Puppy chewing is one of the worst obstacles to overcome as a dog parent. I remember the day like it was yesterday... bringing Rusko home. He was so small, so cute, so sweet, and... he was a nightmare at the same time! And, of course, Jax was no different! It's a common scenario. You have a new puppy and have found that this cute bundle of joy is chewing on everything, including your hands, face, and other body parts it can reach!

So, how can you stop this annoying behavior? Well, since most puppies need to chew on things to help get them ready for their adult teeth, providing adequate chew toys and treats will help. The coolest trick I came up with was freezing some carrots or other fresh vegetables like snap peas to keep them interested (even fruits are okay, but make sure none of them are toxic in our library). The frozen goodies took them longer to eat/chew, and helped satisfy that need to just chomp on everything!

One of the biggest problems people don't realize is that when they are playing with their puppy, they are using their hands, and it can really start a bad habit of your adult dog chewing on your hands. Besides, even though they're little, those teeth are very sharp! So I keep playtime fun with toys, balls, Frisbees, and anything but my hands. Puppies will soon associate your hand as their favorite toy if you do not provide a substitute.

Usually by the time adult teeth have come in and baby teeth are no longer bothering your puppy, they will stop "mouthing" things as much. So, hang in there. It's only a matter of time before your pup will stop the chewing marathons!