We’ve all had toys as kids. Some of us got Barbie’s and some of us got the whole Barbie townhouse which just wasn’t fair, but I digress (and regress apparently). But regardless of the toys we got, we were all told to “take care of your toys”. Play nicely with your toys. We keep our toys for as long as they last.

This sometimes makes us expect our pups to do the same.

No, not the same! My husband still gets a little perturbed when he sees a chewed up ball around the house. But this is what dogs are supposed to do! Not with everything (God forbid our pooch ever chew another of my son’s Spidermen but we worked on that issue), but they do need their own toys, some of which are just for chewing.

Why Let Them Chew?

1. Chewing is natural and healthy for dogs.
2. Chewing keeps their teeth clean.
3. Chewing makes their jaws strong.
4. The feeling of chewing is satisfying to a dog.

And mostly

Gnawing on something for a spell gives them something to do. Your dog is just probably not into ‘Law and Order’ or surfing the Net, but they need something to occupy their mind.

Chewing also means eventual destruction. And replacement. You gotta buy them toys on the regular. If they have their own toys to chew, they will not be inclined to chew on your couch leg, Prada loafers or any Spidermen you may have laying around the house. You don’t have to spend a fortune replacing toys, but make sure they are safe, especially if you have a larger dog that can shred the toy quickly (avoid latex toys for instance). I’ll do more on that later.

But Let Them Chew!