If you are a pet parent you will certainly have come across your dog chewing on shoes and slippers in concentration several times. Have you ever wondered what the triggers for this behaviour might be?
In this article you will find all the reasons for this strange behaviour and some ways to try to prevent Fido from biting your shoes and slippers again!
The reasons why your dog chews shoes
The triggering reasons that lead your dog to chew shoes and slippers are many and varied. Here are the most common ones.
The dog is a puppy
Especially when dogs are puppies, they have a tendency to explore the world, driven by an irrepressible curiosity. In the first months of life, the mouth therefore becomes a fundamental tool for these pets to discover and get to know their surroundings. Shoes are easily accessible objects for them and trigger their interest because their owner uses them habitually.
If, however, your dog has this tendency as a puppy, it is a good idea to try not to indulge it right from the start. It will be very difficult to dissuade him from chewing on your favourite shoes once he has grown up!
The dog feels the need to chew
Not only puppies but also adult dogs feel the need to chew. That is why shoes left on the floor are an inviting target precisely to satisfy this need of theirs. To try to dissuade your dog from doing so, you can opt for tasty dental snacks, carefully designed precisely to indulge the desire to chew and at the same time ensure your pet’s oral health.
Ferplast’s new 100% Snack line includes a wide range of vegetarian snacks, useful to fight tartar in teeth and promote oral hygiene. You will find them in many shapes and sizes and with specific functions according to your dog’s needs!
The dog wants to play or is bored
The dog also chews on shoes and slippers for emotional reasons. This behaviour may in fact mean that your pet simply wants to play together with you, or that it vents feelings of boredom or loneliness in play.
Furthermore, shoe-biting is sometimes also a symptom of restlessness and anxiety. If your pet is going through a moment of great emotional stress, they may release the tension precisely by biting his shoes, a way of distracting himself and doing something that satisfies them. In this case it is a good idea to stay alert and try to understand what may be creating feelings of unease in the dog.
How to make the dog stop chewing its shoes?
To prevent your dogs from biting his shoes, the best thing to do is to educate them from puppyhood onwards and make them understand that this type of behaviour is wrong. As an alternative to the slipper, it can be useful to always provide dental toys, called chews.
If, however, your dog is now an adult, it will be much more difficult to prevent this habit from emerging. First of all, avoid leaving shoes and slippers anywhere in the room that your dog can easily reach. Also, never wear shoes during playtime, as this would only serve to reinforce this behaviour.
Also try to understand the triggers of this habit and use dental snacks as a viable and tasty alternative.
What about your dogs? Do they also tend to steal your shoes and slippers and nibble on them everywhere?