Emily: Hi Alex! How's your new puppy, Max, doing?
Alex: Hey Emily! Max is doing well overall, but he's been barking a lot lately, especially when someone comes to the door.
Emily: Ah, that's common with puppies. They're often trying to alert you. Have you tried any techniques to manage his barking?
Alex: Not really. I've just been telling him to stop, but it doesn't seem to work.
Emily: You might want to try positive reinforcement instead. Whenever he's quiet, give him a treat or praise him. That way, he'll learn that being quiet gets rewarded.
Alex: That sounds like a good idea! What about chewing? Max seems to chew on everything.
Emily: Chewing is natural for puppies. Make sure he has plenty of chew toys and bones to redirect his chewing behavior. Whenever you catch him chewing on something he shouldn't, simply replace it with a toy and praise him when he chews on that instead.
Alex: Got it. And what about scratching? Max has been scratching up the furniture.
Emily: Scratching is another natural behavior for pets, especially cats. You can try providing scratching posts or pads for him to use instead. Also, discourage him from scratching furniture by using double-sided tape or aluminum foil on the areas he likes to scratch.
Alex: Thanks, Emily! These tips are really helpful. I'll give them a try with Max.
Emily: No problem, Alex! Let me know if you need any more advice.
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