I’ve spent a lot of this summer at dog and agricultural events across the province, talking to lots of lovely dog guardians of both companion dogs and working dogs. Often when the discussion has moved to enrichment, and more specifically enrichment toys, the response has been “my dog would destroy that in 5 minutes”.
There are a lot of reasons why your dog might be chewing toys. The first thing to note is that chewing is a natural, instinctual behaviour for dogs. It brings enjoyment for them and also gives them time to process what is going on in their environment. Dogs also use their mouths to explore their world! The goal is to help them chew the right things, rather than stopping them chewing altogether
Below are some top tips on chewing and how you can support your dog to enjoy enrichment toys without destruction:
— The first and most important point is that dogs should not be left alone with enrichment toys – or any toys. There is no such thing as a truly indestructible dog toy. There is an inherent risk that they chew through a toy and choke on the pieces, or that the swallowed pieces cause a blockage. If you are concerned about how your dog feels when left alone, then speak to a trainer about separation anxiety, or train your dog to settle when you are not at home. Making sure they’ve had plenty of exercise and stimulation before you go out will help them relax also.
— Give your dog outlets for the chewing behaviour – this could be things like a shredding ball, a destruction box (there’s a great guide here from Blue Cross https://www.bluecross.org.uk/advice/dog/how-to-make-a-destruction-box), or long lasting chews like bully sticks or coffeewood (avoid rawhide however as this can be dangerous). One of mine is drawn to destuff teddies when he’s feeling unsettled, so I buy second hand stuffed toys from the charity shops (remove any eyes and noses and other glass or plastic pieces) and he has (supervised) access to these at all times in a toy box that I have made available to him in the living room.
— Does your dog have enough mental and physical stimulation? If not, the chewing could be coming from boredom. Have a look at my YouTube channel https://www.youtube.com/@AllAboutEnrichment for games you can play and enrichment crafts you can do at home using household items. It doesn’t have to be expensive or even very complicated – and many activities you can do in the time it takes to boil the kettle!
— If your dog chews a food enrichment toy to get at the treats, there could be a couple of causes here – but don’t worry, there is plenty you can do to help! If the toy is too difficult, strip it back a little and make it easier – e.g. instead of burrowing the treats in the snuffle mat, scatter them loosely around the mat and on top of it. Introduce a new toy slowly – let them investigate without any food involved, then once they are comfortable make the food easily accessible. Give a couple of options including having some of the food in a bowl for them to access alongside the food enrichment toy in case they are anxious about getting to the food.
— If your dog chews the toy once he’s got the food out, then offer to trade for something of value to him in order to do a swap. Kingsley is a power chewer and a big fan of soft burrow toys – once he has had his fill of playing and looks to be moving to chew mode, I offer him a different toy with food in it and then lift the burrow toy once he has moved on to the food toy. We’ve had the same toy for 2 years now without any holes or destuffing!
— Dogs are amazing at understanding the context behind items. They can very quickly understand what items are for chewing, and what are for foraging or sniffing. Having the context correct is key – for example, routine for when toys are given, or in a particular room of the house.
— Lastly, and this should always be considered in the wider context of your dog and their behaviour – there can be a link between destruction and physical discomfort, pain or digestive issues. Notice when your dog chews things and events surrounding the chewing. Are there particular times of day, or particular triggers? Are there particular things they are naturally drawn to chew? For example, my girl Honey routinely chewed and licked her blanket after dinner. Other symptoms prompted some diagnostic work and she was later diagnosed with IBD. Getting her on the right treatment has eliminated the blanket chewing as she is now comfortable and pain-free.