If you have ever had a puppy, you know the value of a good chew toy. Human babies like to chew on things to ease the pain of teething, but their chewing is usually harmless, unless they happen to have a hold of your hand or arm. Puppies, and some dogs, on the other hand, have a different idea about what they would like to chew. They can get just about anything in your home, and they usually find your favorite pair of shoes when they have the urge to chew something up. Having toys as an alternative can help.
If you have a new puppy and they have yet to chew on anything, you have a great advantage. If you can get them to start with the chew toy, they may not want to chew on anything else. Make sure you have enough of them lying around so they can find one whenever the urge to chew comes about. If you don't have something, their first chew toys is going to be something you have to replace, and the habit is also going to be harder to change.
You should choose your chew toys based on the size of your puppy or dog. Larger dogs can easily chew up and spit out a small chew toys that is made from light materials. These might be great for small dogs, but the larger ones need something that is bigger, and that also has some substance to it so they can't tear it to shreds within a matter of minutes. It should offer them some challenge, and should also satisfy the need to chew on something. Some dogs only chew for a moment or two, but some will do it for quite a while.
If you are in doubt about which chew toys will work the best, ask someone for advice. Those who work in pet stores often can give you good recommendations, but they don't always know what they are talking about. You might want to look online for some recommendations about a good chew toy, and even read some reviews if you can find a site that offers those to the readers. When you find a toy your animal likes, buy more than one so you have some extras. Also, remember that they may change their preference after awhile, and even if they have yet to gnaw on your shoes, they just may do so if you aren't paying any attention.
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