You should seek the advice of your veterinarian if your pet is ill as only he or she can correctly advise on the diagnosis and recommend the treatment that is most appropriate for your pet.

The Problem

Chewing furniture, carpets, clothing and other household items is a common problem in some young puppies – particularly in large breeds with recognised mouth-orientated traits such as German Shepherd Dogs and Labradors. If this behaviour is not corrected early on in life it can lead to unacceptable social behaviour, not least because of the damage caused to owners possessions.

  As far as we know chewing objects for non-nutritional purposes is not specifically related to teething but it is an extension of behaviour connected to exploring and learning about the environment. The oral sensations of chewing can be positive to the individual, and so the behaviour becomes habitual.

  Occasionally destructive chewing of this type can be associated with a medical problem – such as mouth pain, so a veterinarian should examine the puppy to make sure that it is a primary behavioural problem.

Managing the problem

  Many young dogs will grow out of a chewing phase pretty quickly, especially if they are pre-occupied with other pastimes such as exercise or playing with toys. For those in which the behaviour persists several steps can be taken to discourage chewing, including the following :

·        Young puppies can be housed in a pet carrier, kennel or cage to deny access to objects they like to chew

·        Objects that the puppy prefers to chew (eg a rug or slipper) can be removed from the environment and so denying access to them

·        Chewing behaviour can be discouraged by chiding the puppy (shouting, or clapping) each time it starts to chew

·        The behaviour can be discouraged by using aversion therapy – eg spraying the puppy with water from a water pistol, or spraying a deodorant when it starts chewing

·        Covering the object in an unpleasant tasting repellent can discourage the behaviour. If this approach is used the puppy should be rewarded each time it spits out the object.

·        The puppy’s interest in chewing can be displaced to another acceptable behaviour – by distracting it’s attention away from the object to another activity such as playing with a toy, or exercise.

·        Increasing exercise alone may help to reduce this behaviour in some animals

·        If the puppy insists on chewing something an attempt should be made to transfer it’s interest to a non-important item to chew - such as a chew-toy

·        Owners should avoid encouraging behaviour that might increase mouth-orientated activity eg avoid playing tug-of-war games or encouraging the chewing of old clothes, shoes etc.

·        In extreme cases a muzzle can be used to physically prevent the puppy from chewing items of value.

Once the habit has been successfully discouraged for 4-5 days the puppy may not return to it.

Availability of toys

Toys can help in the management of puppies with chewing behavioural problems to :

·        Distract their attention from chewing

·        Occupy them

·        To replace household objects as objects to chew

Examples of toys used to modify this type of behaviour are :

The Buster Cube – play cube with food treat

The Boomer Ball – play ball

The Kong chew-enrichment toy with food treat

The King Kong

Cool Kong

The Dental Kong

Updated October 2013