It was reported in the Straits Times on Friday 23 July 2010 (click here) that the owners of 'Butters' would be let off with a stern warning, issued by the Agri-Food & Veterinary Authority (AVA). The SPCA had appealed to the AVA to review its decision as it felt that this was not adequate. We had also asked the AVA to authorise SPCA Inspectors to conduct periodic checks on Butters, so that we could assist in ensuring that the owner provides the best possible care for the dog.

The AVA replied that it had conducted a thorough investigation on the facts of the case before deciding on the appropriate enforcement response. AVA’s findings through interviews, observations of the dog owners' behaviour and interaction with Butters, as well as veterinary examination of Butters revealed that the owners had no intention to harm Butters nor was there any lasting harm or injury inflicted. Nevertheless, AVA did not agree with the owners' method of disciplining Butters and AVA clearly warned them against such practices. AVA said it will follow up to check on the welfare of Butters and added that there is no necessity for SPCA to do the same.

The SPCA is very disappointed with this outcome and sincerely hopes that Butters' owners will learn from this experience, and refrain from such harsh methods of discipline in the future. We would also like to take this opportunity to advise pet owners who may be experiencing similar problems with their pets or who are keen to learn more about pet care.

As with all behavioural problems,the solution needs to address the following:

1. The cause of the problem. It's not enough to just stop the symptoms.
Why is the dog chewing e.g. Is it teething? Is it bored? Has the owner unintentionally enabled chewing, e.g. by leaving chewable objects within reach, and making a fuss when these are chewed? The latter reaction often becomes an unintentional reinforcer because if a dog is ignored when it's good, but it gets attention (even negative attention) when it misbehaves, then to the dog that has no alternative ways of interacting positively with the owner, even the negative attention is better than nothing.

2. Training for an acceptable alternative behaviour which can be reinforced positively which will make that behaviour more likely to be repeated.
If the dog is not permitted to chew on certain objects, one needs to provide alternative chew toys that the dog can, and must be encouraged to chew on. e.g. Kongs (available from pet accessory shops) stuffed with food treats, toys that hold water that can be frozen and provide cool relief for teething dogs. One would need to rotate these toys to keep them novel. In addition, owners should periodically play with the dog and the toys.

3. Managing the environment to reduce opportunities for the unwanted behaviour to be practised.
The best way to protect forbidden objects is to keep them out of reach of the dog. The choice of toys is also important: if you have a lot of soft fabrics that you don't want your dog to chew on, then don't give your dog plush toys.

4. Applying the above consistently and with patience.
Consistency: this is also key for the training to work. Everyone in the family needs to agree on what needs to be done and apply the plan consistently. It doesn't work if one member doesn't mind, and may even actively encourage the dog to play with a cushion, while another one scolds the dog for doing so.