Why Does My Dog Chew on My Other Dogs Ears? Find Out!

Okay, so you wanna know why my dog, Buster, keeps chomping on my other dog, Daisy's, ears? It's been a whole thing, and I've been trying to figure it out for ages. Let me walk you through what I did.

First, I observed. Like, really observed. I'm talking full-on dog behavior detective here. I started noting when it happened. Was it during playtime? When they were chilling? Was there a specific time of day? Turns out, it was mostly happening when they were both kinda bored and looking for attention, especially in the evenings.

Then, I tried to figure out what was triggering it. At first, I thought it was dominance stuff. Buster's a bigger dog, maybe he was trying to show Daisy who's boss. But then I noticed it wasn't aggressive at all. He wasn't growling or snapping, just gently...munching. It looked more like grooming, but, uh, excessive grooming.

Next, I tried the distraction method. Whenever I saw Buster going for Daisy's ears, I'd interrupt. "Buster, leave it!" and offer him a toy or a chew. This worked...sometimes. He'd get distracted for a bit, but then he'd go right back to the ears. It was like an addiction or something.

So, I upped the ante. I started increasing their exercise. I figured, maybe he's got pent-up energy. More walks, more playtime, puzzle toys, the whole shebang. This actually helped a little. A tired dog is a good dog, right? He chewed less when he was properly exhausted.

I also talked to my vet. She checked Daisy's ears to make sure there wasn't anything medically wrong – like an infection or irritation that was attracting Buster's attention. Turns out, Daisy's ears were perfectly healthy. The vet suggested it could be a behavioral thing, possibly related to anxiety or boredom, and recommended consulting a certified dog trainer.

Okay, time to swallow my pride and admit I needed help. I booked a session with a trainer. She watched them interact and confirmed my suspicions: Buster was bored and seeking attention, and Daisy, bless her heart, was just putting up with it. The trainer suggested a few things:

• More mental stimulation for Buster. Think puzzle toys, training sessions, snuffle mats – anything to keep his brain busy.
• Separate playtimes. Make sure Daisy gets her own attention and isn't always in Buster's shadow.
• A firm "leave it" command. And consistently enforcing it. This meant being vigilant and ready to intervene.
• Rewarding Buster for not chewing. Catch him being good and shower him with praise and treats.

I implemented all of this. It was a lot of work. Keeping Buster entertained was practically a full-time job. But slowly, things started to improve. The "leave it" command became more effective. He started choosing his toys over Daisy's ears. And Daisy seemed a lot happier too.

It's still a work in progress, but honestly, it's night and day. The key was understanding the root cause. It wasn't about dominance, it was about boredom and attention-seeking. Once I addressed those issues, the ear-chewing started to subside.

So, yeah, that's my dog ear-chewing saga. Hope it helps anyone else dealing with the same weirdness! Good luck!