It’s so frustrating! Your dog is chewing on your nightstand! What is going on when they do things like this? Why does your dog chew on your nightstand? Will sprays stop it, or how about weird home remedy solutions like VapoRub or hot sauce?

Today, we’re going to answer all of these (sometimes strange) questions, and most importantly, we’ll tell you exactly how to stop your dog from chewing on the nightstand. Soon, you’ll have this confusing and obnoxious problem behind you. So let’s not delay fixing your issue any longer and get started on our article “How to Stop My Dog From Chewing on My Nightstand!”

Why Does My Dog Chew On My Nightstand?

Your dog chews on your nightstand because they’re experiencing separation anxiety. Chewing your nightstand releases endorphins which help to soothe your dog during these worrying times. Other less likely possibilities are general stress, boredom, and teething if your dog is under six months old.

Pica, or the consumption of non-food objects, is a small possibility, but unlikely as it usually shows itself in the eating of things that carry their owner’s scent. While dogs can smell significantly better than we can and your nightstand likely does carry your scent, there are many more attractive options for your dog to go after if they’re suffering from this uncommon problem.

Dogs experience separation anxiety either because they can’t feel safe without a particular person, or they feel like they must be around to protect this person at all times.

While it may seem like sprays are a good quick-fix option if your dog is chewing on your nightstand, they are not. That’s because they’re ineffective, can damage your nightstand, and for some dogs will actually make them more attracted to chewing there. Furthermore, you won’t be solving the underlying issue.

Without proper treatment, your dog’s problem will only grow and escalate. Before long, they’ll also be chewing your door frames, chewing on the sofa, and in some cases even looking for strange outlets like chewing on the walls. To stop your dog from chewing on your nightstand, you need to use behavioral training. Skip to the last section now where we’ll go over how to do that.

Will Sprays Stop Dogs from Chewing on Nightstands?

Sprays will not stop dogs from chewing on nightstands. These are proven to be ineffective at best, and even if you do see some success with them, you won’t be treating the issue which is causing this destructive behavior in the first place. Your problem will remain, it will just shift itself to showing in other areas. Sprays can also damage your nightstand’s finish.

Does VapoRub or Hot Sauce Stop Dogs Chewing on Nightstands?

VapoRub or hot sauce will not stop dogs chewing on nightstands. Vicks VapoRub contains camphor, which is poisonous to dogs. Many hot sauces are also toxic for dogs.

These types of DIY remedies to stop dogs chewing on nightstands may sound like an attractive quick-fix, but they rarely work and there’s a very strong possibility they’ll actually make your dog more attracted to the area.

How to Stop Dog Chewing on Nightstand

To stop your dog chewing on the nightstand, immediately let out a calm but firm “no.” Do not yell or loudly clap, as this will scare your dog and only make their anxiety worse. Next, put them into time-out in their crate or a closed-off room for 10 minutes. You can then let them out, but repeat as necessary if they begin chewing the nightstand again.

Be sure that anyone else who spends time with your dog is following these steps as well so that your dog is getting consistent feedback on their behavior. To give them a proper outlet for their chewing, give them a quiet chew toy. It’s also a good idea to give your dog plenty of playtime and exercise, as boredom could be the cause of the chewing for some dogs.

With patience and consistency, your dog should get the message that chewing on the nightstand gets them negative results. But you’ll still need to address what was causing your problem in the first place, and to do that we need to discuss what makes dogs tick to begin with.

You’ve probably heard before that dogs are pack animals, and that in every pack there is a pack leader. When your dog chews on the nightstand — regardless of whether it’s due to separation anxiety, boredom, or teething — and then doesn’t obey your commands to stop, they are clearly telling you that they don’t respect you in this role.

If they did, they wouldn’t get stressed when you weren’t around. They would behave when they were bored or wanting to bite on something. And they would respect your commands to not engage in destructive behaviors like chewing on your nightstand.

But once you’ve shown your dog that you are not just their pack leader, but a capable one who must be respected, they’ll stop chewing on your nightstand, and you’ll be able to stop all of the other related behavioral issues you’re likely experiencing (or will be soon).

You’ll be better off for obvious reasons, but your dog will be too. That’s because you’ll have lifted all of the stress and anxiety that comes with pack leader confusion right off of their little shoulders. You’re happier. Your dog’s happier. Everyone wins.

Sounds great, right?

“Of course, but how am I supposed to do this?”

You should watch an excellent free video series on this exact subject — how to be your dog’s pack leader — by a renowned trainer named Dan. In his series, he’ll show you everything you need to know in ways that are very simple to understand and he gets right to the point so that you’ll start seeing these crucial results with your dog before you know it.

Start watching Dan’s free training series now by clicking here. And don’t stress, because you’re not going to have to be mean or even yell at your four-legged friend. Dan never uses those types of methods because humane and loving teaching is the only way — and the fastest way — to achieve permanent changes in your dog’s behavior.

I’m sure you’re ready to see this wonderful transformation in your dog, so I’ll let you get started now. Good luck with everything, and thank you for reading our article “How to Stop My Dog From Chewing on My Nightstand.”