Why Do Puppies Chew on Everything?

Before we get into why puppies chew on everything, let’s get your stuff protected!  Puppies like to chew furniture, wood, leather, shoes and virtually anything else they can get into their mouths.  Until you get handle on your puppy’s chewing, keep the house tidy and remove everything chewable from your puppy’s reach.

Don’t leave your puppy unsupervised when you’re home, and when you’re not, consider putting your puppy in one room free of things to chew on until you get home.

Until you get your puppy’s chewing under control, Crate training your puppy can also be useful.  However, crating a puppy has to be done properly.   Click HERE to request a free, step-by-step puppy crate training tutorial from Professional Dog Trainer, Doggy Dan.

Please take necessary steps to prevent your puppy from being harshly punished after destroying someone’s loved or valuable possessions.

At the end of this post, I’ll tell you about Doggy Dan’s super effective puppy training program called, The Perfect Puppy Program.

WATCH MY VIDEO: why do puppies chew on everything?

Why Do Puppies Chew on Everything?

Teething. Just like babies, puppies will chew when they’re teething.  This usually ends when their adult teeth come in at about six months of age. You can help relieve teething pain by providing chew toys that can be frozen.

You can find a selection of these HERE.  You can also find puppy teething rings HERE. If your puppy is chewing on something of yours, redirect him to his chew toy.

Boredom. Puppies will chew because they’re bored, and there’s nothing else to do.  Make sure your puppy is getting enough exercise, enough walks and enough play time, and make sure he always has appropriate chew toys available.

You might also provide some interactive toys that will help keep him busy and entertained.  You can find a selection of puppy interactive toys HERE.

Separation anxiety.  If your puppy is having a problem with destructive chewing, he might be having a more serious issue like separation anxiety.  You might recognize this if your puppy usually destroys things when left alone, especially if they’re chewing around doors or windows, or if they’re also scratching around doors or windows.

Puppies suffering from separation anxiety can show symptoms such as drooling, panting, yelping, and peeing or pooping when left alone.  You might start by teaching your puppy how to be alone.  Here’s a video on how to do this, step-by-step.

WATCH MY VIDEO

Puppies With Anxiety

Puppies will sometimes chew because they’re anxious. For in-depth information about how why dogs are anxious, what the symptoms are, and step-by-step instructions on how to solve it, read my article (includes video), How to Calm Dogs with Anxiety – Why They’re Anxious and How to Solve It.

How to Stop a Puppy From Chewing

As a recap, here are the steps on how to stop your puppy from chewing:

1.  Puppy proof your home
2.  Show them what they can chew on (provide appropriate chew toys)
3.  Redirect them to their chew toys if they’re chewing on something they shouldn’t
4.  Engage in play time with your puppy – provide enough exercise
5.  Address anxiety issues

Here’s a step-by-step video from Doggy Dan on redirecting your dog to his own chew toys.

WATCH THE VIDEO

Puppy Chewing Can Be Dangerous

Puppies chewing on things other than their own, puppy-safe toys isn’t just destructive; it can be dangerous for your puppy.  Puppies have eaten poisons and medications that have led to death.  Puppies have been electrocuted due to chewing on electrical cords.

A puppy swallowing small objects can result in intestinal blockages that require expensive surgery and can be fatal.  So taking the steps described in this article to stop puppy chewing will not only save your stuff, but may also save your puppy’s life.

When Do Puppies Stop Chewing Everything?

Most puppies will stop chewing everything once their baby teeth have fallen out and their adult teeth have come in, usually at around 7 months of age.  Of course, they’re still quite young at 7 months, so continue to monitor your puppy and realize they’ll still want to explore and get into stuff until they’re an adult.  This sort of behavior should greatly reduce by the time they’re a year old.

Be Patient With Your Puppy

Don’t punish your puppy for chewing.  It’s ineffective, and doesn’t teach the puppy how to behave properly.  Spanking or hitting your puppy may only make the chewing worse and your puppy may become even more destructive (not to mention fearful of you).

I believe it’s our responsibility as pet owners to educate ourselves on the reasons why our pets are behaving a certain way, and to take the appropriate steps to solve any issues.

Need More Puppy Training Help?

If you’d like the best advice on how to train a puppy, check out Doggy Dan’s Perfect Puppy Program.  Doggy Dan is a Professional Dog Trainer and Behavioral Specialist, and the creator of the dog training website, The Online Dog Trainer.

This program includes five step-by-step exercises that will leave your puppy calm, attentive, and ready for training.  The program includes getting started, general health, socializing, and behavioral issues such as mouthing, potty training, biting and command training.

It includes 31 videos where Doggy Dan demonstrates puppy training techniques step-by-step (plus articles and PDF downloads).  You’ll also receive access to Project Moses, a complete video diary of Doggy Dan raising his Beagle puppy, Moses, from 8 weeks to 8 months old.

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For More About Puppy Training, CLICK HERE.