Puppy Advice

Puppy Chewing

It is normal for puppies to chew as they explore the world and cope with teething issues. They will chew anything close and accessible, including shoes, fingers, remote controls, their bed, and things they find on the floor. Teaching them to only chew acceptable items can save a lot of damage.

Is it play biting?

Sometimes chewing can be confused with puppy play biting. If your puppy is biting at your hands or mouthing them in play, please visit our play biting advice page instead.

Ouch! Why are you biting me?

Teething

Puppies grow their first set of 28 sharp, pointed teeth during their first 8 - 12 weeks of life. Once these are all grown, the puppy slowly begins to shed them (this usually begins at about 12 - 16 weeks of age) and grows 42 new ones that are larger and more blunt.

During the whole teething process, which is complete by the age of about the age of 6 - 7 months, most puppies will chew anything and everything! This is especially likely during times when gums feel strange or painful as new teeth are erupting and old teeth are falling out.

Relieving the pain of teething

For young puppies whose adult teeth are pushing through the gums and pushing out the baby teeth, cooling strong rubber toys in the fridge or freezer (wrapped in a plastic bag!) and then giving them when the puppy has settled down to chew can help to relieve the pain a little and have a soothing effect. In a similar way, freeze fresh minced meat or other foods into small cubes or balls and give to teething puppies to help cool and soothe their gums.

Exploration chewing

Puppies explore with their mouths in the same way as toddlers explore using their hands. Anything new will be investigated, first by sniffing, and then taking it into the mouth to chew. Exploration chewing happens during the first year and a half of life as puppies familiarise themselves with their new world and is particularly intense around adolescence (starting at about 6 - 7 months).

Don't chew

It's natural to be angry when your possessions are destroyed or damaged. However, punishing or telling your puppy off unfortunately won’t stop their need to chew. Instead, you may accidentally turn them into a secretive chewer, who only chews when you are not around. This can make it very difficult to teach your puppy what they should chew instead. Worse still, if they are regularly scolded for chewing, they may become frightened of you or react defensively when they have something to chew. Scolding and punishment will damage the relationship between you and your puppy so instead, spend time teaching them what they are allowed to chew instead.

How to teach appropriate chewing

Supervision
Puppies do not come with a manual of what they should and should not chew. You need to be there to supervise them at all times to ensure they do not make mistakes and learn to enjoy chewing things they shouldn’t.
Encourage and praise
Teach them to enjoy chewing items you provide. Encourage them to chew appropriate items when they want to settle down (they often do this before going to sleep).
Distraction
Distract them away from things you don’t want them to chew whenever you see that they want to settle down and chew (they often do this before going to sleep).
Plenty of chews
Provide plenty of chews at all times so there is always something available and easy to find if your puppy feels the need to chew.
Change it up
In addition, try to put a new chew down for your puppy each day so that they can enjoy the novelty. Pick chews up and keep them for a few days so that when you put them down again, they seem new and interesting. Ringing the changes in this way will keep your puppy interested in chewing appropriate items and they are less likely to stray onto other household objects. This is particularly important during adolescence when your puppy will have a strong desire to chew and can do more damage due to being larger.

How can your Puppy School Tutor help?

Because there are several reasons why your puppy may be chewing, it is important to work out the reason why they are doing it first. The topic of chewing is not something that is covered on the Puppy School syllabus but your tutor will be on hand to answer any questions you have and help you work out what might be going on.

In some cases they may recommend a home visit to provide additional 121 support and guidance for you, your family and your puppy.

Need more help?

There are some other reasons why dogs may start chewing, especially in older puppies, which need to be considered. Some chew because they are bored while others chew because they are frustrated and would like to get to something or anxious and would like to get away from something. If the chewing only occurs when they are left alone this may suggest a separation related problem.

Or it may be an issue related to diet or hunger e.g. if they habitually chew stones or ingest chewed material, or pain and discomfort e.g. they may lick or chew at the skin on the body part that is uncomfortable.

In these cases it is best to seek professional help fast. Your tutor will be able to help you find an Animal Behaviour and Training Council (ABTC) registered Clinical Animal Behaviourist when further advice and support is needed. Your tutor will also recommend you seek advice from your veterinary surgeon if a physical issue is suspected.

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