09/09/2020
Why do puppies chew? They chew to explore the world, and to relieve the pain and irritation of teething. But they also chew because it’s a natural, normal activity for all canines, young and old. While puppies do eventually grow up and get past the stage where they feel compelled to put their teeth on everything they see, mature dogs also need to chew to exercise their jaws, massage their gums, clean their teeth, and to relieve stress and boredom.
It comes as an unpleasant surprise to many owners that chewing doesn’t end at the age of six or seven months, when all a dog’s adult teeth are grown in. In fact, significant chewing may continue for the first 18 to 24 months of a dog’s life; given the opportunity, most dogs will happily chew into their senior years.
It’s the rare puppy who makes it through the first year of his life without inflicting significant damage to one or more of his human’s valued possessions. But there’s a lot you can do to keep damage to a minimum.
These are six ways you can teach your dog or puppy the trade game, in order to manage your dog's chewing habit. While puppies teeth, mature dogs also need to chew to exercise their jaws, massage their gums, clean their teeth, and to relieve stress and boredom.
