Rottweiler pup chewing everything!

by Michael
(Sunshine Coast QLD)

Hi I have a rottie that is about 1year and 6 months old and he is still chewing everything. He doesn’t chew expensive stuff just stuff like milk cartons and the occasional shoe. He also chews his mats so he never has anywhere to sleep.

He never use to be this bad but in the last month or 2 he has got quite bad with his chewing habits. Do you know any ways to stop his chewing? Keep in mind I buy him chew toys and he just destroys them in 5 minutes.

Hi Michael
Your Rottie is still a pup, although he’s an adolescent and not a baby. He should definitely be past the worst chewing stage, but many pups of this age still like to chew and gnaw on all kinds of things – you’re lucky he sticks to the ones that aren’t too pricey or irreplaceable!

BUT, if this is getting worse rather than better, I’d guess that perhaps there’s some underlying stress and anxiety that is making the problem worse.

Chewing is one of the natural ways that dogs deal with stress, loneliness, frustration, boredom and other similar emotions. It could be that he’s alone for very long periods, or isn’t getting enough exercise, or mental stimulation etc.

I’d suggest taking a closer look at his days and trying to figure out what you can do to help him use up that excess energy (mental and physical) in a more constructive way.

Perhaps enroll him in a basic dog obedience class, or add an extra (brisk) walk to his daily routine, an additional play session with you after work and so on. Some new chew toys (check out my Tough Dog Toys page for suggestions) might help, or an interactive dog toy/puzzle that he can play with while you supervise him.

If there’s been a significant change in his life recently, such as a new baby, a new pet, a house move, a divorce and so on, that could be to blame too. Dogs are very sensitive to emotions and thrive on routine and predictability, change can unbalance them temporarily and lead to stress.

Just do your best to give him other outlets for his chewing desires and keep him busy and active so that when he’s alone he wants to nap instead of destroying things! This will pass as he grows older as long as he has enough stimulation and exercise.

Hope this helps, best of luck with your pup.

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