My Puppy Chewed My Shoe!

Tips to Curb Your Puppy’s Chewing

It’s nearly inevitable. You get a new puppy and things are going pretty well until she finds your shoe closet and destroys your favorite summer sling-backs, or until you arrive home one afternoon to find that one of your dining room chairs only has three legs now.

Why Do Puppies Chew?

Puppies chew for a variety of reasons. The biggest reason behind the incessant destruction of anything they can get their mouths on is simple discomfort. That’s right – just like human babies chew pacifiers and teething toys, puppies chew to ease teething pain. Take a peek inside your puppy’s mouth to get an idea of what he might be feeling as dozens of razor sharp teeth erupt through his gums. If the chewing is teething related, make sure to offer plenty of chew toys as alternatives to your belongings.

Puppies also chew out of boredom, to get attention, and to explore their environment.

Tips to Curb Puppy’s Chewing

To get your dog’s chewing under control, it’s a good idea to try to figure out what’s causing him to chew. If the answer is boredom or to get attention, here are some things to try:

1.    Don’t let the dog out of your sight. Use baby gates or other safe barricades to keep the dog from wandering from room to room.

2.    Use a dog crate when you’re not home. Dogs will chew anything in the room, including floor moldings and furniture, so gating the dog in a room while you’re not home isn’t enough to keep him from chewing anything he can sink his teeth into.

3.    Teach your puppy the “no bite” command and stick to it. Never allow him to bite humans, especially children. If your dog is too rough with kids, remove him from the situation.

4.    Don’t play tug of war. Any time a dog wins against a human in a game of dominance, he will assume his is the pack leader and he is in charge. This will undermine your ability to train him to respond appropriately to your commands.