Why Chewing is GOOD for Your Dog
- rickmillertx1
- Aug 1
- 5 min read
by Nancy Miller
July 2025
Many years and multiple dogs ago, Katie, our first Rottweiler, used the wooden posts that support our back porch cover as her own personal chew toys. Even now, thirty years and several coats of paint later, those two posts are noticeably slimmer in spots. And my husband's retainer was a tasty snack for another dog, but it wasn't the same dog who ate a hole in his favorite new jacket, or even the dog who chewed the corner off one of our king-size pillowcases; nor was it the mama dog who chewed the molding off door frames, or the one whose teeth shredded curtains. Yes, we've had LOTS of dogs and even more chewing casualties.
Chewing is instinctual with dogs as we are often reminded with each new litter.
Puppies will and do chew on anything and everything, including each other and us. New pups chew to explore their world, to learn bite inhibition, and to teethe. It is also an important part of weaning as the irritation of their little piranha-sharp teeth causes the mother dog to start pulling away.
One of the biggest problems we hear from our new owners is, "How do we get him to stop biting and chewing?" You don't. You just redirect the behavior to appropriate objects and wait for the teething to end. They won't stop chewing, but their little teeth won't be as sharp, and they will learn which objects are acceptable chew toys and which are not. Soon you will notice how the chewing changes from a mad frenzy because their gums are on fire to a more relaxed version that has a calming effect on them.
First you need to find age appropriate chew toys for your puppy/dog. When our "house dogs" grab the puppies' chew toys, the toys are destroyed within minutes. Two of our dogs tear the insides out of stuffed toys and then enjoy chewing on and playing tug-of-war with the sad piece of material that was once a stuffed animal. Our young puppies could break a tooth if they gnawed on our older dogs' Benebones, so we have to be careful to choose age appropriate toys. Most toys have marked packaging for age or chewing ability, so don't just buy because a toy looks cute. Do some research on best chew toys for your puppy's age and size.
Having a variety of toys with different textures, shapes, sizes, and hardness is important also. This assists in encouraging their problem solving skills as they explore each unique shape and texture. If you're going to buy a rope toy, which they love, buy the kind that has the rope INSIDE the toy and not the ones with the ends of the rope exposed. More than one puppy has ended up in surgery for blocked intestines because of these exposed ropes. Kong makes some wonderful toys with ropes inside, but your pup may discover the rope stuffing one day if he is a shredder as ours are. Just toss it at that point and buy something more difficult for an older pup.
Why is chewing so important to a dog's health? There are a multitude of benefits:
Chewing releases endorphins, the body's natural painkillers and mood boosters, to reduce stress and help manage anxiety.
It helps combat boredom which can lead to destructive behavior.
While the dog is occupied doing something beneficial, it also keeps him calm and satisfied.
Chewing also stimulates the part of the brain that is crucial for overall health and happiness.
It helps to bring the body back into balance. When the dog begins to chew, heartrate and breathing accelerate, but both begin to slow as the dog continues to chew, allowing the body to recover. This is most successful when the dog is in a quiet place where he can rest, probably the reason that my dogs take their bully sticks into their crates or beds not only keeping their chew treats from the others, but also sensing their rest time is necessary.
Without this needed rest, cortisol levels will rise, turning into chronic stress, which could lead to excessive barking, howling, pacing, panting, licking, and other anxious behavior. Similarly, these elevated cortisol levels can lead to health issues such as
cardiovascular disease, muscle tension, depression, digestive issues, increasing anxiety, and thinking/processing/comprehension difficulty.
In addition to rebalancing the body, chewing also improves a dog's alertness, and has been proven to aid in training sessions if the sessions begin shortly after the chewing episodes. Studies have shown that odor influences brain activity also, so if you're planning on training afterwards, it's better to give your dog a strong-smelling chew.
We all agree that we don't want pups chewing the legs off our favorite chairs or ripping holes in our kids' new socks, but if chewing is so beneficial to their physical, emotional, and mental well-being, what's a human to do?
First, supervise your puppy on a leash, in an exercise pen, or in his crate so that your pooch cannot get to the untouchable items until he learns the house rules and he learns them WELL. The rule in our house is this: If a human cannot keep an eye on the pup every minute, then put Fido in his exercise pen with his bed or crate, water, and lots of toys. That way he cannot get hurt, and he cannot destroy your home. Just don't leave him in there all by himself all day. He needs regular outside bathroom trips, human interaction, bonding, training, and playtime.
Keep kids' toys picked up in the room where your puppy is allowed, and if he's allowed in more than one room, keep towels, clothes, retainers, eyeglasses, etc. put away where pup can't reach. He loves anything that smells like you. That's why so many puppies are sock and underwear thieves.
There are sprays with bitter apple and other "dog-disagreeable" tastes that you can spray on furniture, curtains, blinds, and any other household item you cherish.
Teach your dog to "LEAVE IT," probably the most common command heard around our house. There are lots of good videos on YouTube that show you very positive ways to teach "LEAVE IT" and make the dog think he's getting the better end of the deal when you exchange the forbidden item for something even more valuable. Our dogs will do anything for dehydrated beef, chicken, or lamb livers!
Make sure your dog has plenty of physical activity as well as mental exercises. Food maze bowls, snuffle mats, food games, training activities, and tricks are all examples of keeping your pup's brain sharp.
Give your dog a multitude of chew toys. Don't give them all at once. Hand out a few one day, a different group the next, and keep rotating so your pup doesn't get bored but has plenty of alternatives to the legs of your chairs.
If you do walk in and find your chair leg whittled to a nub, don't punish your puppy. They have no concept of time and cannot reason; therefore, they have no idea that the reason you are expressing so much anger at this moment is because of the chair they had gnawed three hours ago. The cowering, hunched-over pup that you think looks so guilty is only displaying submissive behavior because they do sense the anger is aimed at them for some unknown cause.
Most importantly, spend a lot of quality time with your puppy. They're only little for a very short time, and the closer your bond is with your pup, the more he will want to please you. Remember, we have these wonderful creatures for a very limited time of our lives, and for all the unconditional love that they give to us, they deserve our best!
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