Kroki

Question · Puppy

How do I stop my puppy chewing everything?

The short answer

You can’t stop a puppy chewing, but you can choose what it chews. Clear away shoes, cables and anything dangerous, give several safe chews of different textures, and swap calmly when your puppy picks up the wrong thing. Supervise, or use a puppy pen with chews when you can’t watch. Telling off after the event teaches nothing. Kroki, a reward-based training app for puppies and dogs, has steps for chew items instead of furniture and for swapping and Drop.

How to do it, step by step

  1. Puppy-proof at puppy height

    Get down on your knees and look around: cables, shoes, socks, remote controls, plants, children’s toys, bin bags. Lift, hide or block off anything you don’t want chewed. For a few months, tidiness is the cheapest training tool there is.

  2. Offer a chew menu

    Puppies like variety. Have soft rubber toys, rope toys, fabric toys and puppy chews within reach, and swap a few in and out every couple of days so they feel new. A puppy with three good options picks the table leg less often.

  3. Soothe sore gums

    During teething, cold helps. Give a frozen wet flannel or a rubber toy filled with soaked food and frozen, always while you are nearby. Many puppies chew most in the evening, so have a cold chew ready then.

  4. Swap, don’t chase

    When your puppy has a shoe, walk over calmly with a chew or treat, hold it at its nose and swap. Say “Top!” as it lets go, then hand over the chew. Chasing turns stealing into a game and teaches your puppy to run off with things.

  5. Use a pen when you can’t watch

    A puppy pen or a small, puppy-safe room with water, a bed and two or three chews keeps both your home and your puppy safe while you cook or shower. Short stays with something tasty make it a pleasant place.

  6. Plan rest as carefully as play

    Tired puppies often chew more wildly. After play, a short sniff outside and a meal, guide your puppy to its bed with a chew and let it sleep. A good rest and sleep routine prevents a lot of evening damage.

Is your dog past the teething months?

Adult dogs still need to chew, but a grown dog that wrecks furniture is often bored, under-exercised, hungry on a diet or finding time alone hard, and sometimes in pain. The page for adult dogs looks at those causes and when a vet or behaviour professional should be involved.

Why puppies chew so much

Chewing is how puppies explore, play and soothe their gums. According to veterinary guidance from VCA Animal Hospitals, puppies have 28 baby teeth, which are replaced by 42 adult teeth. Teething starts at about three and a half to four months, and most puppies have all their adult teeth by six to seven months. That is a lot of change in the mouth in a short time.

The ASPCA, a large US animal welfare organisation, notes that chewing eases the discomfort of incoming teeth and that this phase usually ends at around six months. It also points out that chewing stays normal at any age, which is why the aim is to direct it, not to stop it.

The ASPCA advises against telling a dog off after the event, because dogs cannot link it to something they did earlier. Its advice instead: put tempting things away, provide plenty of toys and safe chews, rotate them, interrupt calmly and swap when your puppy chews the wrong thing, and praise it when it chews its own toys.

Typical chewing targets and what helps

  • Shoes and socks: keep them in a closed cupboard, and offer a fabric toy that feels similar.
  • Cables and chargers: hide them behind furniture or in cable covers; this is a safety issue, not just a nuisance.
  • Skirting boards and table legs: block with a gate or furniture for now, and place a chew right there.
  • The lead and puppy pads: hold the lead out of reach while walking off, and keep pads in a holder or swap to a washable mat.

Mistakes that make puppy chewing worse

  • Giving old shoes or cushions as toys. Your puppy can’t tell old from new.
  • Telling off when you find damage later. Your puppy won’t connect it with the chewing.
  • Leaving a puppy alone for hours with nothing to chew. It will find something.
  • Bitter sprays alone. They can help protect one spot, but your puppy still needs to learn what it may chew.

When to see a professional

Chewing is normal, but some things need fast help. Contact a vet straight away if:

  • your puppy has swallowed part of a toy, a sock, a battery, a cable, medicine, chocolate or anything else that may be harmful

    Emergency: get help now

  • your puppy drools a lot, won’t eat, has a bleeding or swollen mouth, or a baby tooth is still in place next to an adult one

    Have a vet take a look

  • your puppy guards what it chews with freezing, growling or snapping when you come near

    Get support from professionals

The help pages list services in Germany, Austria and Switzerland only. Elsewhere, ask your vet practice who they recommend near you.

Frequently asked questions

When do puppies stop chewing everything?

The most intense chewing usually eases once the adult teeth are through, at around six to seven months. Dogs keep chewing for life, so the goal is good habits, not no chewing.

What can I give my teething puppy to chew?

Soft rubber toys, rope toys, puppy chews and frozen items like a wet flannel are good options. Supervise chewing and remove anything that breaks into pieces.

How do I stop my puppy chewing the lead?

Carry a tug toy on walks and offer it when your puppy grabs the lead. Keep lead moments calm at first, and drop a treat on the ground to bring its mouth down.

Why does my puppy chew its bed?

Puppies often chew their bed because it is soft, close and smells of them, especially when bored or teething. Put a chew in the bed, and use a tougher mat for a while if needed.

How do I stop my puppy chewing the crate bars?

Make the crate or pen a calm place with a chew and short, pleasant stays. A puppy that chews the bars hard may be overtired, bored or finding being shut in difficult, so make stays shorter.

Do bitter sprays work for puppies?

They can keep a puppy off one particular spot, but they don’t teach what to chew instead. Use them together with plenty of allowed chews and supervision.

Is it normal for my puppy to swallow pieces of toys?

No, swallowing pieces is risky and can cause a blockage. Choose sturdy toys sized for your puppy and call a vet if you think something has been swallowed.

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