
Dogs and chewing
There are many reasons why your dog may enjoy chewing. But it's important to give your dog a suitable outlet for this need.
Why do dogs chew?
All dogs need and enjoy chewing. Some dogs do it more than others, and most dogs will need to chew far more when they are puppies and adolescents. Puppies also have a huge desire to explore their environment and as they don’t have hands. Picking things up and chewing is one of the ways they can find out about the world they live in.
Although the desire to chew will gradually decrease as your dog gets older, it’s important to remember that most dogs need to chew throughout their lives - for pleasure, to exercise the jaw and to keep teeth clean.
How much they’ll need to chew will depend on the individual and often their breed type. Labradors and Staffordshire bull terriers seem to have a stronger need and desire to chew. Chewing is also a calming activity, and most dogs seem to find it immensely satisfying. So it’s important that you provide appropriate items to fulfill this need.
How do dogs benefit from chewing?
Relieving discomfort
Teething for puppies occurs between three and seven months of age when puppies need to chew to relieve some of the discomfort in their gums. Chewing also facilitates the removal of puppy teeth and the eruption of the adult set.
Once a young dog reaches adolescence (between seven and 12 months of age), they often have an uncontrollable desire to chew even more than they did when they were a puppy. This could be because it’s the time that the adult teeth settle into the jawbone. This can be uncomfortable for some dogs. Young dogs are also easily bored at this time, so it’s important that you meet their needs by providing the right amount of exercise and mental stimulation.
Stress relief
Chewing is a calming activity for dogs, and it helps release natural endorphins.
Mental stimulation
Chewing engages your dog’s brain and provides great mental enrichment as well as an outlet for very natural behaviour.
Boredom
Dogs left alone for long periods or not getting enough mental and physical stimulation are likely to become bored which can lead to destructive behaviour
Attention seeking
If your dog learns that chewing something forbidden (such as the TV remote) makes you get up and chase round the room, they can quickly learn that this is a great way to get attention.
An unbalanced diet
Some dogs may chew because of an unbalanced diet. For example, if they are not getting enough calcium, your dog may try to compensate by chewing stones or plaster. All dogs should be fed according to their age, weight, health and the amount of exercise they receive. Consult your vet for advice on the best diet for your dog.
Distress at being left alone
Some dogs cannot cope with being separated from their owners and are destructive when left.
More on separation anxiety in dogs
What is okay for dogs to chew?
To help satisfy your dog’s desire to chew and explore, it’s important to provide a variety of different items:
Unlike toys, chews are designed for nibbling and gnawing. They’re essential if you want your dog to chew on acceptable items instead of your furniture. Examples of chews include dental sticks, pressed hide and rawhide twists.
Most dog toys aren’t designed for hard chewing, and some will be easily damaged if you allow your dog to chew on them for too long. Your dog may also accidentally ingest some of the toy which could be very dangerous. It’s a good idea to tidy away toys when you aren’t there to supervise for these reasons.
However, it's important to leave at least one safe toy for them to play with at any time. A good choice for this purpose is a chew toy such as a Kong. This is a firm rubber toy, hollow on the inside and which can withstand lots of chewing. Kong toys can be bought from pet shops.
If you stuff biscuits inside the Kong or smear some cheese spread inside, your dog will work to get the food out, and will nibble, lick and chew on the toy for some time. Kongs are also good at stimulating play and chase behaviour, since they bounce unpredictably in different directions when thrown.
Tips to help your dog target the right item to chew
- Puppies and young dogs will need a bit of guidance from you on what is safe and okay to chew, and what is not.
- Rotate chews on a regular basis. Adding some novelty will ensure your dog doesn’t get bored and begin to target more interesting items (like your furniture or belongings).
- Any valuable possessions (such as wallets) or potentially dangerous items (such as scissors) should be removed from your dog’s reach when you are not there to supervise. Your dog may chew your best shoes or the remote control if these are within reach and you are not there to guide them.
- Don’t punish your dog for chewing the wrong thing as this may cause your dog to become frightened of you or anxious. If you notice your dog is about to chew or is in the middle of chewing something you don’t want them to, quietly direct attention onto an acceptable chew. Make a huge fuss when they begin to chew on it. This will encourage your dog to select the items you want to be chewed.
- If you provide a range of chews, plenty of play sessions and the opportunity to explore different environments and exercise well, you are well on the way to having a contented puppy that only chews the right things.
Dog chewing FAQs
It might be tempting to punish your dog for chewing items you don’t want them to, but this often makes the problem worse. They might not understand what they are being told off for, and this can make them worried.
It’s best to keep valuable items away from your dog and encourage them to chew the right items by following the above tips.
Some dogs chew certain items of ‘value’ as it is at this moment that they get your attention! This is common in dogs who may be a little bored and have a lot of excess energy to use up. Try and make sure you are meeting their exercise needs as well as providing lots of mental stimulation.
Chews can be given whenever you want to help your dog settle down.
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Reviewed
• 16 December 2024
Next review
• 16 December 2027