Why Chewing Is Often a Coping Strategy—not Bad Behaviour
One of the most common questions we hear is:
“How do I stop my dog chewing shoes? I tell him off when I find them chewed, and I know he knows it was wrong—but he keeps doing it.”
This situation can be incredibly frustrating, particularly when valuable or sentimental belongings are being destroyed.
However, there is an important misunderstanding hidden within that question. Once we understand why dogs chew—and what they learn from our response—the behaviour usually begins to make much more sense.
Destructive chewing is rarely simply disobedience. It is usually telling us something about the dog’s age, needs, environment or ability to settle.
Why Telling Your Dog Off Later Doesn’t Work
Dogs are very responsive to what is happening in the present moment.
If you discover a chewed shoe several hours after it happened and react angrily, your dog is unlikely to connect your response with the earlier act of chewing. Too much time has passed for the consequence to have any useful relationship with the behaviour.
What your dog does understand immediately is the change in you.
They notice your raised voice, facial expression, body tension and emotional intensity—but they may have no understanding of why you have suddenly changed.
Your dog could associate your reaction with:
- your arrival home;
- the object in your hand;
- being near you;
- entering that particular room;
- or simply the unpredictability of your emotional response.
This is why telling a dog off after the event rarely stops destructive chewing. The dog experiences the tension, but the information arrives too late to teach them what you wanted them to do differently.
The “Guilty Look” Isn’t Proof of Guilt
Many owners understandably respond:
“But he knows he did something wrong. He looks guilty as soon as I find the shoe.”
What we interpret as guilt is more often the dog responding to our expression, posture, tone and emotional energy.
When a person becomes upset, a dog may lower their body, turn their head away, avoid eye contact, pin back their ears or move cautiously. These behaviours can be attempts to reduce tension and prevent conflict.
Your dog is not necessarily thinking:
“I am sorry I chewed your shoe.”
They are more likely responding with:
“Something has changed. You are upset. How do I make this situation feel safe again?”
The dog may eventually begin displaying this appeasing response as soon as you enter the room or approach a damaged object. That still does not mean they understand that an action performed much earlier caused your reaction.
Recognising this changes the way we respond. Instead of punishing the dog for something they cannot meaningfully connect to our reaction, we can address the conditions that allowed the chewing to occur.
Why Do Dogs Chew?
Chewing is a natural canine activity. The behaviour itself is not automatically a problem—it becomes a problem when the dog chooses something we do not want damaged or when the chewing becomes excessive, compulsive or unsafe.
Dogs may chew for several different reasons.
Teething and Exploration
Puppies naturally explore the world with their mouths. Chewing can also provide relief while their adult teeth are developing.
A young puppy does not understand the difference between an expensive shoe, a child’s toy and an appropriate chew item. Those distinctions have to be created through supervision, management and guidance.
If you have a young dog, our private puppy training can help you establish healthy habits before destructive chewing becomes established.
Enjoyment and Natural Fulfilment
Many dogs simply enjoy chewing. It gives them something purposeful to do and can be a normal part of relaxation.
The aim should not be to prevent all chewing. It should be to help your dog understand which items are available to them and provide suitable alternatives.
Boredom or Insufficient Engagement
A dog without enough meaningful activity may create their own.
Chewing furniture, shoes or household objects can give a bored dog stimulation and relieve the monotony of being left without anything appropriate to do.
This does not always mean the dog needs more intense exercise. They may benefit from a healthier combination of walking, exploration, appropriate play, mental engagement and genuine rest.
Excess Activation or Difficulty Settling
Some dogs chew because they are carrying too much physical or emotional energy and do not know how to settle.
This can occur after stimulating play, when visitors leave, at the end of an exciting day or when the dog has become accustomed to constant activity and attention.
A dog can be physically tired but remain mentally activated. If your dog constantly appears restless or unable to switch off, learn more about overstimulation and hyperactivity in dogs.
Frustration or Anxiety
For some dogs, chewing provides an outlet when they feel unsettled, frustrated or anxious.
This is particularly important when chewing happens mainly while the dog is alone. Destructive behaviour around doors, windows, bedding or exit points may be associated with distress rather than boredom.
In these situations, simply removing the damaged item will not address what the dog is experiencing. The underlying anxiety, dependence or difficulty coping with separation must also be considered.
Access to Tempting Objects
Sometimes the explanation is surprisingly simple: the object was available and appealing.
Leather shoes are made from animal hide. They also carry the scent of their owner and have a satisfying texture. To a dog, they may be far more appealing than a rubber toy that has been lying untouched in the corner.
Expecting a puppy or inexperienced dog to resist that temptation without supervision or guidance is often unrealistic.
Physical Discomfort or Health Concerns
Occasionally, unusual or excessive chewing may be influenced by dental discomfort, pain, digestive issues or another physical concern.
If chewing begins suddenly, becomes compulsive, involves swallowing non-food objects or appears alongside changes in appetite, mood, energy or general health, seek veterinary advice.
Behaviour should never be considered entirely separately from physical wellbeing.
How to Stop Your Dog Chewing
The most effective approach combines management, appropriate alternatives, clear communication and an understanding of why your individual dog is chewing.
1. Remove Temptation
Put shoes, children’s toys, clothing, remote controls and other valuable items out of reach while your dog is learning.
Close doors, use cupboards and limit unsupervised access to areas where tempting objects are available.
This is not giving in. It is responsible management while better habits are being established.
Every time your dog practises chewing a particular object, that behaviour can become more familiar and rewarding. Preventing repetition is an important part of changing the habit.
2. Provide Appropriate Chewing Options
Give your dog access to safe items they are permitted to chew.
Different dogs prefer different textures, so you may need to try several appropriate options. Select items suited to your dog’s age, size and chewing strength, and supervise them with anything that could break apart or be swallowed.
Rotate the available items occasionally so they remain interesting.
Avoid giving your dog old shoes or household objects as chew toys. Your dog cannot reasonably be expected to understand why one shoe is permitted but another almost identical shoe is forbidden.
3. Supervise Your Dog While They Are Learning
If your dog regularly chews inappropriate objects, they are not yet ready to have unrestricted access to the entire home.
Keep them nearby, use doors or barriers thoughtfully, and pay attention to what they are doing. Supervision allows you to respond while the behaviour is happening—when your communication can still make sense.
The purpose is not to monitor your dog forever. It is to prevent unwanted habits from being repeatedly practised while you teach better ones.
4. Interrupt Calmly and Redirect
If you catch your dog chewing something inappropriate, remain calm.
There is no need to yell, hit, chase or frighten them. Emotional reactions can create confusion and may increase the very anxiety or activation contributing to the behaviour.
Instead:
- calmly interrupt the chewing;
- ask your dog to release or move away;
- remove the unavailable item;
- offer an appropriate alternative;
- quietly acknowledge the better choice.
The message becomes:
“That item is not available to you. This one is.”
If your dog freezes, growls or guards objects when you approach, do not forcibly remove the item or create a confrontation. Object guarding requires a careful approach, and professional guidance may be appropriate.
For more on responding without emotional intensity, read Why Yelling at Your Dog Doesn’t Work.
5. Meet the Need Behind the Behaviour
Consider when and where the chewing occurs.
Ask yourself:
- Does it happen when my dog is left alone?
- Is it more common after excitement or stimulation?
- Does my dog receive enough appropriate activity and exploration?
- Can my dog relax without constant entertainment?
- Is my puppy teething?
- Does my dog have suitable chewing outlets?
- Is the environment making unwanted chewing too easy?
- Has the behaviour appeared suddenly?
The pattern often reveals what the chewing is solving for the dog.
A teething puppy requires appropriate outlets and close management. A bored dog may need greater engagement. An overstimulated dog may need help settling. An anxious dog may need support with the underlying emotional difficulty.
The visible behaviour may look the same, but the appropriate response depends on its cause.
6. Create Calm, Predictable Routines
Dogs often cope better when daily life has some consistency.
Regular opportunities for exercise, exploration, rest, interaction and quiet time can reduce the need to continually find stimulation.
Be particularly aware of the times when chewing normally occurs. If your dog becomes destructive at a predictable time each day, prepare for that moment before the behaviour begins.
Offer an appropriate outlet, change the environment or help your dog settle while they are still receptive to your guidance.
Prevention is usually more effective than waiting for the dog to make a mistake.
When Chewing May Need Professional Help
Occasional chewing—particularly in puppies—is normal. However, additional help may be appropriate when:
- the chewing is frequent or highly destructive;
- your dog cannot settle even after their needs are met;
- the behaviour happens mainly when nobody is home;
- your dog damages doors, windows or exit points;
- your dog swallows pieces of objects;
- chewing is accompanied by panic, barking, pacing or attempts to escape;
- your dog guards stolen objects;
- the behaviour begins suddenly;
- or your efforts are not producing improvement.
In these cases, the chewing may be part of a broader behavioural or emotional difficulty.
Private dog behaviour training can help identify what is driving the behaviour and create a practical approach suited to your dog, home and circumstances.
Frequently Asked Questions
Should I punish my dog for chewing?
Punishing your dog after discovering a damaged item is unlikely to help because the response occurs too late for the dog to connect it meaningfully with the chewing. If you catch the behaviour as it happens, calmly interrupt, remove the item and guide your dog towards an appropriate alternative.
Why does my dog chew my belongings instead of their toys?
Your belongings may carry your scent and offer a more satisfying smell, taste or texture. They may also be more readily available or interesting than the dog’s usual toys. Remove tempting objects temporarily and provide several suitable alternatives.
Will my puppy grow out of chewing?
Teething-related chewing usually reduces as a puppy matures, but the habits developed during this period can continue. Management, supervision and clear guidance help prevent destructive chewing from becoming an established pattern.
Why does my dog only chew things when left alone?
Chewing while alone may result from boredom, frustration or difficulty coping with separation. Look at the complete pattern. Barking, pacing, escape attempts, excessive salivation or damage around exits may indicate distress that requires more than additional chew toys.
How much exercise will stop my dog chewing?
There is no universal amount. Exercise is important, but continually trying to exhaust a dog can create greater fitness without teaching them how to settle. Aim for an appropriate combination of physical activity, exploration, mental engagement and quiet rest.
Final Thought
Chewing is not necessarily evidence of a bad, stubborn or disobedient dog.
It is a natural activity that may provide enjoyment, relieve discomfort, create stimulation or help a dog cope with frustration and unease.
When we stop assuming that a dog “knows better” and begin understanding why the behaviour is occurring, our response becomes calmer, clearer and more effective.
Remove unnecessary temptation. Provide appropriate outlets. Supervise while better habits are developing. Communicate clearly when the behaviour occurs, and look beneath the chewing for the need it may be meeting.
With the right structure, guidance and appropriate outlets, destructive chewing usually reduces significantly—even though chewing itself remains a natural and healthy part of being a dog.
