Why does my dog always want to chew on sticks? Is it an oral fixation?

Hi there. Yes, I would definitely recommend giving Lirril some things to chew on. It's normal for puppies and adolescents to be very mouthy and want to chew constantly at this age. I normally recommend things like all-natural sturdy rawhide chews, bully sticks, and puzzle toys such as a frozen Kong stuffed with peanut butter. These do not cause cancer, and are generally safe for dogs to chew on.

Hello, sorry to hear about Charlie. It sounds like this could be more a behavioral problem and not so much a toothache problem. Tooth disease typically causes dogs to avoid hard materials. You're correct in being worried about Charlie eating these things as it can indeed cause GI problems and lead to tooth problems. This behavior can be elicited from stress and lack of environmental enrichment. You should get Charlie toys (kong toys) for him to play with and remove any other materials that he could get into. If this doesn't improve, he may need to be crate trained or wear a basket muzzle while you work with a behaviorist to decrease the incidence of this. Contact your veterinarian for advice on a local behaviorist whom may offer better support and further information. Monitor Charlie for any vomiting, decreased appetite, or lethargy and have him evaluated if you note any of these. Hope this helps and best of luck.

For my own personal dogs, I like bully sticks, large rawhide chews, or cow or pig ears - all of these can be good options for chewing, and will help to prevent tartar build-up and periodontal disease. You may need to try a few different options for your dog to see what she likes. You should also supervise her closely at first to make sure that she is not attempting to swallow any of these items whole.

I am sorry to hear about Matilda. For Ginger, in general it is ok for her to pick up sticks. As you mentioned so many dogs do this and are just fine. On a rare occasion a stick can get stuck in the dogs mouth and need immediate medical attention, but this is pretty rare. It would be safer for you to redirect ginger to appropriate puppy play and chew toys that are in your house while she is going thru this teething puppy phase

Certainly sticks and stones are not good for Teddy's GI tract. They can cause irritation, ulcers, and can get stuck and require surgery to remove them. You can try keeping Teddy on a leash to be able to keep him from the sticks as he learns what is ok to chew and what is not ok. I also recommend always having something to redirect his behavior when he does things like grabbing a stick. Things like chew toys or balls to fetch can be helpful tools to redirect Teddy's behavior to something more appropriate to do besides chewing sticks and stones. I always tell clients that animals cannot change behavior in a vacuum. Meaning just saying, "Teddy No!" When he chews sticks or digs in the yard is only one half of the equation. The other half is to give him something that IS ok to chew on or play with. Eventually with consistent redirection your little guy should get the hang of it. Keep in mind, also, that digging is a part of normal puppy behavior, even though we need to stop them from doing it or our yards will look like disaster zones. You can try this same redirecting trick with digging. Also make sure not to leave Teddy unattended outside until he gets the hang both of not digging and not going after sticks and stones. Best of luck with your sweet little trouble maker!

To keep dogs entertained for a longer period of time, I like to feed dehydrated chews. My largest dogs prefers bully sticks (https://www.bestbullysticks.com/4-inch-odor-free-bully-sticks) and my smaller dog loves dehydrated fish skins (https://www.thehonestkitchen.com/beams). They also like dehydrated sweet potato chews like Sam's Yams, but I might do something smaller for Jasper like their Bichon Fries (https://www.frontporchpets.com/sam-s-yams-bichon-fries-new-larger-size-12-5-oz.html). There are a large number of dehydrated chews on the market now, so you might ask at your local pet store to see if they have any suggestions for you. Please let me know if that was helpful. Thanks for using PetCoach.

If Sha Sha isn't interested in the chews, switching to other toys such as a Kong that needs to be chewed on to get a treat, or even brushing the teeth with a dog toothbrush and dog-safe toothpaste can help keep the teeth clean. There are also additives that can be sprayed in the mouth or added to the water to help reduce buildup (look for a VOHC seal on these products to know it is veterinary approved). You may also want to try out multiple different brands of dental chews to see if there is one she will eventually eat and chew on as they come in a wide range of choices such as rawhide-like chews, to more bone-like ones.