We think that every family need to have dog chew toys. This is why:
Chew toys may be safer for your dog than dog bones.
Despite the frequent links formed between dogs and bones, dogs can be harmed by bones. They provide a choking threat, injure your dog’s mouth, and result in blockages, broken teeth, and gastrointestinal problems. Rawhide and cooked bones are particularly dangerous. To safely satiate your dog’s want to chew, we advise using heavy-duty, resilient rubber chew toys that are not meant for human consumption.
Chew toys promote dental health.
Chewing can act as a kind of Arm & Hammer for your dog’s mouth, cleaning your dog’s teeth and gums. The process of chewing helps remove tartar and smooths the teeth. Additionally, it encourages antimicrobial saliva that helps to clean your dog’s mouth. Dental chews may also cause your dog’s breath to freshen up! Just keep in mind that a bristle brush is always preferable than chewing. Always brush your dog’s teeth, and give them treats to improve their dental health.
Chew toys can relieve dogs of stress and anxiety.
For dogs, chewing can be a zen pastime in the same way that yoga or meditation may be peaceful for humans. Dogs often chew when they’re anxious to try and calm themselves. If your dog experiences separation anxiety or becomes anxious during thunderstorms and fireworks, try giving them a chew toy during those times to keep them relaxed and content.
Dog chew toys help with teething puppies.
Your new pet must have a puppy chew toy! Puppies who are teething may find that chewing helps to reduce their pain. Dog owners might try freezing a chew toy before feeding it to their canine for an added calming effect if your dog’s gums look especially sensitive. Additionally, chewing encourages the growth of the teeth, allowing your puppy to acquire strong, healthy adult dog teeth.
Dog toys for chewing provide mental stimulation.
Dogs require both mental and physical stimulation, just like humans do. For dogs, chewing is a tremendously thrilling pastime that needs a lot of concentration. Building your dog’s brainpower with chew toys and interactive dog toys is a terrific idea!
Durable dog toys help prevent destructive chewing.
Dogs LOVE to chew and NEED to chew, as you now know. However, you don’t want your dog’s natural chewing tendencies to result in damage to your expensive furniture or leather shoes. A excellent technique to stop destructive chewing is with chew toys. They can get all of the aforementioned advantages without harming any of your shoes if you can steer them toward chewable toys!
Chew toys keep your pup occupied.
When your dog doesn’t have a partner for a game of tug-of-war, chew toys are a terrific method for them to play alone. You can work or eat dinner without interruption while they are busy chewing on toys.
Why does my dog enjoy chewing on me with his toys?
Many dog owners have had the perplexing situation of having their dog sit on their lap and chew his toys. It can be charming but can also be a little drooly and bothersome. After all, why do dogs prefer to gnaw on their toys on their owners’ laps?
Dogs prefer to chew on their owners’ laps because they feel secure there. They don’t fear anything since they feel secure enough to bring a toy with them and gnaw on it. Dogs will occasionally act in this way to get their owner to play with them.
Typically, a dog biting on you as it is playing is a sign of mutual respect and a strong bond. You can gently modify this tendency in a number of ways if it is bothersome and you don’t want dog slobber on every pair of jeans.
Can my dog chew on his toys?
No, you should never let your dog trash his toys. Although your dog has been bred over hundreds of years to want to do this, doing so carries a high chance of your dog ingesting anything poisonous. You shouldn’t lower this danger by depriving your dog of all toys because playing with toys is crucial to his happiness and health. Select toys that are appropriate for your dog’s breed, size, chewing propensity, and level of activity.
If you let your dog destroy toys, it could become unclear what is appropriate to destroy. He can start mistreating your possessions as well.
When your dog is playing with toys, keep an eye on him and don’t give him a chance to rip them apart. When he’s not there, take away the toys to lessen his chance of hurting himself.
A bowel obstruction is the most serious health problem that can result from swallowing toy material. When anything gets stuck in the dog’s gut, a potentially fatal situation arises that typically calls for surgery and the assistance of a veterinarian. The dog may pass away if the problem is not resolved quickly. It’s crucial to keep an eye on everything the dog is chewing or playing with. Additionally, swallowing objects like sticks, rocks, rubbish, mulch, etc., can result in health problems that may be fatal. Never allow your dog to destroy anything because he might ingest something inappropriate.
Jessica, her husband Dominic, and their adopted cat Toast reside in Chicago. She has had dogs for more than 30 years and spends her days writing, taking care of various animals, and enjoying her backyard, which has turned into a haven for wildlife.
She developed a love for animals when she was young and would bring home the stray puppy or cat. Later, when she grew older, she would bring a sick bird or raccoon home. Her involvement with various animal rescues as an adult, where she saved the lives of numerous domestic and wild animals while gaining the essential skills to care for them, was motivated by her love of and desire to aid all living things.
Jessica takes care of dogs at home while working full-time as a writer and owning and operating a professional pet care business in Chicago for the past twelve years.
Why do you think your dog loves you?
You can know if your dog is loving you by looking for the following signs:
They can’t wait to see you. This scene is one that all dog owners have seen. When you open your front entrance, a playful fur storm greets you. It’s possible that your dog will leap up on you, lick your face, and wag its tail. One way to know someone loves and misses you is by their excitement and joy when they see you.
They want to be touched. The infamous lean, a short nuzzle, or a cuddle are all examples of this. These are all indications that your dog wants to demonstrate affection. The best course of action is to let them complete this on their own terms, so resist the impulse to tightly hug them.
They wish to rest close to you. Dogs naturally sleep adjacent to each other in packs. They put their noses to the breeze to detect any odors that might indicate danger. Your dog is expressing trust and security when it curls up next to you or wants to sleep in your room.
They look at you sweetly. Dogs reserve the ability to maintain eye contact with someone they love and trust since it is a huge move. Direct eye contact is an aggressive action in the wild. They employ this strategy to scare one another and assert their supremacy. Your dog is staring affectionately in your direction when they meet your right in the eyes and maintain eye contact without their pupils expanding.
They inquire after you. cooking, watching TV, and using the restroom Your dog tries to be there for you throughout the entire experience. Your dog might visit you in bed once or they might follow you around the home all the time. One of the many ways your dog displays affection is by checking in on you. They are checking on your wellbeing!
When they lick you. There are a variety of reasons why your dog might lick you, but in the end, it’s always out of affection. They want to talk to you and get your attention. They can be getting ready to play or simply giving a kiss before a snuggle. They want to let you know they care in either case.
Their toys are shared. When your dog wants to play, they may occasionally tease you with their toy, but when they truly want to show their love, they’ll give it to you as a gift. They want to give the person they care about their most precious thing. It certainly sounds like a lot of love.
Only when there is food involved are you second. A dog that loves you will put you before everything—even a full bowl of food. Only then will they fall head over heels in love with anything else.
Why does my dog chew on toys while sitting on my lap?
When your dog approaches and sits on your lap to play with her toy, she is doing it because she wants to feel secure, at ease, and content. There is no reason to discourage or forbid it if you do not mind having your dog play with her toy while sitting on your lap. Nevertheless, you might want to watch out that your dog doesn’t develop the habit of constantly needing to sit on your lap as she plays with her toy. The act of letting your dog sit on your lap and gnaw on her toy should be considered a privilege.
If you don’t enjoy having your dog on your lap, you shouldn’t encourage this behavior in them. To teach your puppy that she cannot sit on your lap while she is chewing or playing with her toy, you might want to create some ground rules. You might also want to give your dog a place to play with her toy while still feeling safe, supported, and close to you. To your dog’s enjoyment, this can mean the world of difference.
When do dogs stop trashing their toys?
As they explore the world, puppies and dogs frequently gnaw on objects. A dog can achieve a variety of goals by chewing. It offers young canines a means of easing pain that potential future teething may bring. It’s nature’s method of keeping aging dogs’ jaws strong and their teeth clean. Additionally, chewing prevents boredom and eases moderate tension or frustration.
Rule Out Problems That Can Cause Destructive Chewing
separation phobia Usually exclusively chewing when left alone or chewing most vigorously when left alone, dogs who chew to ease the tension of separation anxiety. Other separation anxiety symptoms include whining, barking, pacing, restlessness, urinating, and defecating. Please read our article, Separation Anxiety, for more information on separation anxiety and how to address it.
Clothing Sucking Some dogs chew, lick, and suckle on fabrics. According to some specialists, this behavior is a result of the baby being weaned too soon (before seven or eight weeks of age). It’s probable that a dog’s fabric-sucking activity has become compulsive if it persists for extended periods of time and it’s challenging to divert him when he tries to indulge in it. For information on how to locate a Certified Applied Animal Behaviorist (CAAB), a Board-Certified Veterinary Behaviorist (Dip ACVB), or a Certified Professional Dog Trainer (CPDT) with specialized training and experience in treating compulsive behavior, please see our article, Finding Professional Behavior Help.
Hunger A canine on a calorie-restricted diet may chew and damage items in an effort to find more food sources. Dogs typically chew on things that are connected to food or have a food-like fragrance.