Inappropriate chewing is on the mind of most puppy owners.

The tips below are meant to help you to understand inappropriate chewing, and give pointers to prevent it from becoming a big dog problem.

Puppy chewing next to housetraining is what new puppy owners are most concerned about.

Puppies go through a couple of intense "oral" stages, but generally when your pup is around the age of 12 months, closer to 18 months with some breeds, your stuff should be safe again.

Here are a few tips how to survive the destructive phases:

Have a well-stocked toy box. Read more about how to create a digging basket for your pooch.

Reward with a food treat and/or a short play session whenever your pup chooses an appropriate item from her designated place. That is reinforcing her for chewing appropriate stuff. Whenever she has something she shouldn’t have, redirect her to the box. It is important that her stuff has a designated place, rather than spread everywhere in the house. If a bone is next to a chair or table leg; a plush toy next to the pillow, it is difficult for a pup to distinguish between things permitted to gnaw on, and people things off limits. So, clean up frequently and ensure that pooches’ stuff is in pooches’ toy box, and she’ll form an association where to go when bored, or when she has the urge to test her pearly whites.


Keep things the pup can’t have out of reach. Sounds like a no-brainer, but some owners believe that because they did not child proof their home for their young children, they won’t puppy proof it either. Likely though, they did not leave their two-year-olds unsupervised for several hours each day in the house. Umbilical cord her, or keep her safe in a puppy playpen or playroom. No, not in a crate for hours on end. Crating though, is acceptable for short periods during the day, or for safe keeping during the night, provided the crate is in your bedroom.


If your pup has something in his mouth he shouldn't have, don’t make the common mistake of chasing him. A chase game is a SUPER REWARD for your pup, and he will snatch one of your valuables again to get you moving. Do whatever you can to have your pup come to you. Play with her toys, be exuberant, pretend you are sniffing something interesting, and then trade up – offer something better and your puppy will release willingly. Coming to you with "stolen" items to show and tell becomes a learned behavior and that is exactly what you want.

If your adult dog chews and destroys things, you have a behavior problem. Seek the advice of a dog expert to help you.