Save Your Shoes! Teach Appropriate Chewing to Your Puppies

Puppies will destroy your shoes!

...and many other things you hold valuable. It's become the fear of many new puppy parents, but I promise puppies don't do it because they have some strange vendetta against your footwear!

To being solving the problem, the main thing to understand is:

Puppies NEED to chew!

My boy and his sister when they were just 6 week old foster puppies. They chewed anything and everything in my garden as they explored the world for the first time, and it was up to me to supervise and lure them away from anything harmful.

Here is a breakdown of developmental stages to look out for, so you can accommodate their needs and keep your valuables safe:

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• About 0-4 months old, they are discovering the world through their new baby teeth. They don't have fingers! Everything they learn is through their mouth. Instead of discouraging their chewing, you can allow them to explore. Just keep an eye out, and gently distract them away from anything dangerous. They will most likely lose interest in the majority of things quickly once they "discovered" them.

  
  

• About 4-6 months old, they are going to be teething! Losing those baby teeth as their adult teeth grow in can be extremely uncomfortable, and chewing helps with this process greatly! At this point, it is CRUCIAL that you provide chew toys, ice cubes, and safe chews to help them get through it. If you don't, they will often turn to destroying object, or even chewing on YOU! (read more about it in this post)

  
  

• About 0.5-2 years old, they need to work those new teeth often so they can settle into their growing jaws, and strengthen their jaw muscles. At this point, especially around the teenage, hormone-addled age of 10-ish months, they will be looking at absolutely anything to chew up. It's a physical need. Keep providing appropriate and safe things to chew, such as antlers, rope, rubber, and certain wood toys, bully sticks, and such.

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As you see, it's a very important part of their development, and if you don't provide them with a variety of things to chew on, until at least 1.5-2 years old, they will suffer for it and will be forced to turn to chewing on your valuables, furniture, sometimes even carpets and walls!

My friend's foster puppy Maeve preferred to chew rope toys such as the one pictured (available in our store). You can experiment with giving different options and materials for your puppy to chew, to find their favorites!

You can't begrudge them this, however...they are puppies, and they are doing what is natural to them. It is up to you to provide guidance and structure during this time in their development:

• Provide a safe space! When they first come home, provide a limited, safe space (such as a playpen or puppy-gated small room) for them to settle in and be able to safely stay in while they are resting or are unsupervised. There should be nothing to chew on here except for appropriate things you provide. This also helps begin gradual separation-anxiety training, and give them a safe space to wind down while over-stimulated.

  
  

• Puppy-proof your home! The simplest solution to prevent puppies from chewing things you don't want chewed is to keep them out of reach! My mentality is always this: "If the puppy chewed something they weren't supposed to, then I'm at fault for leaving it out for them." Practice putting things away, and you won't give them a chance to make a mistake! Always set the puppy up for success by controlling their environment, and they will form good habits for adulthood.

• Supervise! If you are worried about them accidentally ingesting something they aren't supposed to, or getting something stuck in their throat, there is a simple solution...supervise them! Let them try different things, but distract them away from things that might harm them, and be nearby to remove any object that might get stuck in their mouth or throat. Puppies are silly, and easily distracted. Just act excited about something else, and they will be right there, checking it out. That should give you time to remove the dangerous object, or block it off somehow.

• Reward good behavior, ignore the bad! The biggest thing people get wrong is making a big deal about it when the puppies chew on something they aren't supposed to, while ignoring when they are acting appropriately. Puppies don't understand "No!", yelling, chasing or swatting as a bad thing. They love ALL attention. So if they notice you paying attention to them while they are chewing something inappropriate, they will make a habit of it. Engage with them while they are chewing on appropriate toys, and ignore if they get ahold of something they aren't supposed to! This doesn't mean just let them destroy your valuables. You can distract them by getting up without even looking at them, going to an other room and making excited sounds or shaking a treat bag. Then when they are away from the object, put it away.

I hope this helps shed some light onto how to manage a very necessary and important developmental stage for your puppy! Keeping them from chewing is NOT the solution. Instead, take some simple steps in the beginning to create good habits for a lifetime!

My girl loves our Rubber Toothbrush Chew, AND it helps keep her teeth pearly white!

Please let me know if you have any questions in the comments, Follow us on Instagram for more blog post, fun products, and cute pet pictures and videos, and don't forget to sign up for our mailing list at the bottom of the page for more puppy tips in the future!