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Puppies chew for a variety of reasons and they do it to play, to explore the environment, to assuage hunger and to establish dominance. Puppies also chew to relieve boredom and ease teething discomfort. It really comes quite natural to them and they will chew whatever they can find lying around.

A dog or puppy needs items that he can chew on, else he is going to go for your slippers, electrical wires or furniture. A puppy chewing on electrical wires could injure or even kill your dog. Chewing other things might poison him.

You might have wondered 'why does my puppy chew on paper?' Chewing paper results in a huge mess for you and probably ingestion of the paper for your dog which might give him stomach ache. Dogs like to chew paper because it shreds easily. Mail coming through a mailbox gives him a challenge and is exciting. Anything new coming into the house is a potential challenge for those small but sharp teeth.

You can buy safe and sturdy dog chew toys from most pet stores, a veterinarian or online for only a few dollars. Since they are relatively cheap, it is a good idea to get an assortment of chew toys of varying textures and sizes, so your dog does not get bored with the one and set his sights on your favorite shoes again.

Squeaky dog toys are fun to play catch with but not sturdy enough to be toys for chewing. If your dog has only these, he will chew them to pieces in a few hours. Knotted ropes, sterilised bones and hard rubber balls are all good for your dog to chew.

If you have to leave your dog alone, you should put him in a crate or box (or a sealed room with nothing in it he can ruin) and provide a chew toy so he has something to do.

Dogs should never be encouraged to chase or bite. Some dogs, for example Corgis, Collies and Shetland Sheepdogs, will try to round up children by nipping at their heels. This is natural herding behavior but you can teach the dog that it is not acceptable to do so. Teaching a puppy is much easier than training an adult dog what is and is not acceptable but, with patience, it can be done.

You can teach your puppy or dog to chew the correct things. If he starts trying to chew something other than a chew toy, remove the object and give him the toy. A stern 'no' should be sufficient warning. You should not hit puppies. It will make them fear you rather than respect you. Dog Bites. It is natural for a dog to try to bite humans or other animals to establish dominance. Again, a firm 'no' should take care of this, quickly followed by giving him his chew toy. When you hand the dog a toy, you should say 'take it' after a few seconds to discourage grabbing.

Dog and puppy chewing is normal and all you need to do is provide the correct chew toys and to tell the dog off if he tries to chew the remote control, your new shoes or anything else which is off limits. After a while, the command becomes natural to him and he'll never do it again.