Save Your Shoes! Stock up on Edible Chew Treats.

People ask us all the time "how can I keep my puppy from chewing on things he's not supposed to?"  Our answer...edible chew treats.  Usually when puppies begin chewing on things, it's because they are teething.  This teething phase usually begins somewhere around 8 weeks of age and can last 2-3 months or more, depending on how quickly your puppy looses his baby teeth.  And yes, some puppies continue to chew even after that because they enjoy it.  It's fun for them...it's how they play.  It also keeps their teeth clean. Finally, since they are edible and taste great, most dogs and puppies are more likely to chew on them than they are on your belongings! 

So, our suggestion is to keep plenty of chew treats on hand.  There are a variety of them on the market, many more than I could possibly review, but we have a long list of favorites.  Some of them inclue Nylabone Healthy Edibles, any type of Greenies, OraVet Dental Hygiene Chews, C.E.T. Veggiedents or Enzymatic Chews, Dr. Lyon's Dental Chews, Minties, Purina Dental Life Chews, Blue Wilderness Wild Bones, Blue Buffalo Dental Bones, Smart Bones, and Merrick Fresh Kisses bones.  These and may more can be found at chewy.com

I strongly recommend staying away from rawhide, especially for small and tiny breeds.  Dogs don't digest cow hide very well, and the undigested portions of rawhide can get lodged in the digestive tract and create serious and expensive problems for your dog.  However, dogs can digest pig hide much better, so porkie sticks, bones or even pigs ears are also good chew treats and are usually fairly long lasting.  Be careful with pig skin though.  There have been many recent reports of tainted pigs ears, so it may be best to stay away from pig products for awile.  Plus, pig hide tends to be greasy, so these treats can be messy. 

Keep in mind that with these treats, size is important.  All of them come in a variety of sizes.  Usually, for tiny breed puppies, the smallest size available is appropriate.  As your puppy grows, you may move up to the next size.  Be careful not to get treats that are too big nor to small.  Oversized treats pose a threat of bacterial infection. It if takes your puppy a long time to finish the treat, bacteria may grow on the bone and infect your puppy each time he chews it.  By contrast, treats that are too small pose choking hazards.  So, read the size information on the packaging and be sure to select the appropriate size based on your dog's weight. 

If your dog is a very aggressive chewer, you may find that he will finish one of these treats in a matter of minutes.  That's not really the goal of these treats.  Too many treats will put weight on your dog quickly.  So if your dog is finishing these treats too quickly, try getting him a larger size.  If he's still finishing them too quickly, then you'll want to cut back on the edible chew treats and find him some chew toys that satisfy his urge to chew.