Bringing home a new puppy can be exciting for any owner. This new addition can bring great joy to your household. However, they may also bring some challenges alongside with them. Many new puppy owners quickly become acquainted with their pooch’s hyperactive behavior. This includes activities such as excessive chewing. 

It’s not uncommon for young canines to chew on different items around your home obsessively. This behavior can be a mild annoyance at best, and a destructive headache at worst. Owners should strive to address this problem quickly to protect the well-being of their puppy as well as their furniture. This guide will discuss why your pet may be engaging in this behavior, and how to stop a puppy from chewing. 

Why Do Puppies Chew on Things?

Puppies chew on different objects for a variety of reasons. This includes:

Teething

Many young animals including dogs experience a period of discomfort after their baby teeth fall out and before their adult teeth emerge. This “teething” period can be painful for your pet, and typically lasts until they are six months of age. During this time, you pooch may get the urge to chew on various objects around your household. Their item of choice may include your favorite pair of slippers, your couch’s wooden leg, or even the wires around your television. 

Separation Anxiety

A less common, but potentially more destructive type of chewing behavior is caused by separation anxiety. If you puppy feels stressed when you are away from them, they may resort to chewing to express their discomfort. This type of chewing behavior does not subside with time, and should be addressed before it gets out of hand.

In addition to damaging the objects around your household, unchecked chewing behavior may also be dangerous for your puppy. If your canine chews on hard plastic objects which break off into sharp shards, they may injure their mouth. Similarly, they may receive a nasty electrical shock from chewing on electrical cables that are within reach.

If you think your dog has separation anxiety then this post might help you a lot.

Hunger

Another reason why your puppy may be chewing on objects around your home is hunger. It’s not uncommon for canines to chew on objects when they are searching for things to eat. However, this behavior may also stem from their natural urge to chew on things. After all, dogs often spend hours chewing on bones as a way to strengthen their teeth and jaws.

How to Stop Your Puppy From Chewing

There are many different ways to stop your puppy from chewing on different objects. Each method relies on identifying the root cause of their chewing behavior and addressing it. These methods include:

Offering Them Your Clothing 

If you believe your puppy’s chewing behavior is a by-product of their separation anxiety, you should find ways to help them feel less stressed when you are away. One trick is to offer your pooch an article of worn clothing that smells like you before leaving your house. Your scent should help keep them pacified until you return later in the day.

Check Their Diet

If the chewing behavior is caused by hunger, you should reevaluate your pet’s diet. In addition to assessing whether or not they are receiving enough daily calories, you should also ensure their diet consists of a good balance of proteins, fats, carbohydrates, and vitamins. 

A vet can offer some insight as to your puppy’s dietary needs based on their weight and age. So consider paying them a visit to learn if your pup’s diet is indeed the root cause of their chewing behavior. If you do decide to switch up your pet’s diet, consider feeding them special custom meals from PetPlate.

Offer Healthy Chewing Alternatives

If your puppy’s chewing behavior is due to teething, you should offer them some safe objects to chew on. This includes ice cubes or special chew toys that can be frozen. The coldness from these objects should soothe your puppy’s gums, and help them feel more comfortable as their adult teeth come through.

Chew Repellent Solutions

Some puppies chew on objects simply because they don’t know otherwise. Owners may need to help teach their young canine not to chew on objects. If you spot your pup engaging in this practice, you can help train them by applying some chew deterrent solution onto the objects they enjoy chewing.

These chew deterrent solutions have a very bitter taste, and will likely turn your dog off the idea of licking or biting these objects ever again.

Specialized Training

Some chewing behavior arises when puppies are weaned too early. This is usually accompanied by an urge to lick and suck on small objects or fabrics. This behavior may require specialized training to correct. You should consider getting in touch with a certified animal trainer for help with this problem.

Alternatively, you can help curb chewing behavior by training your puppy yourself using a guide such as Brain Training For Dogs.  This guide was developed specifically for owners that wish to help their dog unlearn troublesome behaviors and become more obedient. 

It includes several trick training videos as well as guides for basic obedience training. Owners can also participate in a Brain Training For Dogs online course that takes their pet from preschool level, through college, and up to genius level.

Will My Puppy Chew on Objects Into Adulthood?

As mentioned earlier, most puppies stop teething after six months of age. This is also when their chewing behavior typically stops. If you canine continues engaging in this destructive activity, you should follow some of the solutions mentioned above. The training guide is especially useful as it helps owners address different behavioral problems regardless of their root cause. 

So take the next steps and help you puppy curb their chewing behavior permanently. 

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