In this episode of Pandemic Puppy, Kayla discusses chewing and everything you need to know about managing it!
- Chewing is essential for behavior wellness, but thankfully the chewing habits will change over time. There are some great ways to manage chewing to make it a little more easier to deal with
How to manage chewing:
- Make sure you are meeting your puppy’s needs!
- Puppy proof! Don’t give your puppy a chance to chew things that would hurt them
- Give LOTS of options: antlers, bully sticks, kongs, pig’s ears, bouillon ice cubes, mimic whatever they keep chewing without permission
- Supervise always. Don’t wind down supervision until the puppy is trustworthy at their current level
- Could the chewing be boredom/attention-seeking? Are you reacting to your puppy chewing on bad things and ignoring them when they’re being good?
What do you do when you catch them chewing?
- Make sure their needs are being met before any intervention
- Gently interrupt your puppy and redirect them to something else
- Be careful not to create an accidental behavior chain
What to look out for?
- Ingestion/pica
- Sometimes, excessive chewing is actually a sign of an upset stomach, GI issues, diet imbalance, or serious underlying stress.
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