DOGS who constantly cause household destruction by chewing the furniture, shoes, the remote control or the carpets etc, inflict much frustration upon their long suffering owners.

But there are ways to tackle such behaviour and hopefully enjoy a happier living relationship with your pet.

Firstly it must be recognised that young puppies will always chew - it is a natural instinct which cannot be stopped. They need to chew to build up their jaw muscles and exercise their developing teeth.

Their adult teeth will arrive between 4-6 months of age when 'teething' will be at its height. Puppies are also curious creatures and will chew things as a form of experimentation, discovering different tastes and textures. What needs to be done is to re-direct their natural chewing instinct onto objects which you don't mind being destroyed. Avoid old shoes or clothing as this may confuse the dog when he needs to decide which shoes etc are old and which are not. Dog toys of varying degrees of indestructibility are best.

It is also advisable to puppy-proof the puppy's living area as much as possible by removing any valuable or potentially harmful items such as sharp objects or electric wires. If it proves impossible to puppy-proof his area completely, then the use of a wire dogs home is the best solution, particularly during the night or if the pup needs to be left home alone.

Contrary to some beliefs, confining a dog in a wire crate (of suitable size) for certain periods is not at all cruel, and the dog actually benefits from it. It quickly establishes the area as its own territory and rather than seeing it as an area from which it can't escape, it becomes an area into which others can't come.

Adult dogs who display destructive chewing behaviour are a different matter from puppies. This behaviour almost always starts when the animal is left alone - either home alone or sometimes when alone in one room whilst the rest of the family are in another (typically at night time).

The behaviour can also be associated with barking or indoor fouling. It is thought it comes about from a combination of boredom, a fear of being abandoned and a desire for extra attention.

Dogs are not naturally lone creatures, they are pack animals, and need to be conditioned to being left alone. As long as they receive regular exercise and attention they can be taught to accept being alone for certain periods as a normal part of life.

To do this you need to begin with very short but convincing 'absences' (less than five minutes) and always reward the dog lavishly if no bad behaviour has occurred. If it has then show rejection by giving no attention for at least half an hour. This establishes you as the boss, or in the dog's eyes the pack leader who has the ability to reward or not depending upon behaviour.

By gradually increasing the length of time you're away, you should reach a stage where the dog understands what's expected of him and will be well behaved.

In addition there are unpleasant tasting sprays which can be applied to the objects most commonly attacked, and it is advisable to leave the dog with an object it knows, from previous play sessions, that it is allowed to chew.