Chewing is a big part of a dogs life. Puppies begin teething at around 3 weeks of age. By 6 weeks all of the deciduous teeth have erupted. It is from this time that they will start to chew and, to some degree, for the rest of their life.

Why Do Dogs Love Chewing So Much?

Chewing serves many purposes. Puppies both discover and learn much about their environment through touch, using their mouth. Older puppies of around 5 months find chewing relives the pain of teething and adolescents, well are just being adolescents! If however, your dog is past all of these life stages but still chewing excessively, it’s likely a behavioural problem.

Enjoying chewing a nylabone or other such toys is good for dogs. It helps with their dental hygiene and gives them something to do. One of the main reasons adult dogs chew excessively is simply to relieve stress. Chewing has a calming and comforting effect, triggering endorphins, reliving anxiety and frustration. So when dealing with excessive chewing we must ask ourself what is making her stressed? Usually the answer to this is not enough of her energy is being channeled in the right way through exercise and mental stimulation. Both of these are the key to rehabilitating a lot behaviour problems. So if your dog is excessively chewing, begin by looking at exercise and mental stimulation levels.

Remember a tired dog is a happy dog!