Why Do Dogs Love To Chew?
Chewing is a fairly common problem in dogs, especially puppies. It becomes a problem when it's directed towards various objects such as your shoes, furniture, or even your feet.
Chewing accomplishes a number of things for dogs. Like many undesirable dog behaviors, destructive chewing is born out of many reasons.
- Exploration: Chewing is a way for dogs to explore their environment. Dogs, especially puppies, are inclined to chew on things they maybe shouldn’t. Getting acquainted with a new object or setting through their mouths is as normal as you eating anything to taste it or touching something to feel it.
- Self-Care: For puppies, chewing is an instinctive way to relieve the pain of new teeth popping up. Puppies chew more during the teething period. Chewing can help ease the pain that puppies experience while they're teething. Older dogs keep their jaws strong and their teeth healthy by chewing.
- Lower anxiety: Many dogs suffer from fear, phobia, or several other types of anxiety. Chewing has a calming effect on your dogs, lowering their anxiety and allowing them to better handle stressful situations. Most of the time, dogs chew to combat boredom and relieve mild anxiety or frustration.
- Entertainment: Chewing can be healthy forms of entertainment and distraction as long as the chewing is limited to appropriate objects. It's much like us squeezing a stress relieving ball while sitting in traffic! Chewing can be just plain fun, and yummy, especially when a bully stick is involved.
- Hunger: Dogs on a calorie-restricted diet might chew different objects in an attempt to find additional sources of food. Dogs usually direct this kind of chewing toward objects that smell like food.
What causes destructive chewing in dogs and puppies?
Dogs can engage in destructive chewing for several reasons. Some of the common reasons for destructive chewing in dogs and puppies include:
- Your dog is bored
- Your dog suffers from separation anxiety
- It's an attention-seeking behavior
- Your dog isn't taught what is and is not acceptable to chew
- Your dog doesn’t have access to suitable stuff to chew
- Your dog's behavior is fear-related or due to phobias
- Chewing simply feels really good
- Puppies chew more during the teething period
Pro tip: There may be times when you are frustrated over what your dog is chewing. Punishing or yelling at your dog never helps. It'll only make them confused and scared.
Providing your dogs with an outlet for destructive chewing can be beneficial for everyone involved. The chews or bully sticks can provide hours of relief from stress or boredom. They also save the pet parents’ stress from things getting ruined around the house.
Final Thoughts
Dogs explore the world through their mouths. So, don’t punish them for being natural adventurers! Building and maintaining a positive and trusting relationship with your furry child is the foundation of a happy life together!
Chewing on bully sticks when everyone settles down together helps your furry companions settle and supports their mental health. Simply, get bully sticks and chews and divert the chewing elsewhere!
Playtime is always fun! All dogs need something to chew and for this, bully sticks would be the ideal solution.