Bringing a new puppy into your home can be such a wonderful experience, but one of the hardest things about a new puppy can be the constant chewing. Why do puppies do this? They do it for a few reasons; their mouth is like their hands in that they explore and see the world through their nose and mouth, which is why it can be so frustrating when they are sticking their nose and mouth in and on everything, but this is how they experience their world. Puppies also go through a teething phase early in life. The first 8 to 10 months they will be getting their teeth in, which means they have an urge to chew to push those teeth through. Puppies also have a very short attention span and tend to get bored quite easily, so when that happens they are quick to find something new to chew on. Even though it is a big temptation for them, it is important to train them that this is not acceptable behavior and to give them alternative options for them. As dog breeders we encourage our new puppy parents to plan for this phase so it doesn’t get overwhelming.
1. Crate train – this is very important and we always encourage all of our customers to crate train their puppies because it provides stability for the puppy and also creates a safe place where they can stay and you don’t have to worry about them getting into trouble or danger. Dogs are naturally comfortable with living in dens and small areas out in the wild, so a crate is actually very natural for them. One important thing to note is that we never put our dogs or puppies in their crate as a punishment, the crate is a safe space and they should enjoy going in and out of it.
2. Train “leave it” – When you catch your puppy finding something that is not appropriate it is important to have them trained so you can tell them to leave it. This takes a lot of consistency and some time, but especially with Labrador Retrievers they are extremely smart and with rewards and treats they will learn very quickly what you expect of them, and they will know if you are serious or not! We always make sure to praise them for the good decisions that they make, especially when it’s a really hard temptation, and they want to chew on that chair leg or shoe. Along with that it is important to mention that it is very hard to train a puppy if you were not watching them. The first year you will need to take extra care and time to keep a close eye on your puppy because they won’t know that they’re doing something wrong unless you can tell them that, and you can’t if they are out in the yard or in the living room by themselves. As Labrador Retriever dog breeders we recommend not letting them roam the whole house when you bring your puppy home. If there is one specific room that they can stay in, such as the living room, while they are learning to be crate/potty trained that is ideal.
3. Dog Toys – our labrador retrievers are decent chewers, so we have used plenty of different brands of dog toys and chew toys, and we love the Kong company brand. We have found them to last the longest for our labs, and we love being able to stick peanut butter or treats inside of them for extended play time. One thing we have found is that one or two great chew toys can be more effective than 6-8 toys. It can kind of be like children, when they have too many toys it is almost overwhelming and they act bored and don’t play with any of them. Instead try to give them a choice between one or two toys and you might find that they end up playing with that toy for much longer than you expect. Our favorite Kong toys are the wobbler, bone, and original Kong (in black because like I said, our yellow labs like to chew!). The wobbler is great for snack time because I can put treats in it and it can take a while for them to get all of the treats out. While this may sound frustrating for a person, this is a fun game for a puppy! A puppy’s brain is growing so much the first year, so exposing them to new toys that they need to figure out is a wonderful way for them to get their mental exercise. If you do have a lot of toys I’d recommend putting most of them away and slowly rotating through your toys so you can see which toys are the favorite.
4. Physical Exercise – Even though puppies are still small and can only go for so long, it’s important for them to have consistent, daily exercise in the morning and evening. It is amazing what exercise can do for a puppy! It can boost their mood and attitude, create a wonderful environment to train them, and it keeps him out of trouble. Throwing fetch or going on walks with a puppy is some of the best exercise, and they learn so much along the way! Truly if someone just wants one thing to do with their puppy to help train them, I would say go on a daily walk and that will provide a wonderful training ground for them. One word of caution, I would not be taking them out around other people or areas where there is a lot of distraction, you want them to be focused on you (and your treats) to make your training/walking sessions as effective as possible.
The puppy chewing stage can be quite tough, but with consistency it can definitely be manageable and they can learn quickly what is acceptable and what is not. Just remember that the urge to chew and get those teeth through will last for the first eight months or so, but with 1 to 2 great chew toys, crate training, and plenty of exercise your puppy can successfully navigate that phase of their life.