Puppy Chewing: How to Raise a Pup with Good Habits
Chewing is a natural and important part of your puppy's development, especially during teething when their new teeth need to break through the gums. Rather than discouraging chewing entirely, it's vital to guide your puppy towards appropriate chewing habits that protect your belongings and keep them safe.
How you manage your puppy's chewing from the beginning shapes their lifelong behaviour. This guide offers practical steps to nurture positive chewing habits and avoid common pitfalls.
1. Provide Appropriate Chew Toys
Start by offering a variety of safe, stimulating chew toys designed specifically for puppies. These toys, often made of durable rubber, come in different shapes, sizes, and textures to suit different chewing needs. For puppies actively teething (usually between 3 to 6 months), these toys help relieve gum discomfort and satisfy their urge to chew.
Rotate toys to keep your puppy interested and reassess their preferences as they grow. Choose toys without small parts that could become choking hazards to promote safe chewing.
2. Puppy-Proof Your Home
Protect both your puppy and your possessions by removing or securely storing tempting items within their reach. Common targets include shoes, electrical cords, children's toys, and valuable furniture. Reducing access to inappropriate objects decreases the chance of destructive chewing and potential health risks from ingesting unsafe materials.
If your puppy fixates on a particular household item, consider introducing a similar but safe chew toy as a substitution.
3. Redirect Inappropriate Chewing with Substitutes
When your puppy starts chewing something they shouldn't, calmly take the object away without turning it into a game of tug or chase. Instead, offer an acceptable chew toy immediately to redirect their attention.
Teach them to surrender objects politely by using commands and rewarding compliance with praise and treats. This strengthens their understanding of boundaries and resource sharing, promoting respectful behaviour.
4. Consistently Correct Unwanted Chewing
If you catch your puppy chewing something inappropriate, address it instantly. Take the item away and redirect them to their chew toys without allowing any ambiguity. Consistent rules help avoid confusion and frustration, making training clearer and more effective.
5. Incorporate Chew Toys into Crate Training
Crate training helps your puppy feel secure when left alone and can be combined with chewing management. Place suitable chew toys in or near the crate. Offering a special chew toy with some tasty treat paste encourages your pup to see the crate as a positive, rewarding space.
6. Keep Your Puppy Mentally Stimulated
While chewing naturally starts during teething, it often continues as a habit or boredom relief. Be mindful not to substitute your interaction time with chew toys alone. Engage your puppy with interactive play, training sessions, and puzzle toys to fulfil their need for mental stimulation and prevent boredom-induced chewing.
7. Provide Plenty of Physical Exercise
A well-exercised puppy is less likely to develop destructive behaviours like inappropriate chewing. Regular, age-appropriate exercise helps your puppy burn energy and feel content. Avoid over-exercising, but aim for consistent physical activity to promote their wellbeing and good behaviour.
8. Monitor Your Puppy's Dental Health
Keep an eye on how your puppy's teeth are developing. If you notice difficulties breaking through the gums, misaligned or missing teeth, it's best to consult your vet promptly. Early intervention can prevent long-term dental issues that might affect chewing behaviour and overall health.
Additional Expert Tips
- Avoid using your own personal items like old shoes or socks as chew toys, as this can confuse your puppy about what is acceptable to chew.
- Supervise your puppy closely in new environments to catch and redirect inappropriate chewing early.
- Teach commands such as "Leave it" to improve control over your puppy's chewing choices.
- Be patient and consistent – forming good chewing habits takes time but pays off in a well-behaved adult dog.
Considerations When Finding a Puppy
When looking to find a puppy, choose reputable breeders or adoption centres who prioritise the health and socialisation of their puppies. Healthy puppies with early socialisation tend to adapt better to training, including establishing good chewing habits.
By combining these strategies with love and consistency, you will lay the foundation for your puppy to grow into a well-mannered, contented adult dog with good chewing habits that protect your home and their health.
Why Do Puppies Chew So Much?
Understanding the root causes of chewing helps you tackle the problem more effectively. Puppies chew for a range of reasons beyond simple teething:
- Teething discomfort: Between three and seven months, incoming adult teeth cause gum soreness. Chewing relieves this pain and helps loosen puppy teeth.
- Exploration: Puppies use their mouths to investigate the world, much as young children use their hands. Everything unfamiliar is a potential chew item.
- Boredom and excess energy: A puppy with insufficient exercise or mental stimulation will find its own entertainment — often at the expense of your furniture.
- Stress relief: Chewing triggers the release of natural endorphins. Dogs in stressful situations or left alone for long periods frequently turn to chewing as a coping mechanism.
- Attention-seeking: If your puppy learns that grabbing the TV remote causes you to jump up and interact with them, however briefly, they will repeat the behaviour.
- Nutritional deficiencies: In some cases, chewing on unusual items such as stones or plaster can indicate a dietary imbalance, particularly a calcium deficiency. Consult your vet if you notice this pattern.
Knowing which trigger is driving your puppy's chewing allows you to address it directly — whether that means increasing exercise, improving enrichment, or reviewing their diet.
Safe Chews vs. Unsafe Chews: What to Give Your Puppy
Not all chews are created equal, and choosing the wrong one can pose a serious health risk. Here is a quick guide to help you decide:
Generally safe options:
- Solid rubber toys (such as Kong) stuffed with dog-safe paste or treats
- Rope toys — though always supervise, as loose fibres can be swallowed
- Dental sticks and pressed chews designed for puppies
- Frozen carrots or specially made frozen puppy chews for teething relief
Items to avoid:
- Cooked bones — these splinter easily and can perforate the digestive tract
- Rawhide of poor quality — a choking risk and difficult to digest for young puppies
- Hard nylon toys marketed as indestructible — they can crack teeth, particularly in puppies
- Old shoes, socks, or household clothing — these train your puppy that human belongings are fair game
Always supervise your puppy with a new chew until you are confident it is safe, and replace any item that starts to break into small pieces. When in doubt, ask your vet or a qualified dog behaviourist for a recommendation suited to your puppy's age, size, and chewing intensity.
Puppy chewing frequently asked questions
Why is my 8-month-old puppy still chewing everything?
At eight months, many puppies are entering adolescence — a phase when the adult teeth are settling into the jawbone, which can cause discomfort similar to teething. Adolescent dogs also have high energy levels and can become bored easily. Ensure your puppy is getting sufficient physical exercise and mental stimulation, and continue to provide appropriate chew toys to redirect the behaviour.
What should I not do when my puppy chews something they shouldn't?
Avoid shouting at or physically punishing your puppy. They are unlikely to understand what they are being told off for, and punishment typically increases anxiety — which can make chewing worse. Instead, calmly remove the item and offer an appropriate alternative. Consistent, positive redirection is far more effective than scolding.
How long does the puppy chewing phase last?
The most intense chewing associated with teething generally settles by around six to seven months, once the adult teeth have fully come through. However, many dogs continue to enjoy chewing throughout their lives. The goal is not to eliminate chewing entirely but to establish clear habits about what is and is not acceptable to chew.
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