be gentle with the carpets and furniture

It's agreed, we love dogs, no question. But there's one type we don't warm to quite so fast -- the pet who marks doors and savages carpets with impunity because he's gotten control of his owner's home. Dogs are in demolition mode and you've got to control them. If you can't get their obedience, be prepared to live with nervous tension every time he sidles up to that new chair!

While we all want our dogs to be the neat-and-tidy exception, dogs who chew and scratch the rugs and furniture can be found everywhere. They simply just don't seem to understand their owners' prayers that they would leave their wild side for when they're outside.

Why not? And you only have to take a few simple steps to stop all the cost and embarrassment brought on by this destructive behavior.

You can be certain your dog is demolishing your best furniture for a good reason. He is not upset and trying to repay you for something, as a spiteful child might when they are upset. Dogs don't do that -- after all they are man's best friend. No, a dog chews on furniture because he's been left alone without company, or hasn't been stimulated enough. Malice and revenge are not natural dog instincts.

Think about when you have an "attack of nerves". You probably clench your hands, or breathe quicker, or walk faster. Or, if you're bored, you will possibly stare out the window day dreaming, or go and find something to eat, or feel tired and lie down . These are natural reactions. Dogs have reactions to their emotions also. And chewing and ripping up the best furniture is one!

The trick with teaching your dog to express his emotions outside the house is to give him something you will permit him to savage. Give him a dog toy and show him that this is what he has to vent his emotions on and not your heirloom carpets and furniture.

Next step is to teach your dog to use the toy -- and not the back of a sofa or the doorpost of your house. Here's a simple tip for this: introduce a reward system when he's playing. So start playing with him. Encourage him to enjoy the new toy and reward him when he plays with it. Right then and there! Do this as many times as necessary. This will help your dog appreciate that the he doesn't need the carpet to enjoy himself. (

Your dog will also need help outside the home, because he can be just as destructive to your lawn as on your carpet. Build a play area somewhere, and train him to dig and scratch in that area, not your lawn.

Dogs are not dumb. They know your habits. If they realise that they are going to be treated to something they enjoy they will often get excited. They will rush around and your best carpet may very well get a nip or a tug. You can take advantage of this. Direct his emotional outpourings to his toys and show him how to substitute chewing on the carpet with attacking his toy.

Here's a simple way you can teach him this when you come home and he rushes to greet you, is to be cool and even distant until he picks up the toy in his mouth. If he doesn't have it, get him to carry his toy, and only then greet him. You'll be surprised how quickly he'll learn what you want him to do when you come home.

And this will help you help him to divert away from the furniture next time you come through the door.

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