How to Stop a Puppy From Biting and Chewing Everything in Sight
If you have a puppy, you probably want to know how to stop a puppy from biting and chewing everything in your house. Kai has been biting and chewing everything lately! Including my arms, my hands, and three pairs of shoes!
That’s why I decided to “nip” this problem head-on.
Puppies bite and chew. It’s what they do. While there’s no escaping this stage of puppyness, I researched the best ways to manage puppy chewing. I compiled this list to share what I've found that's worked well for our Goldendoodles.
You may need to change some of the choices based on the breed of your dog. Read on for my list of anti-chewing supplies below. Here's what I learned:
To be honest, I don’t get mad at Kai for his biting and chewing. At his age it’s natural to explore everything and to ease the pain of teething.
But, I don't want him chewing on items like furniture, walls, and carpet.
There are solutions to deal with this habit and prevent it from becoming a problem beyond the puppy teething stage.
Why Puppies Bite and Chew
All new puppy owners know the pain of those tiny, needle-sharp teeth. Puppies just can’t help it, they must bite and chew.
The puppy milk teeth begin to grow in at about three to eight weeks old. The permanent teeth gradually replace the baby teeth.
For this reason, puppies are in a constant state of teething up until about four to six months old.
If your dog or puppy chews on wood trims, socks, or remote controls, it could be a sign of boredom. Puppies are active and energetic. If they can't expend that energy in a positive way, it can turn into destructive habits.
Before you know it, they're having a field day with toilet paper!
Prevent Boredom to Stop Puppy From Biting and Chewing
Daily exercise helps your dog expend energy and provides mental stimulation. Physical activity and engaging playtime should provide stimulation and burn excess energy. Plus, it will satisfy his need for companionship.
Stop Puppy Chewing Problems Now To Avoid Bigger Problems Later
I know it’s not realistic to think I can completely stop Kai from chewing right now. His gums are inflamed from teething, and he’s exploring everything around him.
Even so, it’s important to keep him safe and watch what he puts in his mouth. He’s already shown an interest in electrical cords, socks, and sticks. Ingesting pieces of these things could cause problems such as intestinal blockages or perforations!
Stock Up on a Wide Variety of Puppy Chew Toys
One of the best strategies for how to stop a puppy from biting and chewing is to redirect his attention to something else. But let’s be honest, not all chew toys solve the problem.
Some chew toys are better than others. Dogs have their favorites.
If you find a particular toy your puppy loves, buy more than one. Dogs tend to chew up their favorite toys, and then you have to throw it away!
Keep a close watch on the condition of all your puppy toys, especially if they contain a squeaker on the inside. If puppies ingest the stuffing or the plastic squeaker, it can be dangerous!
Puppy Proof Your Home
To keep your puppy safe and minimize damage to your house, it pays to prepare your home with a puppy in mind. If you’ve ever baby-proofed your home, you’ll need many of the same things:
Baby gates in doorways to keep your puppy in a confined area, or out of unwanted areas. Make sure your pup can't fit between any area of the gate. Puppies can find ways to squeeze through or climb over a gate. Make sure you supervise them before leaving them alone with a gate.
Securing straps for trashcan lids - Avoid using an open wastebasket when you have a puppy in the house. They love to empty trashcans and look for tasty treats that they shouldn't have.
Also, eliminate clutter from the floors or tables. Set your puppy up for success by minimizing access to important belongings. Make sure items such as medicines, food, candy, or cleaning products are out of your puppy’s reach.
Crate training helps prevent problems and keeps your puppy safe when you can’t be right there. In addition, you want to keep doors closed to keep your puppy out of rooms.
The Pet Cube is a great way to watch your dog when you’re in a different location. Your pup can hear your voice and will know you’re watching, even if you’re in a different room! It even dispenses treats! You can also use a more basic pet monitor camera to keep an eye on your dog.
Use Positive Reinforcement to Prevent Puppy Chewing
When planning on how to stop a puppy from biting and chewing, avoid negative punishments, such as shouting, spanking, or hitting. Negative punishments can lead to other destructive behavior problems.
Instead, respond by firmly saying “NO” and take away whatever your pup was nibbling on. Substitute a chewing treat, a chew toy or plush toy that will keep them busy. This will teach your puppy to chew on only what is allowed and help satisfy the urge for chewing.
Puppy Chewing Supplies
It can be exasperating to figure out how to stop a puppy from biting and chewing. It can feel like every time you turn around, they're getting into something else! But rest assured, this will pass!
The key is to teach your puppy to chew only on the right things. This helps prevent him from searching your house for chewing material.
The easiest solution: offer something better.
I’ve discovered the best chew toys that distract puppies from chewing the wrong things. Here’s what I’ve found that’s worked for us.
Chew Treats
Your puppy will gladly accept a tasty chew treat instead of your sock or shoe. You just need to find some go-to favorites.
Bully sticks are an all-time favorite of our dogs. They’re a little rich and can cause an upset stomach. That's why it's a good idea to limit the length of time your puppy has with a bully stick.
Also, make sure your puppy has plenty of water available because bully sticks make them thirsty. Another negative to bully sticks is that they have a strong odor. If this is a problem, you can opt for an odor-free version.
We like to try different varieties of bully sticks. This braided version is another favorite. It helps to rotate through a variety of options to keep them interested.
Our dogs absolutely love these “bones” that are filled with peanut butter.
Edible bones are also a good choice when trying to figure out how to stop a puppy from biting and chewing. The only negative is they eat them pretty quickly. So they don't keep them busy for long.
Also, too many edible bones at once can also cause diarrhea, so don't overdo it. Goldendoodles can have sensitive stomachs, so we're careful when introducing anything new into their diets.
We gradually introduce a new food, treats or chews, just to make sure it doesn't cause intestinal issues! We've learned this the hard way!
Anti-Boredom Toys
When figuring out how to stop a puppy from biting and chewing, look for a variety of toys to beat boredom. Choose one that your dog won’t destroy to beat puppy boredom.
Both Zuma and Kai love plush toys that have a crinkly sound. We have a wide variety of toys in different shapes and sizes stored in the same spot.
We bring different toys out at different times so they don't get bored with the same toys all the time. Zuma now knows the difference between all of her toys. In this funny video, you can see how she goes to her toy box to pick out just the right one.
Here are some favorite dog toys we've discovered:
Interactive smart puzzles like this one and this one work well to entertain and satisfy their foraging instinct. With so many choices available today, it's a unique option when determining how to stop a puppy from biting and chewing.
This Textured Nylabone is also great as helping to ease the pain of teething and keep them busy. Although our dogs really like the traditional smooth Nylabone, the textured one gives them something new. The bumpy feel seems to be satisfying during the teething stage.
In addition to understanding how to stop a puppy from biting and chewing, you want to be fully prepared before bringing your puppy home. If you're bringing a new puppy home soon, I compiled my new puppy supply list here. This is what I've found that's worked best for us.
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