How To Stop Dogs Chewing Skirting Boards | Training & Sprays
Posted by Lee Watkinson on 15th May 2025
Finding teeth marks on your skirting boards is a familiar frustration for many dog owners. This guide explores why dogs target skirting boards and provides practical, humane solutions to protect both your home and your dog's wellbeing.
Expert Insight: This article features advice from Kate LaSala, CTC, CBCC-KA, PCBC-A, CSAT, a certified dog behaviour consultant specialising in fear, aggression, and separation anxiety. Kate emphasises that chewing is a form of communication, not misbehaviour, and requires humane, management-based solutions.
Why Dogs Target Skirting Boards
Dogs chew for many natural reasons. It helps them explore their world, maintain dental health, strengthen their jaws, and relieve boredom or anxiety. For puppies, chewing also soothes the discomfort of teething.
When this natural behaviour is directed toward household items like MDF skirting boards, it's not "bad behaviour" but often a sign that something is missing in their environment or routine.
"If the dog is chewing on inappropriate items, he's communicating his needs are not being met and no species should be punished for communicating."
— Kate LaSala, Certified Dog Behavior Consultant
What makes skirting boards appealing to dogs?
Several factors make skirting boards particularly attractive to dogs:
- Convenient height: They're positioned right at a dog's mouth level, making them easily accessible.
- Satisfying texture: Materials like wood or MDF provide resistance that feels good on a dog's teeth and gums.
- Natural appeal: Wooden skirting has a scent and texture similar to sticks, which dogs naturally enjoy chewing outdoors.
- Anxiety location: Dogs with separation anxiety often target areas near exit points like door frames and nearby skirting boards.
How common is the problem?
Research from the UK shows that even at just six months of age, 3.5% of puppies have damaged skirting boards when left alone, according to a study published in the scientific journal PLOS ONE studying separation-related behaviours in dogs.
The broader issue of separation-related behaviours, which includes destructive chewing, affects between 17-22% of all dogs according to research from the University of Bristol.
The financial impact is significant. According to research by Money Supermarket, UK dog owners collectively spend over £1.7 billion annually on household damage caused by their pets, with an average of £164 per dog spent on repairs each year (Money Supermarket, 2023).
Management: The First Line of Defence
Prevention through management is the most effective and humane approach to protecting your skirting boards. By limiting access to tempting items, you stop the behaviour from being practised and reinforced.
Creating a dog-proofed environment
- Use baby gates or exercise pens to restrict access to rooms with vulnerable skirting when you can't supervise.
- Consider crate training for short periods when you're unable to monitor your dog (if they're comfortable with crates).
- For persistent chewers, create a specific dog-safe zone with appropriate toys and no access to skirting.
- Block access to areas where chewing has been focused using furniture or temporary barriers.
Meeting Your Dog's Chewing Needs
Dogs that chew skirting boards are usually looking for something specific – a hard, satisfying chew surface. Soft toys won't fulfil this urge. Providing appropriate alternatives is essential.
Addressing underlying causes
Persistent chewing, especially when focused on exit points like door frames and nearby skirting, can signal deeper issues:
Separation Anxiety
A diagnosed panic disorder where dogs experience extreme distress when left alone. Signs include chewing around doors, excessive drooling, and vocalisation.
Boredom
Under-stimulated dogs may turn to destructive behaviours to entertain themselves. This is particularly common in high-energy or working breeds.
Medical Issues
Conditions like pica (compulsive eating of non-food items) require veterinary diagnosis. Digestive issues or nutritional deficiencies can also manifest as chewing.
"Dogs may also be destructive if they have anxiety. Separation anxiety is a diagnosed panic disorder in dogs where they have a panic attack when left alone, often resulting in exit point destruction of windows and door frames, sometimes to the point of self-injury."
— Kate LaSala, Certified Dog Behavior Consultant
For severe cases of anxiety or compulsive chewing, consulting a veterinarian and a certified dog behaviour consultant is crucial. Treatment might include behaviour modification training and, in some cases, anti-anxiety medication.
Material Considerations
While addressing your dog's behaviour is the primary solution, understanding how different skirting materials fare against chewing can help you make informed decisions about your home.
| Material | Chew Resistance | Pros & Cons |
|---|---|---|
| MDF | Low to Medium | Common and cost-effective, but easily damaged by determined chewers. Difficult to repair once gouged. |
| Solid Wood | Low (Softwood) Medium (Hardwood) |
Natural appeal may attract dogs. Hardwoods offer better resistance than pine. Can usually be repaired and refinished. |
| Modern Polymers | High | Durable and scratch-resistant. More expensive than standard options but offer better protection. |
Protective solutions
If your dog has started targeting your skirting boards, you have several options:
- Skirting board covers: Our covers can fit over existing skirting, providing a fresh appearance while concealing damage. This is often simpler than complete replacement.
- Corner protectors: Metal fittings that shield vulnerable skirting corners from damage.
- Bespoke solutions: For repeatedly damaged areas, consider our bespoke skirting options which can be made to match your existing skirting while providing a fresh start.
Remember that physical barriers should complement, not replace, proper management and addressing your dog's needs. A determined dog might still find ways around these protections if underlying issues aren't addressed.
Repairing Damaged Skirting
For minor to moderate damage, DIY repair is often possible without replacing entire skirting sections.
The approach varies based on your skirting material, with MDF requiring particular care due to its tendency to "fluff up" when damaged.
For successful repairs, you'll need:
- Wood filler (two-part epoxy for deeper damage)
- Sandpaper (various grits)
- Shellac-based primer (especially for MDF)
- Paint matched to your skirting colour
- Basic tools: putty knife, paintbrush, etc.
When to replace instead of repair: For extensive damage affecting large sections, multiple areas, or if the structural integrity of the skirting is compromised, replacement is often more practical than repair. Our skirting boards are available in a wide range of profiles and materials to match your existing design, and our skirting board covers offer a simple solution to conceal damage without complete replacement.
What Not To Do: Avoiding Harmful Approaches
When confronted with damaged skirting boards, it's natural to feel frustrated. However, certain common reactions can make the situation worse and damage your relationship with your dog.
"Do not spray the dog with water or use any taste deterrent. Not only can these things have long-term behavioral fallout effects, they do nothing to teach the dog what to do that is appropriate... punishing the dog with foul tasting spray because you didn't properly manage his environment and set him up for success is inhumane."
— Kate LaSala, Certified Dog Behavior Consultant
Instead of these counterproductive approaches, focus on the positive strategies outlined earlier: management, meeting your dog's needs, and providing appropriate alternatives. For persistent issues, seek help from a certified dog behaviour consultant or veterinarian with experience in behaviour problems.
Creating a Chew-Resistant, Dog-Friendly Home
Protecting your skirting boards from dog damage requires a thoughtful, multi-faceted approach that considers both your home and your dog's needs.
Start with management - prevent access to vulnerable areas when you can't supervise. Address your dog's physical and mental needs with appropriate exercise, mental stimulation, and suitable chew toys that satisfy the urge to gnaw on hard surfaces.
For damaged skirting boards, we offer several solutions:
- Skirting board covers: A quick solution that fits over your existing skirting boards, hiding damage without the need for complete removal.
- Bespoke skirting boards: Custom-made to match your existing skirting or to create a new look, perfect for replacing severely damaged sections.
- Standard skirting boards: Our wide range of profiles and materials provides options for any home style.
Most importantly, understand that chewing is communication, not misbehaviour. Your dog isn't being malicious - they're expressing an unmet need. By focusing on humane, positive approaches rather than punishment, you'll build a stronger relationship with your dog while protecting your home.
Need to replace damaged skirting?
Browse our range of skirting board options, including covers that can be installed right over damaged areas for a quick and attractive solution.
References
- Mubanga, et al. (2023). Prevalence and risk factors for separation-related problem behavior in dogs enrolled in a UK birth cohort. PLOS ONE, 18(11).
- Woodward, et al. (2022). Impact of Changes in Time Left Alone on Separation-Related Behaviour in UK Pet Dogs. Animals, 12(5), 599.
- Money Supermarket. (2023). Pet causing damage? Make sure you're covered.
- Novuna Personal Finance. (2023). Pet damage in the home.