Did I Buy A Beaver Or A Dog? (Chewing and What You Can Do About It)

First, let me say that chewing is an entirely natural thing for a dog to do. Most dogs do it throughout their lives, although rarely as much as in that first year of life.

Does this scenario sound familiar to you? 

Ok. So you went out on Sunday and got what is going to be your new best bud. You get up the next morning and get ready for work. You've got her all set up (food, water, praised her for going potty in her litter box, played with her, gave her toys to chew on, etc) and you head out to bring home the bacon.

OMG! You come home that evening to a disaster area…

Your best pair of fashionable work shoes is in shreds, the wall has strips missing from it, your underwear from the hamper is in tatters and is strewn across your floor, and your bedroom furniture is covered in tooth marks. What happened?

What most people don’t realize is that dogs go through not one, but two phases of teething. The first is the one everybody knows about.  That’s when they’re still babies and their baby teeth are growing in then subsequently being replaced by their adult teeth. The second one is later towards the end of their first year of life. Both have everything to do with the pain associated with teeth erupting through the gums, and the elongation of the jaw and associated structures. We were all too young to remember those times when we went through these phases ourselves. The remedy, as it is for toddlers, is simple.

First, have patience with your dog and put yourself in her “fur”. She’s hurting and the chewing helps alleviate some of the pain. Second, if you give her a rag you’ve wet and then frozen to chew on; it helps to numb the pain in her jaw. Age appropriate (and developmental stage appropriate) chew toys are great, too. Just be aware some of these you have to monitor her with or she may snip off a piece and swallow it.

To help her learn what she’s allowed to chew on, first, you have to puppy/child proof your home. When you do catch her in the act, get one of her chew toys or that nice frozen rag and lure her away from that object, then play with her for a few minutes. This teaches her that her toy is more fun and relieves the pain better than your valuable stuff. Never punish her for this behavior. That will just make her afraid of you and may make matters worse (now she may start chewing to alleviate stress as well).

If you can’t watch her (and I mean have your eyes on her at all times), put her in her puppy proofed area until you can. Put her in her puppy play pen or crate with a few safe to chew toys. Crate training is also a great way to teach her potty manners.

Good Luck and Happy Chewing!

-Stephanie

  (Gryphon Dog Training)