I walked into a pet store to purchase toys for my beautiful new labrador puppy, who is teething, and was completely overwhelmed by the selection. Are there any toys I might want to avoid letting him chew on?
Sincerely,
Sarah
...and Linus
Dear Sarah and, of course, Linus:
Items such as rawhide, rope toys, plus animals and squeaky toys should be carefully considered, as they can often resemble items in the home -- and items the family wants the dog to avoid. When chew toys resemble other household items, the dog may have difficulty discerning the appropriate from the forbidden objects when left alone. For example, the ends of some brands of rope toys are fringe-like and tasseled, similar to upholstery accoutrements or rugs. Rawhide is made of processed animal products, often skin and tendons, and resembles leather -- the choice material for many shoes, handbags and small fashion goods such as wallets and gloves. Fuzzy plush toys are soft and tactile like rugs, carpeting and accent pillows and baby toys. Rubber and plastic squeaky toys may be similar to children's action figures, toddler's toys and similar items. In addition, you may not want the dog to play with toys that are disignated for other animals in your home, such as the cat's toys, which can also look quite similar to children's toys -- or more importantly -- small caged pets or birds that may or may not be present in your home.
This is not to say that rope toys, rawhide, and plush animals should never be offered as rewards or during play. Chewing is a natural behavior, especially during the teething process for puppies. The goal is to set up the dog for success and make differentiation easy for the pet.
Continue to check back with our blog at www.good-sit.com as we offer more tips for managing chewing behavior.
Yours in Training,
Miss Behavin
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