Puppy Chewing Everthing Outside

[Aussie_Ollie]

Hi

We've just got our new puppy. 9 week old Aussie Terrier.

He is a very inquisitive guy - mostly with his mouth! Inside all is ok. He just licks things and moves on. But outside there are tonnes of things for chewing - twigs, leaves, clumps of dirt, plants etc. I have made sure there is nothing dangerous around.

He seems to chew stuff like leaves or twigs but doesn't attempt to actually eat them. I worry though and am constantly takng things out of his mouth.

Is such behaviour normal or should I be trying to prevent it somehow.

[Jetty]

Jet used to chew on Logs there is no issue with them.

[Miranda]

This is normal behaviour, the puppy is simply exploring his environment, he doesn't have hands so he uses his mouth. You will find that he'll grow out of it.

[Sandra777]

So long as whatever he is chewing isn't toxic, let him do it to a degree - but you do need to be aware that today it's twigs, tomorrow it'll be the outdoor furniture.

Best to give him things he is allowed to chew than to allow him to choose his own things, you will never be able to teach him everything he's not allowed to chew, it's a lot less stressful to teach him what he is allowed to chew. You can include twigs and branches in the things you "give" him if it makes him happy, plant some around so he can discover them for himself, but include purpose-bought or made chew things too. I don't do chew toys with my crew, I prefer them to chew on their food, but with puppies they need to experience different tastes and textures IMO so pups around here have a weird selection of toys. Plastic drink bottles are the favourite.

[Aussie_Ollie]

So long as whatever he is chewing isn't toxic, let him do it to a degree - but you do need to be aware that today it's twigs, tomorrow it'll be the outdoor furniture.

Best to give him things he is allowed to chew than to allow him to choose his own things, you will never be able to teach him everything he's not allowed to chew, it's a lot less stressful to teach him what he is allowed to chew. You can include twigs and branches in the things you "give" him if it makes him happy, plant some around so he can discover them for himself, but include purpose-bought or made chew things too. I don't do chew toys with my crew, I prefer them to chew on their food, but with puppies they need to experience different tastes and textures IMO so pups around here have a weird selection of toys. Plastic drink bottles are the favourite.

Thanks. He has a number of different chew toys but he has a rather short attention span for them at the moment. Will chew them each for a bit and then move on to something else.

[kinsella]

Dear Aussie Ollie,

Aussie Terrier puppies are just amazing. They chew everything, investigate everything and have absolutely NO off switch! Fascinating babies but the chewing can be frustrating. With our boy, Oliver, now 10 months old, it was a case of free play followed by cuddles and excessive chewing saw him in his pen. It took a very short time - less than a week- for him to learn chewing us was a bad choice. It is just a case of being consistent. No chewing=fun and cuddles. Chewing= time out in the pen.

It doesn't last forever (Thank God) and an Aussie is just the best companion.