Is your dog a chewing bandit, chomping you out of house and home? When your shoes, furniture and clothing are all fair game for your dog's teeth, it can be pretty frustrating.
It's natural for dogs to chew. They explore the world through their mouths - new objects, new places & new tastes.
Chewing helps dogs relieve teething pain, tension and stress. There are also some instances where chewing could be a sign of mental or physical health issues including:
1. Boredom - chewing because there's nothing else to do
2. Poor nutrition - chewing on things to get lacking nutrients
3. Separation anxiety/feeling alone - chewing for comfort
4. Gum or tooth problems - continuously chewing on hard objects
In other instances chewing is quite normal. Dogs who chew significantly more than others are what many call "aggressive chewers". What makes a dog an aggressive chewer? Here are some guidelines:
1. Destroys an appropriately-sized rawhide in less than an hour
2. Shreds the typical vinyl toy in minutes
3. Toys quickly turn into piles of frayed and tangled threads
4. You feel you'll never get your money's worth out of a toy before it's time to throw it away
As pet owners, it is our responsibility to establish good chewing habits in our pets. Aggressive chewers will continue to chew inappropriate things until you teach them right from wrong.
Be selective in what you give your dog to chew - start out by only giving your dog proper chew toys. Letting your dog chew on an old shoe teaches him that all shoes are made for chewing.
Dog owners of aggressive chewers need the toughest dog toys on the market. Tough toys allow these dogs to exercise their natural chewing instincts and train them on what to chew and not to chew. With an aggressive chewer, chances are no dog toy will last forever, but they can still benefit from a tough toy that lasts longer than most.
The folks over at PetProductAdvisor.com are a great resource for tough toys because both vets and pets test them and ONLY the best ones make the cut. Right now they're offering the Ruff Tuff Play Stuff collection . They've REALLY put these toys to the test by pulling them with a tractor, setting them on fire and putting them through hours of active play. You just have to see it for yourself! Most dogs are unable to destroy these toys. And if you have an aggressive chewer, these toys typically last a lot longer than most others. Take a look:
For MEDIUM-SIZE dogs, go to: www.petproductadvisor.com/Rufftuffplaystuffmedium
For BIG dogs, go to: www.petproductadvisor.com/Rufftuffplaystufflarge
