Chewing excessively is a process that is seen in a variety of baby mammals.Puppies will put almost anything and everything in their mouth! They will chew toys, shoes, socks, your clothes, your furniture items, and a variety of other objects too.Baby dogs are balls of energy that depict their curiosity about the world in different ways. In general, most dog breeds will chew, whether young or adult. They chew for a lot of reasons! Puppies chew many items out of boredom, if they want to discover its taste for fun, or if they want some sort of relief. Chewing is a natural behavior seen during puppyhood so it is nothing to be worried about, especially if you are a new puppy owner but it can come with its challenges. Chewing in your dogs, in fact, has its plus points too! It can help keep your puppy’s teeth clean. It can also strengthen their jaws and gums and even help in relieving anxiety but excessive chewing can also cause the jaws and gums of your young pup to hurt a lot as they are still in the teeth-growing stage. Puppies will begin chewing a lot when they start the teething stage. When puppies reach three to six months of age, they start teething and they have a full set of adult teeth by the time they reach six to eight months. The new teeth in your puppy cause them slight discomfort, making them chew or gnaw on things could give them relief. Once the baby teeth leave fully, your puppy will stop overly chewing things. This excessive chewing in your puppies can almost be called destructive chewing once they reach a certain stage in their development. Puppy chewing is often a way for them to learn about the elements in their environment too.Then again, not everything in the environment surrounding your puppy is safe so there can be many possibilities of your puppy chewing on something that could be dangerous and cause harm. Trying to get your pet puppy to stop chewing on everything it sees can be quite frustrating but it is a goal that can be reached. You cannot expect them to just automatically outgrow their ‘chewing’ phase because these behaviors are reduced by using appropriate training and techniques. Play with your puppy and give them enough exercise so that they don’t feel bored enough to start chewing on objects in your home! There are many solutions to ensure that your puppy stops excessively chewing everything or when their chewing gets out of control. You can be careful to not leave around too many items around the house that provides an opportunity for your puppy to put it in its mouth.You can also minimize chewing by puppy-proofing your house, ensuring that there is a barrier where they do not go over, keeping items that they could possibly chew out of your dog’s reach. If you find your dog chewing on an inappropriate object, immediately intervene and replace that item with an acceptable chew toy. Provide your puppy with suitable dog toys around the room, crate, or playpen that they are kept in. Do not leave them alone for several hours in a room or their crate without any supervision. Encourage appropriate chewing and gently praise your dog when it does this by giving an edible treat like soft bones, bully sticks, pigskin rolls, and so on. Always supervise what your baby dog is putting in its mouth and never leave it alone in order to prevent your puppy from swallowing or chewing something that could be harmful. Dogs are animals that are quite social so they are always in need of constant physical and mental stimulation.Chewing in a way provides your puppy with the needed stimulation. When your puppy just starts the teething stage, you could wet a washcloth or freeze it and then give it to your puppy to chew on. Many dog owners and dog experts say that this technique is very useful for puppies when they are developing their gums and teeth as it’s safe, at the same time providing your pet with relief. To minimize chewing, you can spray over all those items that your puppy is likely to chew with a taste deterrent spray. Again, keep in mind to always be as gentle and caring as you can to your puppy when you’re trying to train them with this behavior. Do not punish them or act harshly with them in order to get them to stop something. You are teaching your puppy, not disciplining them. Sometimes, excessive chewing can be a reaction caused by separation anxiety or any other behavioral problem. If in any situation, you feel that something is wrong with your pet’s behavior, get them to the nearest vet immediately.If you enjoy this article on when puppies stop chewing, be sure to check out our fun facts articles on when dogs stop growing and when puppies open their eyes that you are sure to love!How do you stop puppies from chewing everything?Chewing among puppies is totally fine but when it becomes destructive or inappropriate is where you have to step in. It occurs for only a short phase of a puppy’s life but if not treated properly, the repercussions can be permanent throughout life.Sometimes excessive chewing can be an indicator of some underlying medical or behavioral condition. Every puppy uses its developing gums and teeth as a means of exploring the world around them and since they are social animals their energy is always at a high. It can be frustrating when you find your favorite pair of socks, your shoes, your furniture, or other objects that you love being chewed out by your puppy.Your puppy will stop chewing excessively when they reach six months of age when their adult teeth are setting in but it is possible for you to get them to stop chewing excessively at a younger age through the right training. Even engaging your puppy with an exercise trainer can help reduce this destructive chewing. Teach your dogs what to chew! There are many ways to prevent or stop your baby dog from ‘destructive chewing’ so here are some tips.First and foremost, always be attentive towards your dog and control the chewing situation before it gets out of hand. If you are not going to be at home for some time, leave your puppy in one area of your home which is free of chew items. Be careful to not leave your puppy or dog unattended or alone for many hours because once they get curious or bored nothing can stop them and they may go on an adventure destroying all your valuable stuff! Ensure that this area has enough space and safe chew toys to play with.There are many toys produced today that allow pups to enjoy healthy levels of stimulation and at the same time meet their chewing needs. Playing and being able to chew these interactive toy items can help in reducing the boredom levels in your puppy too which causes them to chew things and at the same time provide them with loads of mental stimulation. Avoid giving them plush toys as loose threads and other pieces that can fall off become a choking hazard and they might end up swallowing something that is harmful.Always supervise your puppy when they are in the teeth developing phase and as soon as you find your baby dog chewing on an inappropriate item, redirect it to a more suitable chew toy. Even a durable toy that is safe for chewing can be utilized. Switch up these chew toys now and then to keep it interesting and replace the chewed toys too.At what age do puppies stop chewing on everything?Chewing starts from early puppyhood and is a completely normal behavior where you have nothing to worry about. This doesn’t mean that it will not get challenging for you when your pup or baby dog begins the stage of teething which happens when they are three.When this phase starts, there won’t be a day that goes by where your puppy’s mouth will not have something in it. The object that your pup decides to chew on can also be dangerous and cause harm. Therefore, it is always important to train your puppy and by teaching your baby dog the appropriate and right behavior, destructive chewing can be greatly minimized or even stopped! Many people who own dogs and have studied their behaviors indicate that destructive chewing begins in a puppy when it is about for months and stops when it is 6-10 months old.Dog experts say that chewing happens in dogs in two phases. The first is when they are a puppy which is mostly destructive and the second happens when they are an adolescent. Playing games like fetch with your baby dog or making them chase you or you chase them around and giving them the right exercise can prevent them from chewing out of boredom!Breeds And Their Different Chewing HabitsThere are some breeds of dogs that are considered to be the biggest chewers than the rest! One such breed of dogs is Labs or Labradors. Since they are bred to be retrieving dogs, they will chew on literally anything!These dogs are super bright and energetic and it is very easy to keep them occupied or busy. If you own a Lab puppy, make sure to give it a lot of flavored chews and toys that they can chew on as well as lots of appropriate physical movement or exercise as it is vital for these dogs. You’d be surprised to learn that it’s not only the big dogs who are great chewers. Small dogs like Chihuahuas chew a lot too! More than chewing, they nibble a lot often when they are bored or experience separation anxiety from their keepers. Therefore, chewing and nibbling in chihuahuas provides them with a sense of comfort and calmness almost.So if you own a Chihuahua, go on long walks or play with them as these activities can be quite bonding. Golden Retrievers are another breed of dogs that are wonderful family dogs and are great with human babies. They were initially bred to be help hunters in retrieving the birds or game that they killed so they are used to having things in their mouths. Beagles, Jack Russells, and Border Collies are other dogs that also tend to chew a lot so if you own a baby dog that comes from this breed, be sure to give them a lot of chewable and durable toys like a kong or soft play bones. Ensure that these toys are interactive too as this will also aid in their development.Things You Can Give Your Puppy InsteadYour baby dog’s chewing, be it for taste, boredom, or pain relief, gives it loads of satisfaction!You have to be extra careful when you give your baby dog things to chew on as they should not create any danger to your pup’s health or become a choking hazard. The toys and objects you give your puppy must be according to their size, height, and age too. For dogs, many toy companies manufacture certain toys that cater to teething needs that can be washed and kept in the freezer like a kong or puppy teeth rings.Kong-type toys can be really good for your puppies as they can give them strong teeth too! Swap out old toys with new ones to keep them interesting for your dog as well. When your puppy’s teething, anything that is lying around will attract them to chew on it, be it shoes or your furniture! Keep such items away from them or keep them away from such items in order to avoid destructive puppy chewing. Even with food, do not give them hard bones to chew on because at three to six months of age their teeth, gums, and jaws are still growing. Bones can be given as food to your adult dog because, by that age, their teeth and jaws are well-developed and strong.Always replace a worn-out toy with a new one too! Play with your puppy every day and set aside a few hours to do this and keep them busy with activities like fetch or chasing you which gives them a lot of stimulation and removes the boredom out of them too. Always be nurturing and encouraging towards your dog to stop your dog’s recessive chewing and do not punish them or take a harsh approach with them as this can severely affect your dog’s esteem. Training is always the best direction to go in.Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly facts for everyone to enjoy! If you liked our suggestions for when puppies stop chewing everything then why not take a look at when dogs shed or why dogs lick themselves that are sure to keep you hooked!
Chewing excessively is a process that is seen in a variety of baby mammals.
