My Pet World: Look for indestructible toys and beds during your dog’s teething phase
Dear Cathy,
We adopted our now 10-month-old pit mix from a shelter in Texas when she was four months old. She is the sweetest girl, incredibly smart, but with a lot of energy. Someone is almost always home, so she's rarely crated during the day and has a large, gated area of the house to roam freely. Additionally, she's walked multiple times a day.
Our main issue is that she's a chewer and will grab anything and everything, ripping it to shreds — paper, cups, toys, you name it. We're currently enrolled in a series of training classes, focusing on commands like "leave it" and "drop it."
However, the challenge remains that she chews and shreds any bed we give her. While she stops when corrected, she often returns to destroying it. Is there any solution, even an "indestructible" bed that could work for her?
— Kathleen, Nesconset, New York
Dear Kathleen,
These days, there are several dog beds marketed as “indestructible,” probably each with varying degrees of success depending on the chewer. I don’t generally recommend specific products but check out Gorilla Dog Bed’s ballistic orthopedic bed. It comes with a 125-day chew-proof warranty, which should be sufficient to get through your puppy’s destructive phase.
The destructive phase is simply a dog’s teething phase. They need to chew, so consider investing in "indestructible dog toys" to provide relief for her teething gums. While it's common for pets to tear up and shred things as puppies, rest assured that it's temporary, and she will outgrow it if you are consistent with her training.
Teaching her commands like “leave it” and “drop it” will help her learn what’s acceptable and not acceptable to chew. Always reward her with a treat or an indestructible toy immediately after she obeys this command to reinforce positive behavior. Also, it's crucial to pet-proof your home and keep items that you don’t want her to tear up out of her reach.
Please don't lose hope. Many pet owners face this challenge during the puppy phase and consider giving up their pets. However, with patience, vigilance in providing appropriate toys, and consistent training, you can help your sweet girl to become well-behaved and curb those destructive puppy tendencies. With your guidance, she will eventually learn to be a well-behaved dog.
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