At Paws to Consider we deal with dogs and their chewing habits all the time, it is particularly prevalent with puppies when they are outside… everything looks like a chew toy to a puppy! Older dogs still enjoy finding things to chew even on their regular dog walks, but this is a common trait among dogs.

At home, our pit-bull likes to chew things. A lot. When we first got her she found the corners where walls meet to be particularly tasty. She really enjoys chewing toys until they are totally shredded up, and she hasn’t found a toy that she couldn’t leave in tatters! Her previous owners said she chewed up their shoes. It’s normal for dogs to want to chew some things – if it isn’t destructive it’s a good stress-reliever, it can get rid of excess energy, and, it’s fun! How did we stop the bad behaviors and get her to keep it to the toys? A combination of behavioral training, keeping plenty of toys (use dental toys as well to promote healthy teeth) around and encouraging her to play with them, and giving her an extra walk every day to release some of that energy!