Dogs chew for a number of reasons.
1. A puppy looses its milk teeth and, like a human baby, needs help breaking the adult teeth in.
2. Chewing also helps strengthen the jaw and increase endurance.
3. One of the most important reasons dogs chew is for dental health. Regular chewing helps reduce plaque and tartar buildup promoting healthy teeth and gums. This helps with keeping their breath fresh also.
4. Chewing releases natural calming hormones such as dopamine and serotonin.
5. Chewing provides mental exercise preventing boredom. When bored or left alone pups often will lick or chew their paw causing a sore to develop. A variety of chew toys should help.
Of course chewing can be a destructive behavior. It is important that our pups have appropriate items to chew. It is hard to spoil the pup who just ate the strap off a $100 pair of shoes. Logan's preferred chew was every remote control. It took me 6 months to realize that I would continue to buy replacement remotes if I did not provide ample chew toys. With Logan I have found that diversion works better than aversion. When caught chewing inappropriately, telling him no and giving him a chew toy worked much better than spraying. I also prefer a collar that has sound, vibrate and shock. Logan has been very good with the low setting of sound for most of his training.
Firm chew toys are best for working the jaws. And helping the teeth break through.
Puzzle balls the pup must work out how to release treats or kibble can keep your pup stimulated.
Chew toys with nubs and rope chew toys help your pup keep plaque and tartar under control.
