Puppies chew on whatever they can get their mouths on.
They do this because dogs learn through their mouths and a puppy is just starting to discover his world.
Puppies chew for different reasons: for entertainment, to burn off energy, to appease curiosity or simply ease their teething. As puppies grow older, they generally grow out of it. However, during the time that the chewing is excessive, there are things you can do to limit damage:
- Supervision: Like caring for a child, know where your pup is and what he’s up to.
- Confinement: Limit you puppy to a safe and secure place, away from undesired items he may chew on, including electrical cords. You might want to consider crate training your pup.
- Incentive: Give him access to appropriate chew toys, if your pup then chews on the toys, praise him. Cheering you puppy’s actions will strengthen the desired behavior.
- Deterrent: If possible, treat inappropriate objects with a product designed to discourage chewing. Products like Grannick’s Bitter Apple(R) and Fooey(R) will give any object an awful taste.
Keep in mind that if the chew toy becomes torn or looks like pieces will fall off it’s time to replace the toy. Pet Supermarket offers a wide variety of toys for puppies, from plush comfort toys to hard durable chew toys. Come in for the right toy today!
