Puppies will always want to chew on something – it’s a natural instinct. However, learning what is, and what is not appropriate to chew on, can be the difficult part. Usually, puppies under ten weeks old will want to chew on soft chew toys like stuffed animals, while older puppies and adult dogs will generally prefer harder Kongs and Nylabones. Starting young, establish what can and cannot be chewed on in your household by following the methods described in this section. To make it easier for your puppy to understand what is a toy and what is not, keep only two toys out for him at a time until he reaches about two years old. Littering the floor with toys delivers the message that anything on the floor is fair game to chew on, and the puppy will do so energetically!

When deciding on ‘treats’, choose healthy snacks like natural carrots, peas and potatoes. A bag of frozen peas, thawed individually as needed (or even frozen), make great treats for small puppies and small adult dogs, while a boiled small red potatoes or baby carrots work well for larger dogs. You can freeze extra treats separately, so that you are not having to cook them up constantly. Also, boiled potatoes make good pill delivery treats for stubborn dogs. If they are used to getting potatoes as a treat you can put the tablet inside the softened potato,  and they will eat it without ever knowing you’ve tricked them into taking their medicine!