Does your dog enjoy shredding things? It’s a common behavior in our canines, and it’s thought it mimics the way they’d tear at their prey in the wild.
While your pup might have the best dog food and not need to find and tear apart prey, it’s still important to let your dog engage in natural behaviors like shredding – but it can be frustrating if they decide to shred things you’d rather they not damage!
Certified dog trainer Melissa Goodman of Mission Pawsitive has explained the importance of letting your dog shred and how you can encourage the behavior while protecting your home and possessions in a recent Instagram post, and it’s well worth taking on board.
“If you give your dog things they can shred or chew, it reduces their desire to seek out other things you may not want them to,” Goodman explains. She adds in the caption, “The best way to protect your things and give your dog fulfillment is through enrichment – providing dogs with appropriate outlets to do what is natural for them.”
Most dogs will spit out things they shred or chew, too, when we don’t make a huge deal about them having them in their mouths – most dogs who eat the things they chew do so because they’re used to having things taken from them.
However, safety should always come first, so make sure they aren’t getting into anything that could injure them or cause an upset stomach in dogs, for example. In Goodman’s video, her dog is chewing pine cones. These can be harmful if ingested, so if your dog does like to eat the things they chew, it’s probably best not to let them shred or chew them. If your pup always spits things out, you might decide to let them get on with it.
Provide your dog with appropriate outlets for shredding to allow them to engage in their natural behaviors while also making sure they aren’t getting into anything they shouldn’t – it’s a win-win!
What if your dog likes to shred their toys? Sure, it might not be as annoying as them shredding your own things, but it can still be frustrating and even cause potential choking hazards. Here’s how to teach your dog not to destroy toys for everything you need to know.
And if your pup often eats things that aren’t food, it’s worth considering that it could be pica – a disorder that’s usually rooted in attempts to obtain nutrients that could be missing from their diet. If you’re concerned that your dog has symptoms of pica, it’s best to visit your vet.
