Why Your Dog Needs Chew Toys

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Why Your Dog Needs Chew Toys

Last Updated on May 11, 2023 by

Dog owners in every country and throughout the entire history of humans keeping dogs as pets have been through the frustration of their dogs having chewed up something that they shouldn’t. It could be something fairly cheap and replaceable like socks or a pair of cheap sneakers, but it also could have been something different like the TV remote, an expensive handbag, or even your tax return forms from the ATO! 

It’s a fact of nature that dogs have a real need to chew things. It’s hard-wired into their DNA. They are chewers. There are good reasons, therefore, to buy dog chew toys online and get high-quality and lasting products for them to focus their attention upon. Here’s why dogs need those chew toys:

1. Playing with a Chew Toy Gives Dogs Relief from Stress and Anxiety

While we humans may respond to stressful situations by taking ourselves to the gym for yoga and meditation sessions, dogs find their relief in the act of chewing. You might think it’s all wildly different, but don’t forget that even some humans respond to stress with odd compulsive behaviour, too, such as skin picking, nail biting, playing with hair, and so on. For dogs, chewing is what they need.

So, a good chew toy will give them many hours of stress relief and relaxation. Something that they can work on for a long time is best as it will help them feel their stress relief activity can go on and on.

2. It Also Promotes Better Dental Health

Besides better mental health, chew toys are also a key part of canine dental health. For young teething puppies, it’s critical to direct their chewing behaviour in the right way, first of all to prevent destructive chewing (see point 4 for more), but also to ensure the proper development of their teeth and gums.

Puppies tend to swallow things that they chew, as well, which is why edible chew toys are often best for pups who are still finding their way. Alternatively, something more robust and durable that doesn’t come apart that can keep them busy for a long time is also good.

3. Well-Designed Chew Toys Are Safer Than Bones

The “original” chew toy for dogs was typically a great big bone that they could chew on for a long time until it was essentially all gone. Dogs do still like bones, and there are useful benefits to giving them bones to chew, but there are also risks. 

Bones can shard, get stuck in their teeth, create choking hazards, and when people don’t know what kind of bones to give, they can actually be very dangerous. Cooked chicken bones, for instance, are incredibly dry and brittle, shredding into splinter-like threads that can cause your dog terrible discomfort, and even choke them. Beef bones, on the other hand, can be safer. Overall, however, a purposefully made chew toy can help you avoid this risk altogether.

4. Toys Help Prevent Destructive Chewing

As we touched on above, dogs are natural chewers and their habit can quickly turn into a destructive one if you don’t direct it and channel it correctly from an early age. Dogs must learn what is okay to chew and what is not. 

Chew toys give them options for enjoyable chewing, for which their owners can praise them. At the same time, they can steer clear of shoes, clothing, toilet rolls, curtains, cushions, and more, some of which have materials that are very hazardous for your dog if swallowed

Read More: 10 Ways to Save Money on Toys for Kids