How to stop a dog from chewing The Crate Tray?

We all love our fur buddies like crazy. There are no second thoughts on this. But our pups can sometimes become a real pain. 

Most of us, at some point, have gone through the miserable experience of stuff being chewed up by our dogs.

It can be really frustrating when you get home after a long, tiresome day at work, and you come to your doggy’s crate for some “me” time, and while peaking into the dog crate, you see your dog chewing the crate tray!

We know, the feeling is terrible! 

So, how to stop a dog from chewing the crate tray?

Dogs can chew crate trays for various reasons, including teething, anxiety, boredom, or a lack of stimulation or exercise.

While annoying at the parent’s end, chewing on a crate tray can also be hazardous to a dog’s life. 

Apart from severe vomiting and indigestion issues, the chewed-up plastic from the tray can also cause obstructions in a dog’s stomach and intestines, and an innocent life can also be lost.

The solutions to this behavior include choosing the right non-chewable tray material like steel, deterring sprays, doing a lot of physical and mental exercises, and providing adequate chew toys in the crate.

Read on to find out how to put an end to this bad and somewhat life-threatening habit.

We will also discuss the underlying causes behind dog chewing crate trays and some quick fixes!

Getting an Understanding of the Behavior

First and foremost, you need to check everything off the list below.

The reasons behind why your pup may be chewing those crate trays can be many:

• Your pup may have started teething
• Your dog may be bored in his crate
• Your dog may have separation anxiety
• Your furball may have a lack of mental and physical stimulation

Thoroughly assess your dog. If you face problems finding an underlying reason behind tray chewing, you must consult a professional vet. After all, your fur buddy’s life may be on the line.

Preventative Measures

If you have selected a non-chewable crate tray material, your dog won’t be able to chew on it. Dogs involved in this habit may try their luck several times but eventually give up!

You have to add some chew toys to his crate as well. Your buddy is bound to get bored easily. And when he does, he must have a toy to chew and play with and move his focus away from the tray.

There is no need to do all of the above if your dog isn’t getting enough stimulation and exercise, both physical and mental. Doubled with good crate training, there is no way your dog will have that extra energy left in him for any destruction.

Intervening Strategies

Many products are available on the market to help your dog disassociate himself from bad chewing/licking habits. Bitter apple sprays may come in handy, and aluminum foils can also make the taste of trays bitter. 

When your dog tries to chew on it, he will experience a ‘yucky!’ taste and never think of repeating it again!

Wrapping Up: Consistency is Key!

That sums up our two cents on how to stop a dog from chewing on a crate tray!

You must remember that understanding the underlying behavior plus applying the right preventative measures can set you free from this frustrating behavior once and for all.

You must persevere in this regard. This problem can only be solved after consistently applying a trial and error approach of using different combos of the above strategies until you reach a combo that suits you and your pal!

Like what you read? Visit our other articles for amazing insights on Dog Kennels, Crates, and Houses!